This thesis explores the occupational socialisation of Filipino merchant marine officer cadets through their experiences of maritime education and training (MET). The socialisation of the cadets is contextualised within the broad aim of the global and national regulations of MET to develop competent seafarers. In the international seafaring labour market, there is an increasing trend of labour participation of seafarers coming from the ‘new labour supplying countries’ (NLSCs). The Philippines is seen by industry insiders to be one of the top NLSCs for officers. However, the academic literature is silent about the experiences of officer cadets of their education and training especially those coming from NLSCs. Using multi-modal data collection tools such as in-depth interviews, field notes and document analysis, this qualitative study examines the experiences of the current and former cadets under the sponsored cadetship programs (SCPs) in the Philippines in order to analyse first-hand experiences of MET. The key findings of this thesis are: (a) SCPs are officer training platforms developed mainly by shipping companies to meet their sea-based labour needs and intended to comply with the Philippine standards of MET; (b) there are a variety of SCPs from which four models are described in this study; (c) SCPs utilise a ritualistic socialisation of cadets in college campus as key mechanism of training; and (d) there is a diversity of shipboard training experiences of cadets ranging from well-planned training programs to the complete absence of programs. The thesis concludes the following: (a) the quality of training experienced by the cadets is characterised as a highly regulated and reinforced professionalization process intent on producing certificated officers; (b) the SCPs are routes for migrant work for mainly male Filipinos being guaranteed a post-collegiate sea-based employment by their shipping patrons; (c) the socialisation of the cadets is influenced by processes of globalisation embodied in the global standards of MET enforced locally, and the role of international shipping companies in funding the recruitment and training of cadets as well as offering them post-training employment; and (d) in spite of global and local standards of MET, there is no common or shared understanding of the notion of seafaring competence among the trainers, which have affected the way competencies were taught and assessed.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:699389 |
Date | January 2016 |
Creators | Abila, Sanley S. |
Publisher | Cardiff University |
Source Sets | Ethos UK |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
Source | http://orca.cf.ac.uk/96904/ |
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