Two university students from Taiwan completed a pilot training program for international cruise ships in the port city of Xiamen, in East China's Fujian province on June 2.
They passed the final examinations and will obtain crew certificates issued by the Chinese mainland maritime authorities.
The Xiamen Area of China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone. [Photo/WeChat ID: gh_6233022b6145]
Organized by universities across the Taiwan Strait, the program was supported by the administrative committee of the Xiamen Area of the China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone and Xiamen the Maritime Safety Administration.
The training program, which was carried out online in Taiwan and onsite in Xiamen, offered courses including English for international navigation ships, an introduction to cruise liners and passenger ship operations and management.
After completing the compulsory theoretical studies in universities in Taiwan, the trainees received practical training at universities in Xiamen.
One of them said he immediately signed up for the program after hearing about it from his teacher, explaining that he loves traveling and feels fortunate to work on a cruise ship.
A training program is held in Xiamen in April to help Taiwan yacht driver's licenses exchange for the Chinese mainland licenses. [Photo/WeChat ID: gh_6233022b6145]
The Xiamen FTZ has fully leveraged its geographic advantages as a close neighbor of Taiwan and cooperated with Jimei University in Xiamen, to build a training and education center for Taiwan trainees and to explore new paths for cross-Strait integration and development.
A cruise liner glides through the water towards Xiamen Port. [Photo/WeChat ID: gh_6233022b6145]
According to Yan Changjian, deputy head of the university's School of Continuing Education, the program at the center will closely integrate cruise education and training, talent cultivation and industrial development to train more high-quality professionals through a raft of means.