Global maritime training provider Stream Marine Training  is celebrating Day of the Seafarer by sharing the journeys of some of its employees who served as crew members before joining the company ashore.

This year marks the IMO’s 12^th Day of the Seafarer with the theme being ‘Your Voyage – then and now, share your journey.’ SMT is proud to employ a number of people with seafaring backgrounds and the company is highlighting some of their stories in support of the special day dedicated to crews.

Kellie McKechnie is the Training Manager at Stream Marine Careers , which is the cadetship management section of the Stream Marine Training Group. She has extensive knowledge of the maritime sector, having worked in the industry for over 12 years.

Ms McKechnie began her career as a Deck Officer cadet in 2010, working on deep-sea bulk carriers and travelling through Canada, Singapore, and Taiwan to name only a few countries.  As Deck Officer, she worked on board Ro-Pax ferries and North Sea stand-by vessels.

“My experience as a deck officer was invaluable to my shore-based career and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at sea. Every day was different and there was always a new challenge. Working at sea is a unique and valuable experience that I will never forget and look back on fondly.”

Coming ashore in late 2017, she began her career at SMT as a Survival Craft instructor.  This job involved delivering STCW courses at SMT’s boat site in Greenock.  After taking up on another challenge with a ship management company, she returned to the company and took on the role of Training Manager, and is now responsible for the management of all SMC cadets.

George Hay is a maritime instructor at SMT with extensive experience and knowledge, having spent 33 years in the maritime industry.  He worked in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary for 30 years, where he started his career by watchkeeping and taking shifts in the engine room, before moving on to the pump room as a mechanic and then becoming Chief Petty Officer responsible for engine room crew.

While at sea, Mr Hay began instructing crew how to use specialised kit, and when he made the decision to come ashore, he led the instructor teams who were still at sea. Now using his seafaring knowledge to teach at SMT, he regularly trains seafarers in courses such as Marine Evacuation Systems and STCW Personal Survival Techniques, to name only a few.

SMT credits its employees for its growth since it was founded in 2014, with more than 40 members of staff and delivering around 100 different courses. Over the last few years, the business has invested heavily in new facilities and technical content. As a result of this investment and its growing reputation the business is enjoying rapid growth in the maritime industry and beyond.

CEO of the SMT Group, Martin White said: “We are very lucky to have a number of employees here in the SMT Group who have started their careers out at sea. This really gives them a lot of knowledge and skills to bring to our training here at SMT. On Day of the Seafarer, we celebrate all our seafarers, past and present, for the wonderful job they are doing.”