Continuing Professional Development
Company of Master Mariners of Canada
Professional Development Program
Version – April 16, 2015
1. Policy
1.1. The Company of Master Mariners of Canada (“the Company”) was established to
encourage and maintain the high and honourable standards of the Nautical Profession, further the efficiency of the sea service and uphold the dignity and prestige of Master Mariners.
1.2. With the rapid pace of innovation and development in the maritime industry, and the need to operate at the current level of knowledge and expertise, the Company has created a professional development program for its Members, both at sea and ashore.
1.3. The purpose of the voluntary professional development program is to encourage members of the Company to meet and maintain high professional standards by undertaking professional development throughout their careers.
1.4. Professional development is considered to be a process of personal growth through programs, services and activities designed to enable members of the Company, individually or collectively, to enhance professional practice.
2. Objectives of the Program
2.1. Maintaining high professional standards through the enhancement of
professional practice assures that public expectations regarding maritime safety, protection of the environment and the economic transportation of goods by sea are met.
2.2. In addition, participation in the voluntary professional development program provides the following tangible benefits to the Company and its Members:
- 2.2.1. Provides participating members with documentary evidence that professional development activities have been undertaken;
- 2.2.2. Provides opportunity for peer recognition;
- 2.2.3. Provides opportunity for knowledge transfer to others;
- 2.2.4. Builds and strengthens the Company of Master Mariners of Canada as a
professional body; and, - 2.2.5. Establishes and maintains a professional relationship with the maritime industry.
3. Scope
3.1. The Company’s Professional Development Program provides a participating Member with recognition that relevant professional development activities have been undertaken.
3.2. The Company’s Professional Development Program is not a recognition of the competence of a participant. Seafarer certification is the exclusive jurisdiction of a Maritime Administration, while the competence of shore-based personnel is determined exclusively by their employers.
4. Eligibility
4.1. All Members, in good standing, are eligible to participate in the Company’s Professional Development Program.
4.2. The Company’s Professional Development Program is voluntary and there are no requirements for Members to participate.
5. Recognition of professional activities
5.1. The Company’s Professional Development Program recognizes two categories
of professional standing. The first category is for Members who are currently working in the maritime industry. The second category is for Members who are no longer active in the maritime industry.
5.2. For the purpose of the Company’s Professional Development Program, the maritime industry is defined to include all activities connected with ships and shipping in which the specialized competencies, or the sea-going background, of the Member is used to provide professional services. Guidelines to assist in the identification of accepted maritime industries are contained in Annex 1.
5.3. In order to meet the requirements of the Company’s Professional Development Program, participating Members, who are currently working in the maritime industry, must undertake additional professional development activities in order to qualify for recognition under the program.
5.4. The professional development activities of a participating Member are assessed annually.
6. Roles and responsibilities
6.1. The Chair, Education Committee has overall responsibility for the administration
of the Professional Development Program. The Chair, Education Committee is responsible to implement any amendments to the Professional Development Program made by the National Council and may also issue interpretation guidelines to facilitate the implementation of the Program.
6.2. Participating Members are responsible to keep a personal record of qualifying activities and to submit a request to their Divisional Secretary to have their professional activities recognized by the Company.
6.3. Divisional Secretaries are responsible for receiving, assessing and recording of professional activities submitted by a Member. Divisional Secretaries are responsible to keep attendance records for professional activities delivered by the Division and to notify Members of the amount of credit gained by participating in a Divisional professional activity.
6.4. The National Secretary is responsible to keep attendance records for professional activities delivered by the National Council and to notify members of the amount of credit gained by participating in a National professional activity.
7. Amendment procedure
7.1. The Company’s Professional Development Program is issued under the authority of the National Council who may amend the Program from time to time.
7.2. Members may request that an amendment be made to the Program through the Chair, Education Committee who shall review all requests for amendment and submit recommendations to the National Council for their consideration.
8. Definition of professional activities
8.1. Professional activities are defined as those activities which further the objectives of the Program.
8.2. Professional activities are subdivided into four main categories. Guidelines on the specific categorization of professional activities is contained in Annex 1:
- 8.2.1. Professional Practice. Professional practice includes all activities undertaken by participating Members working in the maritime industry. If the primary work of the participating Member also includes elements from the other categories of professional activities, then the activities in question shall be considered as part of professional practice;
- 8.2.2. Education Activities. Education activities include all activities undertaken by participating Members to increase their own personal knowledge of the maritime industry. Education activities paid by a participating Member’s employer are eligible to be counted as credit towards the Company’s Professional Development Program;
- 8.2.3. Contribution to Knowledge. Contribution to Knowledge include all activities undertaken by participating Members to increase the overall knowledge base within the maritime industry; and,
- 8.2.4. Community Participation. Community participation includes all activities undertaken by the participating Member to increase the overall awareness of the maritime industry within the general public and to enhance the dignity and prestige of the Company.
9. Recording of professional activities
9.1. Each participating Member is responsible for recording their own professional activities in the format provided in Annex 2.
9.2. Professional activities are recorded as “credits” associated with the activity. The credits may or may, or may not, actually reflect the amount of hours taken to perform the activity.
9.3. Unless specified otherwise, both verifiable and non-verifiable activities can be recorded by Members as professional activities. A verifiable activity is one which can be objectively confirmed by a competent (third-party) source. A non- verifiable activity is one which cannot be verified.
9.4. Members may request that the Divisional and/or National Secretaries provide a record of attendance at professional activities provided by the Company to assist the Member in completing their submission.
