The Ministry of Education held the Official Opening ceremony of the new Maritime Training Centre (MTC) on Friday 15th of June 2012 at Providence.
The ceremony was attended by President of the Republic, Mr. James Alix Michel, Vice President, Mr. Danny Faure, Designated Minister Mr Vincent Meriton, Ministers, Members of the National Assembly, Representative of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) Mr. Mohamed El-Hadi Khelif, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Education Officials and other distinguished guests. Also present were staff and students of MTC.
The highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of the Commemorative Plaque by President James Michel, hence officially declaring the Maritime Training Centre facilities open. Guests present, also had the opportunity to view the state-of-the-art establishment during a guided tour of the campus.
A special exhibition, set up especially for this occasion, showcasing various aspects of the institution, as well as marine industry, included work produced by students, tools, marine and fisheries equipments and much more.
As part of a series of visits to post-secondary educational institutions, President James Michel visited the Maritime Training Centre in June 2010. He promised the students that the Government would do its maximum to improve the MTC school environment and that a new Maritime Training Centre building would be built.
With the new facilities MTC will now be able to take on new roles and be better prepared for the challenges of the future. It will also increase the range, quality and level of its training as well as offer more courses to better meet the needs of the present day maritime and fisheries industry.
“The MTC campus is truly impressive. It will become a regional centre of excellence in maritime studies that will benefit many generations of Seychellois in the future. I am sure that with these modern facilities and equipment, a greater number of students will benefit from their learning experience and start a maritime career with greater confidence and knowledge. This institution reflects the importance that we place on the development of the key professions that rely on our marine resources, as we strive to create a stronger and more sustainable blue economy,” said President Michel following the opening.
Future graduates of MTC will be employed in fields such as traditional and semi-industrial fishing, maritime scientific fields, maritime tourism, maritime conservation, tankers, the Seychelles Coast Guard, as well as merchant shipping.