SA students tune into benefits of ICS training

Newly released figures from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) reveal that a record number of shipping professionals around the world are choosing to sit the institute’s exams. At a time when the industry is entering the early stages of recovery, the continued rise in numbers of students sitting the exams – and their increasingly diverse geographical spread – suggest that professional qualifications are more important than ever to industry practitioners, according to the Institute’s director Julie Lithgow. And South Africa appears to be aligned with the global trend. There’s been a steady growth in students studying for the ICS examinations, with 87 registered this year, compared with 70 last year, says chairman of the South Africa branch, Captain Richard Brook- Hart. “Thanks to generous sponsorship from industry and individuals – including two bursaries donated by FTW – the South Africa branch has been able to award a record 24 bursaries this year. The number of students enrolling for the Understanding Shipping courses has also jumped in 2013, with figures already surpassing those of last year.” ICS delivers its main educational programme, TutorShip, directly from its London head office and through a further 16 distance learning centres worldwide. Students initially sit the Professional Qualifying Examination, after which they can apply for ICS membership, with all the career advantages and benefits that this offers.