Marine Institute holds NCSTTP graduation

The Marine Institute held a graduation ceremony for the Department of National Defense's Naval Combat Systems Technical Training Plan (NCSTTP) on Friday, Jan. 15 at the Drill Hall in Pleasantville. Thirty-eight graduates were honoured, including 10 from Newfoundland and Labrador

Monday, January 11, 2010

Navy cadets received technician diplomas in Electronics Engineering and Electro-Mechanical Engineering. Two Marine Institute Bronze Medals for Academic Achievement were also handed out, with Andre Antoine of Toronto, ON and Gregory Bailey of Anrprior, ON earning the prizes in Electronics Engineering and Electro-Mechanical Engineering respectively.

“On behalf of the Marine Institute, I want to congratulate all the graduates receiving their technician diplomas,” said Glenn Blackwood, executive director, Marine Institute. “The commitment these cadets displayed to their program and the Canadian Navy is a true testament to the passion they have for their careers and I am happy to call them Marine Institute alumni.”

Thirty-eight graduates were honoured, including 10 from Newfoundland and Labrador. Six other provinces were represented by the graduating class, including Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and British Columbia.

“Marine Institute graduates stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific and into the Arctic. This is fitting since many of the NCSTTP graduates will go on to patrol all three of Canada’s oceans throughout their careers in the Canadian Navy,” said Blackwood.

The ceremony included remarks from Blackwood; Lieutenant Commander Stewart Hughes, Detachment Commander, Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School, St. John’s detachment; and Captain Alain Garceau, Director of Maritime Personnel, Naval Reserve.

The Naval Combat Systems Technical Training Plan trains technicians in the fields of electronics engineering and electro-mechanical engineering and is a cooperative venture between the Marine Institute and the Canadian Navy. Cadets began the NCSTTP program at MI’s Ridge Rd. campus in St. John’s in January, 2008. After two years of study at the Marine Institute, the cadets will now be employed as naval combat systems technicians in the Canadian Navy. Upon graduation, the cadets will be stationed in Halifax, N.S. or Esquimalt, B.C. for further training.

The Marine Institute is one of only two post-secondary institutions in Canada to have such an agreement with the Canadian Navy. This partnership between MI and the Canadian Navy has been in place since 1992 and more than 800 navy cadets have graduated from MI during this time.