SEYPEC Welcomes Home Cohort 10 Trainees as They Begin Next Stage of Maritime Careers

Fourteen young Seychellois are taking the next step towards careers at sea after successfully completing the Pre-Sea Training Programme under SEYPEC's Cohort 10.

The trainees were welcomed back to Seychelles on Monday during a re-orientation reception hosted by the Seychelles Petroleum Company (SEYPEC), following their Passing Out Ceremony in Sri Lanka on Thursday, 20 August.

The completion of the Pre-Sea Programme marks an important milestone in the trainees' development as they prepare to transition into the next stage of their maritime careers and gain practical experience onboard SEYPEC's fleet.

The reception brought together the 14 trainees, along with some of their parents and guardians, providing an opportunity to welcome them home and prepare them for the responsibilities and expectations that come with life at sea.

“This programme represents much more than a period of training. It is an investment in young Seychellois and in the future of our maritime sector,” said Captain Adrian Mondon, CEO of SEYPEC. “We want these young people to see seafaring not simply as a job, but as a profession in which they can build a long and rewarding career. The training they have completed provides the foundation on which they will continue to develop their knowledge, discipline and practical skills, and we expect them to carry the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and respect throughout their careers.”

The next stage of the trainees' development will see them move from classroom and practical preparation into onboard training, where they will gain first-hand experience of working within SEYPEC's tanker fleet.

Head of Shipping, Mr. Allain Asba, said the transition to life at sea would be an important part of the trainees' professional development.

“Completing the Pre-Sea Programme gives the trainees the foundation they need, but the experience they gain onboard will be equally important in shaping them as seafarers. Their time at sea will allow them to put their training into practice, understand the realities of working onboard a tanker and develop the discipline, teamwork and practical skills required in this profession. We look forward to seeing them take on this next challenge and make the most of the opportunities available to them,” he said.

As part of the reception, Mr. Asba presented the trainees with their Onboard Training Record Books, which will accompany them during the next phase of their training.

As part of the program for the day, Director of Shipping, Chief Engineer Martin Roucou, led a motivational session drawing on his own experience at sea to give the trainees practical insight into life onboard, expectations for new joiners, career progression and opportunities within the SEYPEC fleet.

Roucou began his career with SEYPEC as an Engine Cadet before progressing through the ranks to become Chief Engineer, providing the trainees with a first-hand example of the career progression that can follow from a career at sea.

The trainees' Pre-Sea training journey was also highlighted through a video presentation, giving their families an opportunity to see some of the experiences and preparation that brought them to this stage.

For SEYPEC, the development of young Seychellois seafarers forms part of its wider investment in maritime skills and the future of its fleet. The Pre-Sea Training Programme provides young Seychellois with the opportunity to undertake specialised maritime training before gaining practical experience at sea, creating a pathway towards long-term careers within the maritime sector.

For the trainees themselves, the completion of Cohort 10 represents the end of one stage of their preparation and the beginning of another.

“The real measure of this programme will not only be that these 14 trainees have completed their pre-sea training, but what they go on to achieve from here,” Captain Mondon said. “As they move into the next phase, they will be challenged to apply what they have learned, adapt to life at sea and continue developing the skills needed to progress within the maritime profession. We want to see them grow into competent and confident seafarers and, in time, into the officers, engineers and masters who will contribute to the future of Seychelles' maritime industry.”

The 14 trainees now prepare to embark on the next phase of their journey, where practical experience at sea will complement the knowledge and skills gained during their Pre-Sea training.

For SEYPEC, their journey represents not only the development of individual careers, but an investment in the next generation of Seychellois maritime professionals.