University of Cebu

More than P60 million will be spent by a group of shipping companies for 50 marine transportation and engineering scholars next school year.
The 50 scholars, who will be enrolled at the University of Cebu (UC), are beneficiaries of the cadetship program of the International Maritime Employers’ Committee (IMEC), a group of 120 European ship owners and ship management companies which operates 6,500 ships.
Captain Cedric D’ Souza, training consultant of IMEC, said the association trust fund will be used to finance the students’ scholarship which include tuition, board and lodging, uniform, and books which is equivalent to more than 130,000 per student in one school year.
“The shipping industry is facing a shortage of qualified marine and deck officers. In the next three to four years, we’ll be in need of at least 40,000 officers, with the 7,000 ships which are being constructed from all over the world,” D’ Souza said.
D’ Souza said investing in the education and training of future officers is the long- term solution to the looming seafarers shortage.
“That was the mistake of the shipping companies in the 1980s and 1990s. They did not invest in the cadets. Now we are seeing the effects,” he said.
UC president Augusto Go said the IMEC scholarship will be adding 50 scholars every year. This means that at the end of the fourth year, UC will have a total of 200 IMEC scholars.
Go said the IMEC scholarship raises a number of cadet scholarships in UC to 600 which includes scholarships offered by the Norwegian and Japanese companies in both UC Mambaling and Lapu-lapu Mandaue campuses.
Cadet scholars in UC follow a “2+1+1 scheme” in which cadets study for two years, go on-board an international vessel on the third year and go back to the university on the fourth year to complete the course.
D’ Souza said student cadets onboard a vessel, will be earning P16,000 a month or a total of P200,000 in one year.
“We also guarantee them jobs after they finished with our members operating more than 6,000 ships. They don’t have to go to the streets to and start hunting for a job,” he told Cebu Daily News.
At present, more than 100 students have applied for the scholarship program.
“We’re not offering a job.. it’s a career and a profession. There are many opportunities for a seafarer. You won’t be sailing all your life,” he said.
D’ Souza said Filipinos are still the most sought-after seafarers in the world.
“Your geography placed you in a position where you have a rich blend that a Filipino is a natural seafarer. It’s just that you have to put the right training,” he said.
IMEC board members visited the Philippines in November 2007 to look for a university where they can offer the scholarship.

            D’ Souza said UC was found to be equipped with the necessary infrastructures and facilities.