Course catalogue

Accountability is an individual’s acceptance of responsibility for the outcome of a job, project, or program. There are five steps that you can use to engineer accountability into both, your work processes and your employees to achieve performance goals.

• Define accountability 

• Describe the five steps to accountability 

• Apply the five steps of accountability

The VIRSEC Maritime English Test for Junior Engine Officers is designed to assist ship operators and employers make recruiting decisions by assessing the English language competency of Seafarers at a Junior Officer position working on board any vessel.

The Test is designed around the approved guidelines for Maritime English developed by the IMO. These guidelines are combined with internationally recognised methods for English language testing to form a rigorous and accurate testing system.

Regulations:

The English Tests are designed from the ground up using approved guidelines from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO Model English course 3.17); IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCPs); and consistent with the framework set out by the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping.

Why Take This Test With VIRSEC:

What makes VIRSEC different from the others? Below are some of the benefits of taking this online Test with VIRSEC:

• CPD Accreditated Online Test
• Randomised Questioning
• Adheres to International Standards
• Position-Focused Questions
• Assesses 5 Primary Language Skills

Test Duration:

The user must attempt the Test in 90 minutes, and in one sitting. If a candidate does not complete the exam within the duration, they will fail any unanswered questions.

It has become increasingly clear that social media is not just a fad. It is instead, not only a massive change in the way we socialize with others in a personal setting, but also the biggest shift in how we conduct business since the arrival of the Internet. Social media is quickly altering every aspect of corporate operations, such as hiring practices, training, marketing, and even risk management.   The purpose of this course is to introduce you to social media, explore how we use social media personally vs. social media use in a business setting, how its use continues to evolve in the workplace, the benefits of social media, and of course the risks it can present to you personally and to companies.

Many managers are promoted to leadership positions by virtue of their technical skills or subject-matter knowledge. Their proficiency and expertise set them apart from other candidates. These abilities are important, but they are just one aspect of being an effective leader. Leadership expert, Stephen Covey, says that due to the speed and constant change that define our world today, leaders need to be able to face new and different problems as they arise, make strategic decisions quickly, and guide their organizations with competence and character. He has identified four roles a leader must master in order to succeed in this ever-changing environment.

• Inspire trust among your team members

• Create a vision for your team

• Execute strategy to reach your goals

• Recognize your coaching potential

Learning how to manage conflict successfully is a critical business skill that’s worth the time and effort to practice. Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence and Mark Gouston’s Just Listen are two resources among many that can help you strengthen your conflict management aptitude. Relationships can be messy, but with the right skills, attitude, and mindset, you will be able to address issues calmly, ensure that your customer feels heard and valued, and arrive at a solution that satisfies you both.

• Use the right tools to find a resolution of conflict

• Demonstrate the right attitude and behavior required for conflict resolution

• Determine the right solution to solve the problem

We know how important it is for us all to do what we can to ensure an effective transition for ourselves and our teams back to work. The landscape of the workplace has and will inevitably continue to change and today’s ‘new normal’ may not be tomorrow!

"As a leader of a small or big team, you all are responsible for the budget allocated to your projects, which in turn is nothing but finance. Thus, knowingly or unknowingly you are involved in financial management too. You must evaluate the investment decisions, such as return on investment analysis after you deliver the product or service that you are responsible for. As a nonfinancial manager, you cannot avoid financial information, profitability statements, rates of return, budgets, variances, asset management, and project analysis.        

In this lesson, you will get an overview of financial management, roles within the financial department, and the four financial objectives of any organization.

• Overview financial management     

• Identify roles within the finance department      

• List the four financial objectives

It is a law of nature, if you work with people, you’re going to have conflict. When people with different viewpoints, backgrounds, personalities, work ethics, and industry experience come together, discord and differences of opinion are inevitable. Wise leaders accept that conflict is a part of work, they anticipate it, and they have a plan to address it. Effective conflict resolution takes practice. You may want to ask an experienced colleague, your HR department, or your manager for suggestions on dealing with this issue. Just realize that while you can’t avoid conflict entirely, you can establish an environment and a process that minimize the damage conflict can cause. 

