Digital training specialists OneLearn Global has announced a new partnership with FrontM in a bid to bridge the maritime skills gap with next-generation eLearning.

eLearning provider OLG, member of OneCare Group, is leading the digital training sphere with its range of online content, covering a broad range of topics carefully designed to meet the unique needs and challenges seafarers face, including SIRE 2.0, alternative fuels, STCW courses, alongside soft skills, diversity, bullying and harassment, and mental health courses.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has previously revealed how the maritime industry is facing an urgent skills gap, with an additional 89,510 officers needed by 2026. As new technologies and green initiatives reshape the sector, continuous learning and upskilling are vital for maintaining a skilled and competent workforce.

The new partnership marks a significant step in the maritime industry and addresses the shortfall of critical skills, combining the unique strengths of both companies and delivering technology-driven training solutions. The successful integration of both services has resulted in the launch of the Loft eLearning ecosystem in the FrontM App Marketplace, granting partners and customers seamless access to invaluable resources, including supplementary AI chatbots designed to enrich the crew’s self-learning journey.

OLG is focused on ensuring seafarers have access to high-quality online training as new technologies and green initiatives continue to reshape the sector on its journey to decarbonisation. It is spearheading next-generation eLearning with a comprehensive course catalogue and a world-class Learning Experience Platform (LXP) for extending the catalogue with custom courses and third-party content.

Managing Director at OLG, Marinos Kokkinis said: “Our partnership with technology-driven platform FrontM marks a major milestone in the industry’s challenge of bridging the gap of skilled workers. We are facing a huge crisis in that we will shortly be struggling with a major crew shortage­­­ if we do not have the required additional qualified officers by 2026. This collaboration signals a huge step forward in our training offering ­­­and we are delighted to be working with an innovative and forward-thinking company like FrontM to expand our training platform and ensure seafarers are given the autonomy to take control of their own learning journey.”

Anne-Marie Barclay, VP of Commercial Operations at FrontM adds: “OneLearn Group is driving a paradigm shift in maritime eLearning, bringing modern learning techniques designed for Gen Z. This partnership is particularly exciting as it integrates FrontM’s edge computing technology to enhance OLG’s solution while launching the Loft eLearning suite in FrontM’s Maritime App Store with OLG’s learning catalogue for our customers to benefit from. Together, we are securing seafarer skills sustainability and making a lasting impact on the maritime industry. A special thanks to OLG for their trust in our platform!”

FrontM’s edge computing architecture and its Software Development Kit (SDK) have ensured a rapid and effective solution integration with OLG’s platform for seamless delivery of training, optimising the learner experience across multiple devices. The user’s ability to access courses offline and simply resume where they left off enhances engagement, ensuring seafarers receive the training they need to stay compliant and competitive – something that every HR, crewing and fleet manager has been chasing for the past decade.

The integration of both services enables onshore staff to easily assign courses, track progress and maintain up-to-date training records regardless of connectivity issues or the crew’s location. The crew members enjoy uninterrupted access to their coursework, even when transitioning to new vessels and this in turn ensures that they have a smooth and consistent learning experience both on and offshore.