John McGregor Institute of Technology Nigeria (JMIT) thru the President of Nigeria in Diaspora Philippines, Dr Darlington Oladele Odeshile has signed a joint cooperation agreement with International Maritime Welding Society (IMWS) which took place at the just concluded Maritime Welding Convention in the Philippines with delegates from United States, UK, Netherlands, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Kuwait, Guyana e.t.c. The agreement will help facilitate Young Nigerians who are aspiring to become Sea farers, Marine Fitters, Underwater Welders to be Certified in Maritime Welding. International Maritime Welding Society is the only body that will soon work alongside with International Maritime Organization IMO to certify all Maritime Welders.

Dr Darlington has commended John McGregor Institute of Technology Nigeria for the initiative to collaborate with School Solutions and Youth Exchange International Inc. Philippines the only organization in the Philippines who has a means of a training Ship for foreign cadets to accomplish the mandatory sea time training as required by IMO
With this new development John McGregor Institute of Technology (JMIT)is fully set to begin admitting every interested individual who is a graduate of Marine Engineering, Marine Transportation or any field of study including Secondary School O/Level Certificate holders with a minimum of 5 Credits for cadetship training in Nigeria and Sea Time going in the Philippines. All cadets will be trained on-board sea going vessel for 12 months, a rigorous training that will make Nigerian Cadets to be highly competitive with Filipino Seamen who have dominated the maritime industry or any other seaman in the world. STCW Certificates of Competency (CoC) and STCW Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) among other Certifications will be issued to all Nigerian cadets that are trained by JMIT with the possibility of employment by foreign shipping companies.
NIMASA have been able to send only 286 cadets for sea time ocean going vessel out of over 2500 cadets that have graduated from the NSDP program which is significantly small while the remaining cadets are still waiting indefinitely including the Amnesty program who have trained thousands of Niger Delta youths in an outdated STCW maritime courses in various institution across the globe. The new requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, as amended by the 2010 Manila conference (STCW Manila 2010) that every STCW Certificate is only valid for 5 Years.

The STCW Manila 2010 came into force on January 1, 2012. A 5-year transition period is totally over, which means Nigeria, as a party to the Convention, must fully comply with its requirements by January 1st, 2017. Seafarers must now complete an approved refresher training course at a Recognized Institution ashore every 5 years.
Engr., John Agarry, the International Consultant for School Solutions and Youth Exchange Inc. Philippines who was part of the Maritime Welding Convention advises every NSDP graduates who are yet to have Sea Time training, Amnesty Program Trainee and all individuals who are aspiring to become sea farer to take this golden opportunity to register with JMIT.