IALA WWA Distance Learning
The IALA World-Wide Academy delivered its third formal one-week Level 1 AtoN manager Module 3 course in its Headquarters from 16 to 20 October 2017. The course was attended by four participants; Mr David Jeffkins from Australia; Mr Allan Taylor from Canada and two from Estonia – Mr Maarius Utso and Mr Lauri Toomiste. All four experienced participants had completed successfully the distance learning courses for Modules 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Module 3 comprises 14 lectures delivered using MS PowerPoint presentations supported by 3 group-based exercises and a major 2-day planning task. The core activity was completed by noon on Day 3 and the participants sat the theoretical test of competence that afternoon. Feedback showed that the course content was both valuable and well-delivered and the participants left feeling empowered to enhance AtoN service delivery and management in their respective work-places.
International certificates of competency were presented by the Dean at an award ceremony overseen by the Secretary-General. Mr David Jeffkins gained a first-class pass.
The major planning task was incorporated into the standard syllabus for the L1 course delivered by the Academy in 2016. The aim was to consolidate the theoretical competency gained during the 5 modules by acting as the national Competent Authority of a developing coastal State – in this case Tonga. The group were given all relevant charts and nautical publications necessary to determine the optimum suite of AtoN in a designated zone based on the volume of traffic and degree of risk. Risk analysis was conducted successfully using the MS Excel-based simplified risk tool which is currently being developed by the ARM Committee. The task ended with a PowerPoint presentation to the “Minister of Transport” – the Dean – on the last day of the course.
Since the Academy’s first course was delivered in 2014, it has now certified 57 Level 1 AtoN managers, 21 of them through the blended distance learning programme. Another 4 are currently half-way through the distance learning course. This brings the total number of certified Level 1 AtoN managers world-wide to 210. The next distance learning course based on the updated Level 1 syllabus starts on 1 February 2018. Details are on the IALA website: http://www.iala-aism.org/level-1-distance-learning-2018/
