20 years of excellence at Cork-based National Maritime College of Ireland

AS we mark the 20th anniversary of the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI), it is a time to reflect on our journey, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to the future.

Established in 2004, the NMCI is Ireland’s first Public-Private Partnership between Munster Technological University, the Irish Naval Service and Focus Education.

Delivering maritime training to over 5,000 students annually, the NMCI is now preparing for the future.

The vision for the NMCI was to create a national centre of excellence for the delivery of maritime education and training to meet the current and future needs of the state. 

Ireland, an island nation, relies heavily on the maritime sector with over 95% of its trade arriving by strategic sea lines of communication. Added to this, the national ambition to deliver 20GW of offshore wind by 2040 will provide challenges and opportunities which the NMCI must be ready to embrace.

To ensure Ireland can continue to maximise its maritime resource which is seven times its landmass, the need for a resilient and diverse maritime workforce has never been more critical. With over 50% of the population living within 5km of the coastline there is huge opportunity for young people to embrace the lure of a career working in the maritime sector. While maritime careers used to be patriarchal the NMCI has proactively increased the number of females attending its maritime courses to 11%, over five times the industry average, however, there is still a huge amount to do in developing a more diverse workforce.

A career at sea offers young people an opportunity to work in STEM and apply the acquired knowledge and skills across a broad spectrum of roles. Nationally, careers at sea are not promoted and there is a significant knowledge gap at primary and secondary school level. Nevertheless, the NMCI Transition Year programme continues to evolve and grow with over 150 applicants for 36 places in 2023/2024. The NMCI looks forward to advertising this program for 2024/2025 and will seek to develop suitable programs for engaging with primary schools.

The NMCI’s state-of-the-art campus, located in Ringaskiddy, Cork, is equipped with the latest technology and facilities, including advanced marine bridge and engine simulators, environmental pool, fire training yard, and dedicated laboratories and workshops. 

These resources provide our students with vocational training that is critical for their professional development. Through the support of DFHERIS, significant updates to our facilities are planned later this year and in early 2025, ensuring NMCI remains one of the most advanced maritime colleges in the world.

To those who wish to undertake a career at sea, then the NMCI is a college that will provide challenge, excitement, and opportunities to travel the globe with lucrative renumeration packages.

Career opportunities exist on a range of different types of ocean-going vessels such as bulk carriers, oil tankers, container ships, cruise and ferry vessels. There are also careers on specialist vessels, such as seismic and exploration ships, pilot vessels, tugs, and mega yachts.

The NMCI offers a wide range of programmes, from undergraduate and postgraduate degrees to professional short courses, covering areas such as navigation, marine engineering, electrical engineering, and maritime safety training. Through the CAO system, leaving cert and mature students can apply for Bachelor Degrees in Marine Engineering (MT764), Nautical Science (MT766) or Marine Electrotechnology (MT765). All of these courses prepare students for their Certificate of Competency qualifications which allows them to work anywhere in the world.

To provide opportunities for individuals working across industry the NMCI has collaborated with Green Tech Skillnet and CILT Skillnet to develop a selection of new programmes which include: a Certificate in Nautical Studies for Officer of the Watch and Master on Ships of Less Than 500 Gross Tonnage, a Certificate in Port and Offshore Energy Operations Management, and two new Master Programmes, MSc in Global Sustainable Supply Chain Management and MSc in Maritime Operations. 

The introduction of these courses reiterates the NMCI’s ability to respond to sectoral needs and support the training needs of the Irish Maritime sector.

The NMCI is exploring future course offerings as the maritime industry is undergoing significant transformation, driven by technological advancements, environmental imperatives, and changing global dynamics.

In May the NMCI announced a collaboration with Seabot Maritime, a leading provider of smart remote operations training in unmanned surface vehicle (USV) operations.

The National Maritime College of Ireland is more than just an institution; it is a community of passionate individuals committed to advancing the maritime industry and making a difference globally. Our success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff, students, and strategic partners. Together, we have built a strong foundation and we look forward to reimagining our vision and purpose, continuing our mission of excellence in maritime education and training into the future.

See https://www.nmci.ie/ for more