If managed well, conflict can lead to innovation, stronger teams, and greater personal development—for you and your employees. 

• Become aware of workplace conflicts 

• Set a protocol to handle conflicts

There is no “one-size-fits-all” leadership style or approach for today’s managers. Each day brings new situations and challenges to be navigated. Depending upon the circumstances, effective leaders modify how they lead others and how they manage outcomes. They build collaborative partnerships with their team members. They develop and apply multiple leadership styles. As they know that change is inevitable, they plan for the future—for themselves and their team members. Let’s take a look at the skills situational leaders need to succeed.

• Identify the core situational leadership skills

• Evaluate your leadership approaches

• Create individual development plans

A business is a living organism that depends on the strategic coordination of systems, activities, and information to build customer-satisfying products and services and ensure profitability and future growth. A company’s success is determined by the ability of each core function to effectively perform its specific purposes and responsibilities and, at the same time, proactively cooperate and communicate with the other departments. It is this combination of business-unit excellence and cross-functional collaboration that acts as a key to organizational success.

• Review talent recruitment and development    

• Review finance and information technology   

• Assess operations and strategic management

Presentation

This training course provides a general overview of the MARPOL requirements to prevent air pollution from ships and offshore units.

Objectives

On completion of the training, students will be able to:

Know the international regulations related to the prevention of air pollution from ships and offshore units.

Understand the requirements for the control of emissions of substances from ships and offshore units.

Get familiar with the requirements concerning shipboard incineration and fuel oil quality.

Understand the concept of energy efficiency and related MARPOL requirements.

Know the various surveys required and the different certificates and documents to be available on board.

Program

Application

International regulations: ozone-depleting substances (ODS), nitrogen oxides (NOx)

Control of emissions

o Ozone-depleting substances (ODS)

o Nitrogen oxides (NOx)

o Sulphur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter

o Volatile organic compounds (VOC)

Shipboard incineration

Fuel oil quality

Bunker delivery notes

Energy efficiency design index (EEDI)

Ship energy efficiency management plan (SEEMP)

Survey and certification

Certificate

On completion of the training program, the student will be awarded:

A Certificate of MARPOL Air Pollution, issued by Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore.

The Certificate of MARPOL Air Pollution is obtained after completion of the course and passing the online test.

Good leaders are predominantly facilitators, these leaders teach their people how to work effectively and solve problems. The result is more empowered and capable teams. Directing is said to be a process in which the managers instruct, guide, and oversee the performance of the employees to achieve predetermined goals. 

• Differentiate between a leader and a director 

• Define an enabler 

• Describe how a good leader facilitates an employee's problem solving ability

"You build a great network by first offering your services to others, and by so doing, winning their interest. This is the foundation of building trust and creating a platform for them to invest in you in a reciprocal manner, such that it becomes a win-win situation.

-Oscar Bimpong 

Organizations deal with both major and minor conflicts day-in and day-out. The important thing is one cannot ignore these conflicts as they can have a far-reaching negative effect on the teams involved. This may inevitably affect their day-to-day work and eventually the performance of the company. This course helps you reach consensus amongst employees by resolving workforce conflicts. It introduces strategies to create a win-win situation for all the stakeholders. It is important to gauge how the stakeholders feel before and after settling the conflict. You will learn about the four win-win conflict solution techniques that will help you maintain harmony in the work place.

• Communicate effectively to handle a conflict 

• Establish boundaries to reduce workplace conflicts 

• Use emotional intelligence to achieve better team performance 

• Institute behavioral consequences for uncooperative employees

Today’s marketplace is fast-paced and ultra-competitive. Operations departments should be the same. They can’t afford to be wasteful, slow, or out of touch with their customers’ needs if they hope to compete and thrive. In order to achieve and maintain a competitive edge in the global economy and maximize corporate profits, successful operations management systems need to be engineered to quickly respond to customer’s requests, promptly adapt to new processes and product requirements, and rapidly embrace new technologies. No wonder Forbes magazine reports that 75% of CEOs come from an operations background. Having a comprehensive understanding of how an organization works is a leadership advantage. 

