New instructor brings international experience to B.C. marine training
A
ndrei Romanov brings thousands of nautical miles of experience to his new position as a marine training instructor at North Island College.
He spent 12 years working up the ranks onboard Russian freighters and then 23 years with BC Ferries, retiring as captain on the Comox to Powell River route. He joined NIC in the fall of 2019 as one of three marine training instructors. NIC offers a range of marine training courses, from basic first aid to operator competency certificates for commercial and fishing vessels. The training is Transport Canadaapproved and students have the ability to earn several industry-specific certifications.
Andrei Romanov. NORTH ISLAND COLLEGE
ONLINE MARINE TRAINING ONLINE TRAINING N O W AVA I L A B L E • Small Vessel Operator Proficiency (SVOP) • Restricted Operator’s Certificate (ROC-M) Additional face-to-face courses are available when it is deemed safe to do so.
www.nic.bc.ca/marine-training | 250-923-9724 24
B.C. Tugboat 2020
Romanov got his start as a mariner attending the Admiral Makarov State Maritime Academy in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The academy has an international reputation for training professional mariners for civil and merchant fleets. He was first drawn to the industry because it offered a lifelong career with good wages. Both his wife and son currently work in the marine industry, so he also has a personal reason to want to see safety training done well. “I want to teach people about safety because I want to see people actually use their skills when they’re needed,” says Romanov. “Solid theoretical knowledge is crucial to
