The National Maritime Training Centre is based on the River Thames at Gravesend and is part of North Kent College. Formerly the Gravesend National Sea Training College, the Centre has a long heritage in the training of seafarers and shore-side personnel and remains a major provider of education and training services to the maritime industry. The Centre is approved by the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency to issue STCW certificates of competency.

The College is at the forefront of the provision of further and higher education in the south east of England. It caters for more than 4,500 full-time students across two main campuses, with a wide variety of academic and vocational courses, as well as professional education and training via short courses, part-time study or distance learning. Full-time and part-time higher education programmes and foundation degrees are delivered via a partnership with the University of Greenwich.

The College is committed to helping students to achieve their ambition – whether they wish to gain their first job, achieve high-level professional qualifications, change career or prepare for their next promotion. The College takes pride in working in partnership with industry to provide the correct mix of knowledge and practical skills that are required to sustain the workforce.

The North Kent College is a partner of Lloyd's Maritime Academy in delivering this course and manages assessment, quality assurance and the award of the professional development Diploma.