History

Our School continues the tradition of lifelong education and training of people working at sea developed by the State Maritime School (PSM -Państwowa Szkoła Morska) in Gdynia in pre-war times.

It was 1930, when the first course in navigation was organized for fishermen. The following years were also filled with trainings in navigation and mechanical engineering organized for employees of the Polish fleet and fisheries. The importance of the PSM activity was always highlighted by the MM S.Kosko, its then headmaster . Great needs in maritime education and training resulted in the opening of the Department of Training for Special Purposes at the State Maritime School (PSM) headed by the MM Konstanty Maciejewicz in1938. After the war, in 1964, a Radar Training Center was organized at the School, headed by, among others, MM Wieńczysław Kon. In 1969, the Officer’s Training Center (SDKO) became an integral part the Higher Maritime School in Gdynia. Its primary task was to educate seafarers and personnel of fishing companies. In order to fulfill its mission the following trainings were provided:

  • competency courses for candidates taking state exams at management level
  • refreshment courses for holders of the highest-rank certificates (master mariners, chief engineers, radio officer 1st class and chief electrician),
  • specialist courses extending and updating the knowledge of ship’s officers in the field of new techniques and technologies in shipping and maritime economy, in accordance with the current international and national requirements

More than twenty years on, we are proud to have educated over 15000 ship’s officers from different departments and enjoy a good reputation among our students and shipowners.

In 1991, SDKO was slightly renamed to SDK and a civil partnership was established with Gdynia Maritime University (WSM) but the core activity remained unchanged . The SDK’s educational and training activity was approved by the Department of Education, the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Economy.

In 1998, SDK was recognized by MTiGM and Gdynia City Hall, as required by the international convention STCW 95.

In the years 1991 – 1998, SDK S.C. by WSM in Gdynia trained about 30,000 seamen and ship’s officers, including about 3,000 on competency courses.

On December 29, 1999, SDK S.C. by WSM in Gdynia was awarded the Certificate of the Polish Center for Testing and Certification in the field of:

  • vocational education and training:
  • crewmembers of sea-going vessels in accordance with the requirements and recommendations of the STCW 78/95 Convention
    other maritime jobs

In 1999, SDK S.C. by WSM in Gdynia became an integral part of Gdynia Maritime University and renamed to SDK WSM in Gdynia Sp. z o.o..

In 2019, due to the elevation of the university to a higher level and renaming it, the school name was modified as well, and currently we are “Studium Doskonalenia Kadr Uniwersytetu Morskiego w Gdyni” (Personnel Training Center of Gdynia Maritime University / Officers’ Training Centre in Gdynia)