Contractors' training programme

ISA Contractors have a legal obligation to provide and fund training opportunities for personnel from developing States and those of ISA.

The legal basis for the requirement stems from the provisions of UNCLOS and the 1994 Agreement and is set out in the standard terms of contracts. Its purpose is to ensure that personnel from developing States are provided with appropriate operational expertise to enable them to participate in deep seabed mining.

The training programme is generally formulated following negotiations between ISA and the contractor and included as schedule 3 of the contract for exploration.

All short-term training opportunities for suitable candidates from developing States provided by ISA Contractors will be listed on this site.

Active Training Opportunities

Training Opportunity Application Deadline
13 November 2024
19 November 2024
27 November 2024
8 December 2024

Training Opportunities Under Implementation

  1. Beijing Pioneer Hi-tech. Development Corporation Ltd. (BPC)
  2. Blue Minerals Jamaica (BMJ)
  3. China Ocean Mineral Resources R & D Association (COMRA)
  4. China Minmetals Corporation (CMC)
  5. Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC)
  6. Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)
  7. French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER)
  8. Global Sea Mineral Resources NV (GSR)
  9. JSC Yuzhmorgeologiya (Yuzh)
  10. Marawa Research and Exploration Ltd. (Marawa)
  11. Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) of the Government of India
  12. Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea
  13. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation (MNRE)
  14. Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI)
  15. Ocean Mineral Singapore Pte Ltd
  16. Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd. (TOML)
  17. UK Seabed Resources Ltd. (UKSR I)
  18. UK Seabed Resources Ltd. (UKSR II)

Completed Training Opportunities

  • China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association (COMRA)
    • COMRA At-sea Training (6 trainees)
    • COMRA Engineering Training (2018, 2 trainees)
    • COMRA Fellowship Training (2017, 3 trainees)
    • COMRA At-Sea Training (2016, 5 trainees)
    • COMRA Fellowship Training (2015, 2 trainees)
    • COMRA Engineering Training (2015, 2 trainees)
    • COMRA At-Sea Training (2014, 4 trainees)
  • Companhia de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais (CPRM)
    • CPRM At-Sea Training (2019, 4 trainees)
    • CPRM At-Sea Training (2019, 4 trainees)
  • Global Sea Mineral Resources NV (GSR)
    • GSR Masters Programme (2018-2020, 1 trainee)
    • GSR At-sea Training (2019, 2 trainees)
    • GSR, Seminar (2018, 2 trainees)
    • GSR, Fellowship (Rhodes Aca.) (2018, 2 trainees)
    • GSR, Seminar (2017, 1 trainee)
    • GSR, Fellowship (Rhodes Aca.) (2017, 1 trainee)
  • Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC)
    • JOGMEC At-Sea Training (2018, 4 trainees)
    • JOGMEC At-Sea Training (2016, 5 trainees)
    • JOGMEC At-Sea Training (2015, 3 trainees)
  • Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI)
    • NORI, at-sea training (2019, 4 trainees)
    • NORI Workshop training opportunities (2015, 2 trainees)
  • Ocean Minerals Singapore
    • OMS, Internship (2019, 8 trainees)
  • Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd. (TOML)
    • TOML At-Sea Training (2 trainees)
    • TOML At-Sea Training (2013, 2 trainees)
  • UK Seabed Resources Ltd. (UKSR I)
    • UKSRL PhD Programme (2015-2019, 2 trainees)
Active = the opportunities are still open for submission of applications.
Under implementation = closed for application but selection in progress.

How to Apply

  • The manual application forms for training have been phased out. All applications should be completed using the web form. Applicants are required to use the online portal to submit applications together with a copy of their passport photo and the signed nomination form indicating a preference for either the geological or environmental programme, degree/certificate and résumé.

Required Qualification

  • The required qualifications are provided for each training opportunity.