• Define operations management 

• Make operational decisions 

• Improve operations continuously

"Today’s business environment is global, generationally diverse, collaborative, cross-functional, and constantly changing. Leaders who believe that they can achieve organizational goals using just one leadership style will not succeed. The most effective leaders learn how to flexibly adapt multiple leadership styles to guide their employees, achieve their goals, and build strong teams.

A popular management theory called Situational Leadership, first developed in 1969 by Dr. Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard, remains especially relevant in today’s business environment. This theory is based on the premise that because organizations are not made up of workers who are equally skilled and motivated, leaders should manage team members according to their individual abilities and developmental readiness. We’ll review their method, and then suggest some ways you can use it to manage today’s business challenges."

• Name the four leadership styles

• List the four maturity levels

• Apply the situational leadership model

Conflict management is a major hurdle in any organizational growth and has to be resolved on priority to reduce the negative effect it may cause. The role of the facilitator is complex. A leader’s job is to guide conflicting individuals through a process without using their influence to determine the outcome of the negotiations. They must model calmness, respect, and open-mindedness in situations that can be emotionally charged. They must encourage full participation of all group members from defining the cause of the conflict to agreeing on a resolution.      

In task-based situations, facilitators need to push team members strongly but respectfully question, challenge, and argue decisions, suggestions, and processes recommended by other team members.      

Leaders who know how to anticipate conflict and address it proactively with the right tools, techniques, and a well-managed process create healthy work environments that use differences to grow and move forward positively. In this course, you will explore the various tools available to the facilitator to manage conflicts.

• Identify the basics of facilitation   

• Apply the three-step mediation process     

• Decide when to encourage opposing dialogue

Who is the course for?

All personnel involved in scaffolding operations.

Is previous experience required?

No previous experience is required to complete this course.

How will the course benefit me?

This course will provide you with a brief overview of the requirements for safe scaffolding over sea.

How will the course benefit my company?

This course will provide personnel with a brief overview of the requirements for safe scaffolding over sea.

What standards are referenced in the course?

This course does not refer to specific legislation or standards.

Is there an assessment? 

Once you have completed the course, you will be asked a series of questions to check your knowledge and understanding. These are based on the learning objectives for the course and have a pass mark of 70%.

Why do we often say that it is important to effectively network and build strong business partnerships? It is because your success as a businessperson will be greatly affected by the professional relationships you cultivate. Whether leading employees, working on a cross-functional team, or meeting with colleagues at an industry conference, your ability to successfully network and build productive and authentic business relationships is important. Strong business relationships drive productivity and business success. Smart leaders spend time developing their interpersonal skills in order to build solid bonds with their employees, work productively and positively with peers and superiors, and generate business relationships that can contribute to personal and organizational success.

• Describe interpersonal skills    

• Identify ways to build business partnerships    

• Enlist key strategies to successful networking

Course Goal: This course aims to provide an overview of management of change. The course focuses on the steps of the management of change process, the roles and responsibilities of personnel, and the risks involved in change management and their associated control measures.

Learning Objectives:

LO1 Explain why the effective management of change is an essential part of operations in the Oil and Gas Industry

LO2 Define ‘change’

LO3 Describe the key stages in the management of change process 

LO4 Identify the key roles and responsibilities involved in effective management of change 

LO5 Identify the risks associated with management of change

LO6 Explain how the risks associated with management of change can be managed

A project is a sequence of tasks completed in a specific order with the goal of achieving a certain outcome. Projects are overseen by managers but are executed by project teams according to detailed plans, budgets, and timelines. The investment of an organization’s time, labor, materials, equipment, and capital require that each detail be monitored and managed carefully to ensure that the scope of the project doesn’t spiral out of control and that the project’s profitability is maximized rather than jeopardized. Effective project managers demonstrate well-developed technical and interpersonal skills, attention-to-detail, business acumen, and exceptional follow-through.

• Explain the four components of project management  

• State the project management lifecycle