HELM(O) – Human Element Leadership and Management: Operational Level Training

Gain practical skills in leadership and resource management with our Operational Level HELM course. Essential for your first MCA Certificate of Competency and meeting STCW regulations.

HELM(O) – Human Element Leadership and Management: Operational Level Training

800 €

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HELM(O) - Human Element Leadership and Management: Operational Level Training

This course fulfils the mandatory training requirements for Human Element, Leadership and Management (HELM) at the operational level, as stipulated in Regulations II and III of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers – STCW. It provides you with a thorough understanding of the crucial human factors that impact effective resource management at sea.

You’ll gain practical skills and tools to enhance your maritime resource management capabilities. This training is a prerequisite for your first Certificate of Competency (CoC) issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), meeting the requirements of Regulations II/1, III/1 and III/6.

HELM(O) Course Content Highlights:

  • Situation and Risk Assessment: Understand how situational and risk assessments influence decision-making principles and practices at the operational level.
  • Situational Awareness: Learn to acquire and maintain situational awareness, and understand how it contributes to accident prevention and improved safety margins.
  • Communication: Master best practice communication techniques, recognise communication barriers, and understand their impact on situational awareness.
  • Shipboard Training: Explore the aims of shipboard training, learning principles, and methods for developing human potential.
  • Culture: Develop cultural awareness and learn to respond to cultural issues, including national, organisational, departmental, and personal biases.
  • Team Working: Understand team working models and conflict management styles.
  • Leadership and Management: Recognise and demonstrate effective leadership behaviours.
  • Workload Management: Grasp the concepts of task and workload management, and learn to apply them. Identify fatigue and stress in yourself and others, and develop effective coping strategies.
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Who is the HELM(O) Course For?

This Human Element, Leadership and Management course is tailored for a wide range of professionals in the maritime and shipping industry, including:

  • Junior officers (2nd/3rd officers)
  • Junior engineers (4th/3rd engineers)
  • Those seeking their first watchkeeping certificates
  • Shore-based staff and non-deck or engineering personnel, such as pursers or hotel services people

HELM(O) Course Content

The HELM(O) course typically takes place over three days, covering a range of topics through lectures, discussions, and practical exercises. Participants are assessed throughout the course through continuous observation and written evaluations. The course covers a wide range of topics related to the human element in maritime operations. These include:  

  • The importance of the human element: Understanding the impact of human factors on maritime safety and efficiency. By addressing human factors, the industry can minimize accidents, improve operational efficiency, and reduce costs associated with incidents and investigations.
  • Leadership and management: Developing effective leadership and management skills in a maritime context, including understanding different leadership styles, delegation, and motivation.
  • Communication and teamwork: Improving communication skills and fostering teamwork in a diverse maritime environment, emphasizing clear messaging, active listening, and conflict resolution.
  • Decision-making and risk management: Enhancing decision-making abilities and managing risks effectively by understanding the decision-making process, identifying potential biases, and evaluating risks in a dynamic maritime environment.
  • Fatigue and stress management: Recognising and managing fatigue and stress to prevent human error, including understanding the causes and effects of fatigue and stress, and developing strategies for mitigation.
  • Situational awareness: Developing and maintaining situational awareness to enhance safety by understanding the factors that affect situational awareness and applying techniques to improve observation, information processing, and communication.
  • Cultural awareness: Understanding and respecting cultural differences in a diverse maritime environment, promoting effective communication and cooperation among crew members from different backgrounds.  

HELM(O) Learning Objectives

By the end of the HELM(O) course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of the human element and the role of the leader, incorporating different styles of leadership.
  • Explain the challenges to effect communication and how to ensure messages and briefings are understood.
  • Understand what motivates and demotivates and how to create a “just” culture.
  • Understand how to acquire and maintain situational awareness and its influence on reducing incidents at sea.
  • Identify why humans take risks and make mistakes.
  • Explain team workings and how to enhance team performance.
  • Explain different ways to contribute to shipboard training and identify different forms of development.

Career Prospects

HELM(O) training not only fulfils requirements for certain positions but also equips seafarers with valuable skills that can enhance their career prospects. By improving their understanding of human factors, leadership, and teamwork, seafarers can contribute to a safer and more efficient work environment, potentially leading to increased responsibility and career advancement.

The HELM(O) certificate is a requirement for anyone applying for any of the following Certificates of Competency (CoC) issued by the MCA:

Certificate of Competency (CoC)
Category
Master (Code Vessel) 200 & OOW (Yacht) 500 limited
Deck
Master (Code Vessel) 200 & OOW (Yacht) 500 unlimited
Deck
Master (Workboat) 500
Deck
OOW (Yacht) 3000
Deck
Chief Engineer Y3 (Yacht) 500
Engineering
Chief Engineer Y4 (Yacht) 200
Engineering
OOW (Unlimited)
Deck
OOW (Tug) 500 Near Coastal
Deck
Fishing Class 1
Deck
EOOW (Merchant)
Engineering
Electro Technical Officers
Engineering

Organisations that Recognise HELM(O) Certification

The HELM(O) course is a mandatory requirement for obtaining certain Certificates of Competency (CoC) issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), particularly those related to officer-level positions.

It is approved by the MCA and meets the syllabus requirements laid down by the UK Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB).

History and Evolution of HELM

The HELM courses were introduced in 2010 by the IMO and began to be offered by training providers in 2013. In the early days of HELM training, there were challenges due to the lack of experience in delivering this type of course and the need for more precise guidelines. However, with the publication of “The Human Element, a Guide to Human Behaviour in the Shipping Industry” by Dik Gregory & Paul Shanahan, training providers had a valuable resource to guide their course development.

Over time, HELM training has evolved from traditional lecture-based approaches to more interactive and engaging methods. Many training providers now incorporate case studies, role-playing, simulations, and team exercises to enhance student participation and facilitate a deeper understanding of the human element. The Merchant Navy Training Board has also updated its guidelines to recommend this more interactive and facilitator-led approach.

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