Project Assistant：CHANG,WEI-LUN

To promote marine career exploration and education in schools, the Marine Educator Training Program accepts annual applications for its on-site touring services and continually trains new touring instructors. This year’s instructor training workshop was titled “Sailing Through Life” and focused on maritime industries, specifically the maritime transport industry and the shipbuilding and maintenance industry. The training employed a two-phase model, continuing the format used in previous years that combined online skill-building courses with in-person workplace visits.

　　Two sessions of the online skill-building course were conducted, each focusing on a specific industry. During the maritime transport industry session, Lai Kai-jung, a maritime science instructor at the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Ocean University and contributor to marine career curriculum development, was invited to provide an overview of the maritime industry and demonstrate the use of the program’s teaching materials. Additionally, to demonstrate how the maritime transport industry is responding to global trends in carbon reduction and climate change, senior engineer Wu Nien-hsun from Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation was invited to share current industry response strategies. During the shipbuilding and maintenance industry session, engineer Liu You-ming from CSBC Corporation was invited to explain the steps of modern shipbuilding and current demand for talent. Because graduates from shipbuilding academic programs may also engage in offshore wind power projects, the course included a session by Wang Chen-chang, marketing manager at the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre, who explained current development trends and talent training efforts in Taiwan’s offshore wind power industry.

　　The in-person workplace visit took place in Kaohsiung, home of Taiwan’s largest commercial port. The Cijin Branch of Kaohsiung Customs arranged a visit to the inspection station of the Fourth Container Terminal to elucidate the procedures for inspecting imported maritime containers. Additionally, the participants visited the Kaohsiung Shipyard of CSBC Corporation to gain insights into the immense scale of ship hull construction and the shipbuilding workflow and working environment. The itinerary also included a visit to the Vocation Exploration & Experience Regional Demonstration Center of Kaohsiung Municipal Cianjhen Junior High School, where the participants engaged in maritime and aquaculture curriculum activities designed by the center and attended a lecture and demonstration by senior ship pilot Ting Han-li.

　　All lesson plans developed by the Marine Education Center for marine career exploration education are made available to the public. The touring instructor training workshop strongly encourages instructors to understand and experience the maritime industry to enhance their confidence in teaching, encourage their continued involvement in promoting marine career courses, and foster a positive perception of the maritime industry among students, parents, and the general public.