Professional recognition for Navy personnel

Servicemen from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) can now look forward to greater recognition for their specialisations with the introduction of the Streamlined Accreditation Programme.

This latest initiative between the RSN and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) offers Navy personnel, including naval officers and divers, the opportunity to attain industry-recognised professional titles.

Following the success of obtaining accreditation for its Military Domain Expert Scheme (MDES) engineering specialisation two years ago, this second phase secured accreditation for the remaining specialisations through the IMarEST Marine Technologist (MarTech) professional register.

In a launch ceremony held at Changi Naval Base on 23 Jan, naval staff and servicemen who attained their Chartered Engineer titles through the inaugural phase were also recognised.

Explaining the rationale for the streamlined programme, Military Expert (ME) 7 Keith Lim said: "What we are doing in the Navy is as credible and as relevant as what engineers of our equivalent (training and experience) would be doing in the industry, but we never had a real way to benchmark that. So, we thought that the accreditation was useful in that aspect."

The Head Operational Logistics Group, who was part of the team that put the accreditation programme together, added that the accreditation not only beared testament to the Navy's work, but also allayed fears of whether the experience gained from working in the Navy was aligned with industry standards.

For a serviceman to be accredited, he or she must first fulfil certain criteria before applying for the programme - such as completing at least one tour in a particular appointment. After which, the serviceman or woman would have to sit for an assessment interview by a board consisting of RSN and external IMarEST members. Following that, recommendations would be made to IMarEST for the conferment of titles.

To date, about 30 Navy personnel have been accredited with Chartered Engineer titles since the introduction of the programme in January 2012. With the streamlined programme, the professional titles added include Marine Technician or Engineering Technician, Registered Marine Technologists or Incorporated Engineer, and Chartered Marine Technologist.

These titles are an indication of the high level of competency, experience and professionalism of RSN personnel in their respective lines of work and that their training and experience are aligned with global standards in the industry.

As Mr David Loosley, Chief Executive of IMarEST, put it: "When they attain that level of achievement and competence, we can recognise it with a global standard. With that, they can put it behind their name and say 'I am a world-recognised expert in what I'm doing, as a professional in the marine sector.'"

To ME5-1 Leong Chee Wah who has applied for the Chartered Marine Technologist title, the streamlined programme was something he really looked forward to.

Said the Commanding Officer C4 Systems School: "Many of my colleagues are committed to staying in the Navy... This is an opportunity for them and they can now tell people that they are professionally certified."

On top of the professional recognition, the programme also allows individuals to sign up for IMarEST membership. This means getting access to the latest technical developments, research and knowledge within the marine industry.

"Our virtual library has a huge repository of information relating to the marine sector and there are powerful tools and networks for members to develop themselves. For example, members who are interested in systems or bridge technology will be able to engage with world experts who are members of the IMarEST and develop these things," said Mr Loosley.

Another perk of the Streamlined Accreditation Programme was that it makes joining the Navy more attractive.

Said ME7 Lim: "During our recruitment talks, we've had young prospective engineers and graduates asking us about the accreditation programme. To these guys, they want to join an organisation which is able to develop them and gain a professional title out of it."