10. Reporting of professional activities
10.1. Participating Members are responsible for submitting a request to the Divisional
Secretary to have their professional activities recognized under the Company’s
Professional Development Program.
10.2. Requests for recognition of professional activities received by March 1 will be
reviewed and assessed by the Divisional Secretary prior to March 31. Requests received after March 1 will be considered in a timeframe determined by the Divisional Secretary.
10.3. The Divisional Secretary will review the submission made by a member to determine if the minimum requirements of the Professional Development Program have been met.
10.4. For activities not specifically described by the Professional Development Program, the Divisional Secretary may choose to reject the activity or confer with the Chair, Education Committee for an interpretation of the program.
10.5. The Divisional Secretary will issue a notice, in the format provided in Annex 2, to the participating Member confirming the recognition of their professional activities by March 31 of each year.
Minimum requirements
11.1. Practicing Maritime Professional:
To received the recognition as a Practicing Maritime Professional, the following minimum requirements must be met:
- 11.1.1. Professional practice consisting of a minimum of three (3) months of full-
time employment within the maritime industry within the calendar year. See guidelines in Annex 1 to determine the scope of activities accepted by the Company as being within the maritime industry; and, - 11.1.2. Minimum of twenty (20) professional credits from any of the remaining professional activity categories. See guidelines in Annex 1 to determine examples of professional activities and their associated credits.
11.2. Non-Practicing Maritime Professional: To receive recognition as a Non- Practicing Maritime Professional, the following minimum requirements must be met:
- 11.2.1. Minimum of twenty (20) professional credits from any of the professional activity categories with the exception of the professional practice category. See guidelines in Annex 1 to determine examples of professional activities and their associated credits.
11.3. Validity period for professional activities
- 11.3.1. Credit for professional activities are applied in the same calendar year as they are completed. Surplus professional activities completed in previous years cannot be carried over for credit in subsequent years.
11.4. Appeals and dispute resolution
- 11.4.1 In the event that a participating Member disagrees with the determination of professional status made by the Divisional Secretary, the first level of appeal is with the Divisional Master, with the second and final level of appeal with the National Master.
- Both the Divisional Master and the National Master may consult with the Chair, Education Committee for guidance on the interpretation of the Company’s Professional Development Program.
Annex 1
Guidelines on Determining Professional Activities and Corresponding Credits
Professional Activity | Calculation of Professional Credits |
|---|---|
| Professional Practice. Participating Members, employed in the following segments of the maritime industry qualify for credit under the category of professional practice.
Sea service | Minimum of three (3) months of full- time equivalent employment within the calendar year. A full-time equivalent working year is considered to be 200 days of employment. |
Educational Activities
| |
| Taking courses relevant to the maritime industry | 10 credits per course completed |
| Attending professional development seminars | 1 credit per seminar attended |
| Attending maritime related conferences | 5 credits per conference attended |
Contribution to Knowledge
| |
| Writing papers or articles for publication | 20 credits per peer reviewed paper published. 10 credits for non- peer reviewed paper and/or article published. |
| Delivering presentations | 5 credits per presentation delivered. |
| Delivering guest lectures | 5 credits per guest lecture presented. |
| Nautical skills competition | 10 credits for organizing/judging an event. |
| Creation and audit of nautical curriculum | 20 credits per program created/audited |
Community Participation
| |
| Attending Divisional or National Council meetings | 2 credits per council meeting attended |
| Participation in advisory bodies for maritime schools | 5 credits for each meeting attended |
| Representing maritime industry at Public and regulatory consultations | 5 credits for each consultation meeting attended |
| Organizing marine events | 20 credits for each event organized |
| Representing maritime industry at public events | 5 credits for each event attended |
| Promotion of maritime industry and marine careers | 5 credits for each meeting/event attended |
| Representing the Company at IFSMA, IMO or other International Fora | 20 credits for each event attended. |
Annex 2
Guidelines on Documenting, Requesting, and Acknowledging Professional Activities
Format to Document and Request Recognition of Professional Activities
Date
Divisional Secretary, Name of Division:
I, Name of Member, being a [insert membership category] member in good standing with the Company of Master Mariners of Canada (“the Company”), am voluntarily participating in the Company’s Professional Development Program (“the Program”).
I hereby request recognition of professional activities I have undertaken during Year under the category of [Practicing][Non-Practicing] Maritime Professional, in accordance with the policies of the Program.
To support my request, I have attached the following summary of qualifying professional activities for your review.
| Category | Qualifying Activity | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Practice (if seeking Practicing Maritime Professional designation) | [Insert Name of Employer & category of industry] | Insert number of months of full-time equivalent employment |
| Educational Activities | [Insert name of activity] | Consult Annex XX |
| Contribution to Knowledge | [Insert name of activity] | Consult Annex XX |
| Community Participation | [Insert name of activity] | Consult Annex XX |
| Total Credits | Sum of Professional Activity Credits |
Sincerely;
Name of Member
Format to Recognize Professional Activities
Date
Name of Member:
On behalf of the Company of Master Mariners of Canada (“the Company”), I congratulate you on your voluntary participation in the Company’s Professional Development Program (“the Program”). Your participation is testimony to your commitment to engage in a process of lifelong learning.
Your professional activities have been reviewed against the requirements of the Program, and I am hereby authorized to recognize that you meet the criteria established for:
[Practicing][Non-Practicing] Maritime Professional for the Year [Year].
The purpose of the Program is to encourage members of the Company to meet and maintain high professional standards by undertaking professional development throughout their careers.
The Company encourages you to continue to participate in the Program, and we wish you success in your future endeavours.
Sincerely;
[Divisional Secretary]