Taiwan youth obtain seafarer certificates in Xiamen. [Photo/WeChat account of Xiamen FTZ]
A new cross-Strait joint training program session for international cruise ship crew recently started at Xiamen Ocean Vocational College.
According to a student from Taiwan, the course structure is focused and adopts an "online learning + offline practical operation" approach. Additionally, attending crew training in Xiamen is more cost-effective and requires less time compared to Taiwan.
In September 2023, Xiamen introduced "several measures to support and encourage Taiwan residents to participate in crew training and apply for certificates", creating more convenient conditions for Taiwan residents to participate in crew training in Xiamen and obtain certificates issued by the Chinese mainland.
Currently, over 400 Taiwan residents have participated in training and obtained crew certificates in Xiamen, with youth accounting for over 80 percent of the total.
In addition to the "training-certification-employment" full-service chain, Xiamen has also piloted the "one examination, four certificates" model for student physical examinations.
Xiamen has established mutual recognition and exchange of physical examination results among customs, maritime authorities, and cruise companies, enabling students to obtain four certificates from a single examination. The physical examination fee has been reduced to 980 yuan ($135), and the period to obtain the certificates has been shortened to two days.
Taiwan students attend training classes. [Photo/WeChat account of Xiamen FTZ]