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Polaris Marine Deck Officer Familiarization Centre
www.polariscentre. com How the Familiarization Courses started
From Junior Officer until I reached Master Mariner, I have been searching for an officer or a training center that will teach me my duties and responsibilities on my desired position so that I may have the self confidence to grab any opportunities of promotion even a direct/on the spot promotion that I am seeking. I found none. I had to rely on sheer GUTS (LAKAS NG LOOB).
When I was the Master of M.V. Klirak on 2005, I sent home my foreign Third Mate due to incompetence. To substitute him, I promoted my OS with Third Mate license. To my surprise, the OS was also unable to take the responsibilities of a Third Mate.
I had no choice but to teach the OS. It was then that the thought came to my mind: familiarization can be taught on-shore. Thus, the "Familiarization for Third Mate" was born.
After 2 weeks of teaching, my 3rd Mate was already competent to carry out his duties and responsibilities perfectly to my satisfaction. I have put into writing all the topics and sequence of the familiarization.
My Second Mate noticed the sudden improvement of the performance of our newly promoted 3rd mate and suggested that I design a similar course that will cover the job of the 2nd Mate, too. Hence, the "Familiarization for Chart Work" was born.
When I was on vacation in 2006, I decided to found and establish "Polaris Junior Marine Deck Officer Familiarization Centre" in Meycauayan, Bulacan. I started marketing the Course for Third Mate and Second Mate as my past time during my vacation. At that time all Courses were FREE OF CHARGE since I was still assessing the effectiveness of the Course. The results were overwhelming. I received very good feedback from those who finished the Familiarization Courses for 3rd Mate and 2nd Mate.
In mid-2006, I embarked again and this time I tried to teach EVERYTHING to my Chief Officer. This time, I was already practicing the best approach to making him understand easily the Master’s responsibilities. From this, I drafted the "Familiarization for Master Mariner".
Lastly, I realized it would be better to have a Familiarization Course that will teach the whole operation and its practical applications according to the type of vessel, and not as a general instruction (Familiarization for Cargo Officer).
My dream is to share what I know to Deck Officers and help them reach what I have reached.
This is our commitment in Polaris Centre, this is our vocation. Capt. Merardo M. Galera
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