2003-2004

News Release

REF NO.: 279

SUBJECT: Canadian Navy awards $3.7 million contract renewal with Marine Institute for naval technician training

DATE: June 2, 2004

The Department of National Defence (DND) has awarded a $3,731,000 contract renewal with the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University today for continued delivery of its Naval Combat System Technician Training Plan (NCSTTP). The contract extends MI’s previous five-year contract with the Navy.

“The Marine Institute has had a very successful relationship with the Department of National Defence since 1992,” said Catherine Dutton, head of MI’s School of Maritimes Studies. “This contract renewal underscores their confidence in our abilities to train young men and women to take care of some of the most advanced electronic equipment in today’s navy. “

The two-year contract will commence in January 2005 with an option to continue the contract until 2009. As many as 84 new students are expected to enrol at the institute each year. The Navy will recruit these students both locally and across the country. The NSCTTP program is designed to train naval recruits and in- service members to operate and maintain the wide range of shipboard electronic and combat equipment in Canada's warships. The Marine Institute awards a technician's diploma in either electronics or electro-mechanics upon completion of the two-year program.

The Marine Institute was also awarded a five-year contract renewal for the Navy’s Marine Engineering Technician Training Plan (METTP), which started in January 2004 with an annual enrollment of 24 students.

With both of these programs the Marine Institute continues to demonstrate its ability to meet the training needs of the Canadian Navy. At present, there are approximately 200 naval technician students attending the Institute.

A recent study by the Institute for the Advancement of Public Policy determined that the annual economic impact of the DND training contract at the Marine Institute for 2002-03 was in the range of $9.5-11 million. The contract with DND also has significant benefits for the city of St. John’s and the province.

With forty years of education and training experience, the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland is Canada’s most comprehensive education, training, applied research and technology transfer resource in support of the international marine industries.

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