Nakilat’s marine cadets (front row from left) Mohamed Yousif Al Azab, Mohamed Hassan Al Shamlan, Amir Abdulla Hamid and Abdulrahman Mohamed Ameen with officials of Nakilat (back row from left) Miles Martin, Marine Personnel Manager; Maisra Abdelrahman, Senior Recruitment Officer; Hassan Jarrar, Head of Compensation and Recruitment; Samir Bailouni, Director – Fleet; Margaret A Al Kuwari, Human Resources Manager; and Mohamad Bayazid, Operations Superintendent.

Doha: Four young Qataris have become the first sea cadets to sign up for Nakilat’s Marine Cadet Programme, making history for Qatar’s shipping industry at the signing ceremony held on September 13 at Nakilat’s headquarters.

Qatar’s premier shipping, maritime services and marine construction company, Nakilat, will sponsor the four 18- and 19-year-olds through a four- to five-year degree course. Nakilat will pay for the cadets’ tuition fees, study materials and living allowances as well as pay the cadets a salary while they study.

The course at the International Maritime College of Oman (IMCO) includes 12 months of sea time, which the cadets will spend aboard vessels from Nakilat’s 54-strong gas-carrying fleet. On completion of the course, the cadets will be qualified as deck officers or marine engineers with guaranteed jobs aboard Nakilat vessels.

The four cadets will travel to Oman to commence their studies on September 22. Nakilat will now look for a minimum of 10 Qatari marine cadets to join the programme every year. Nakilat will be visiting schools to raise awareness of this fantastic career opportunity for young Qataris.

Nakilat’s Managing Director Muhammad Ghannam, said: “Nakilat’s Marine Cadet Programme is an incredible development for Qatar’s shipping industry and a wonderful opportunity for young Qataris. Just as Nakilat is dedicated to Qatarising our onshore operations, so are we committed to putting Qatari officers and engineers on our vessels. Our cadets can take pride in representing their country at sea and around the world.”

Nakilat’s Deputy Managing Director Eng Abdullah Al Sulaiti, said: “Nakilat is further demonstrating its commitment to Qatarisation by investing in the development of future Qatari officers and engineers aboard its ships. The signing of our first cadets is a landmark moment for our company and an important step forward for the development of Qatar’s shipping industry. We wish our first four cadets all the best with their studies and look forward to welcoming next year’s candidates to the programme.”

Nakilat will continue to dispatch its marine cadets to study in Oman and other countries with high standard maritime academies until Qatar Foundation establishes Qatar’s own international maritime academy.

Ghannam adds: “As previously announced, Nakilat is strongly committed to supporting a maritime academy in Qatar. Nakilat and Qatar Foundation are making progress in this regard. The academy will further bolster Qatar’s shipping industry by accommodating all of the country’s maritime training needs going into the future.”

The Peninsula