3 Top GMDSS Training Courses

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Anyone dreaming of a mariner career will need foundational training to start their professional journey. The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) is not something people can learn on the job. Interested candidates should compare the top GMDSS training courses to find leading providers that teach students everything they need to have successful seafaring careers.

1. MITAGS Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (GMDSS)

The Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) has an excellent beginner’s course for mariners. The Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (GMDSS) class requires no prep courses or prerequisites. Students can apply for their Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license after completing the course.

MITAGS provides a downloadable test pool so incoming students can study the course exam’s 100 questions after getting enrollment confirmation. The two-week class is available at two locations. Participants get instructor-led time where they will learn Digital Selective Calling (DSC) procedures, survival craft equipment management, principles of communication and more.

MITAGS Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (GMDSS)

Training Fulfilments

Locations

Schedule

46 CFR 11.305(a)(3)(viii)

46 CFR 11.307(a)(3)(viii)

46 CFR 11.309(a)(4)(xv)

And others

Seattle, Washington

Linthicum Heights, Maryland

MITAGS GMDSS training courses are two weeks long.

2. MPT GMDSS General Operator’s Certificate

Passionate seafarers can sign up for the Maritime Professional Training (MPT) General Operator Certificate course to earn their GMDSS education. The 10-day course includes instructional classroom time and opportunities to learn in simulators. After graduation, students meet all STCW requirements and U.S. Coast Guard standards to operate commercial fleets and large vessels.

Interested applicants must have their Marine Radio Operator Permit (MROP) or an FCC Element 1 Examination certificate before applying. Once class begins, students will get hands-on lab time to learn multiple communication systems. They will also participate in structured drills so they know exactly what to do when distress protocols happen in real time.

MPT GMDSS General Operator’s Certificate

Training Fulfilments

Locations

Schedule

46 CFR 11.311(a)(3)(ix)

46 CFR 11.313(a)(3)(ix)

46 CFR 11.315(a)(3)(vi)

And more

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The MPT General Operator’s Certificate course is 10 days long.

3. Maritime Institute GMDSS Radio Operator's License Course

The GMDSS Radio Operator’s License course with the Maritime Institute is an excellent way to prepare for a seafaring career. Anyone enrolled in the course will learn how to use satellite systems, transmit distress messages, make terrestrial communications and more.

People with no maritime job experience are welcome to take the course. Maritime Institute has no prerequisites for the class, as completing the course gives all graduates their GMDSS Radio Operator License. As long as each student has 10 days for the in-depth experience, they will learn everything they need about GMDSS equipment.

Maritime Institute GMDSS Radio Operator’s License Course

Training Fulfilments

Locations

Schedule

46 CFR 11.313(a)(3)(ix)

11.315(a)(3)(vi)

11.319(a)(4)(ix)

And more

San Diego, California

Maritime Institute GMDSS Radio Operator’s License Course is 10 days long.

Criteria to Determine Which Courses Are Best

Committing to a GMDSS course is a big decision. Current or future mariners should assess their options by considering essential factors like:

  • Participants must know what skills they want to learn before selecting any course. The best GMDSS training opportunities list the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) requirements they fulfill.
  • Courses happen at various locations, depending on the information students must learn during their education. Future enrollees must consider where they want to take each course to narrow their options.
  • Scheduling differs depending on location, time of year and the information students must learn before passing the course. Anyone interested in GMDSS classes should choose the best option for their personal schedule.

If curious seafarers know when a course will happen, where to go and what requirements it will fulfill for their career, their professional education will come from a reputable provider. Comparing leading organizations may take time, but each future student will find the best place to learn with their potential experience and specific career interests.

Choose From the Top GMDSS Training Courses

GMDSS courses teach numerous skills. Graduates will have incredible mariner careers if they learn from the best. Interested candidates should compare the top-rated organizations with well-designed classes to find the best educational opportunities for their schedules and budgets.