Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland

The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland held a graduation ceremony for the Marine Engineering Technician Training Plan (METTP) program on August 9 at the Drill Hall in Pleasantville.

The Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School Detachment St. John’s marked the graduation with a special $1,000 donation to the SPCA. The graduation class selected the SPCA as their charity of choice to provide the donation which was acquired through fundraising events as well as student and staff donations. SPCA representative Kristy Bailey received the donation during the ceremony.

The fifteen sailors welcomed into the Royal Canadian Navy ranks hail from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Manitoba. They will be stationed in Halifax, Nova Scotia or Esquimalt, B.C., where they will be employed as marine engineering technicians.

Graduate Matthew Hewitt, Marystown, NL native received the Marine Institute Bronze Medal for Academic Achievement. This honour is awarded to the student with the highest standing in the final year of their program.

The graduation ceremony was attended by Commander David Benoit, commandant, Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School; Lieutenant-Commander Alan Brown, detachment commander, Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School Detachment St. John’s and Glenn Blackwood, vice-president (Memorial University) Marine Institute.

The five-year Marine Engineering Technician Training Plan (METTP) is a cooperative venture between the Royal Canadian Navy and the Marine Institute. The first two years are spent studying to be marine engineering technicians at the Marine Institute campus in St. John’s.

Upon graduating from the two-year diploma course, the graduates receive an accelerated promotion to the rank of Leading Seaman and advance to full-time careers within the Royal Canadian Navy, serving for at least the next three years.

The relationship between Department of National Defence and the Marine Institute has been an enormous success for both organizations since its establishment in 1992.