IMarEST Supports UKHO with Professional Development (UK)

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is the latest organisation to join the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) as a Corporate Marine Partner; and involvement with the initiative has had an immediate effect.

This new partnership has already seen over 400 UKHO people enrolled as IMarEST members. Membership supports their Career Level Framework (CLF) and enhances the professional and technical development of UKHO staff.

“This is a key partnership, and enables us to demonstrate our commitment to ensuring our technical specialists are of the highest calibre in the world,” explains Paul Fothergill, UKHO’s CLF Manager. “Supporting our employees and enabling them to work towards Chartered Marine Technologist (CMarTech) status is something we’re keen to develop and showcase with our existing clients and partners. Encouraging over 400 of our UK-based team to join the Institute has proved highly successful; we know they will reap benefits from taking this first decisive step.”

In exploring the benefits of joining the Marine Partners initiative UKHO, as one of the very best places in the world to train to become an expert in cartographic and allied skills, was eager to demonstrate the quality of their staff, and their eagerness to invest in each of them and support their career framework at every level as they work towards, and benefit from, internationally recognised professional qualifications that the IMarEST offers.

Access to the IMarEST virtual library and associated technical information is of interest to the majority of these new members, as is the ability to input into IMarEST Special Interest Groups and IMarEST technical conferences and profit from them. And, running throughout is UKHO’s need to have their staff professionally recognised, and to see them benefiting from continuing professional development (CPD) programmes.

“We’re seeing a growing number of organisations invest in the professional development of their staff,” says David Loosley, Chief Executive of IMarEST. “This is another example of how the Institute’s Initial and Continuing Professional Development programmes enable organisations, such as the UK Hydrographic Office, to further develop their staff, and something that the IMarEST is delivering globally and on a daily basis.”

The UKHO has joined a growing list of partners which includes the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, BP Shipping, Lloyd’s Register, Class NK, ABS and Plymouth University. Corporate Marine Partnerships are customised packages and range from offering bulk membership and professional development, promotional profile in international markets, accreditation of training courses, to the production of workshops and online training.

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Press Release, January 10, 2014