Partners and Employers Forum 2018 was Opened in Batumi
23-02-2018

Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Giorgi Cherkezishvili and the Rector of Batumi State Maritime Academy, Irakli Sharabidze opened the Employers and Partners Forum 2018, which was organized by the Academy. The event aims to train qualified, modern standards corresponding, employment market oriented, and competitive staff as well as to expand the participation rate of regulators, employers and social partners alongside with promotion of ties between the employers and job-seekers in the process of retraining the existing staff.

As the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Giorgi Cherkezishvili noted, improvement of the seafarers' education system is one of the main priorities of the Georgian government. According to him, there are up to 9000 registered sailors in Georgia, who bring about $100 million each year in the country making their contribution to Georgia, especially in the economy of Adjara of uttermost important.

"In the past few years, major reforms such as, introduction of new programs, improvement of learning infrastructure, and creation of legislative base of international standards were implemented in seafarers' education system. The logical outcome of the reforms was the recognition of certificates proving the Georgian sailors' competence in 2013, equipment of the Maritme Academy with the latest simulations, increase of the number of students up to 3000, as a result of which the state handed the training ship to the Academy," - Giorgi Cherkezishvili noted.

As the Deputy Minister added, working with the English Plymouth and Southampton Universities for the introduction of English language programs in the Academy is in its active phase. In January 2019, the Academy will receive 50 Georgian and 50 foreign citizens. So called Double Diplomas, which will be recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia as well as the Maritime Authority of England will be awarded upon the graduation from the Academy.

"Our aim is to turn the academy into a hub for the maritime education of the region, whose curriculum and methodology will be in compliance with the requirements of the market. In this process, it is important to ensure the active involvement of private sector and conduct continuous dialogues with the Academy for permanent monitoring of the needs of the employers with the purpose of improving the future learning processes," - Giorgi Cherkezishvili stated.

Within the scope of the event, Memorandums of Cooperation were signed between the Batumi State Maritime Academy and three employer and partner organizations (College Ikaros, Regional Center for Family Medicine, Adjara Textile).

Representatives of the Maritime Transport Agency of the Ministry of Economy as well as the Government authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and heads of educational and training centers in marine education, maritime industry, region tourism and business participated in the opening ceremony of the forum.


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