Safety training in shipyards has long been treated as a box-ticking exercise. Multi-day courses pull workers off the floor, cost companies money in lost productivity, and often leave employees with little more than a checklist they’ll forget by the following week. For one HR professional who spent years watching this cycle repeat, the problem wasn’t compliance — it was approach.
Patricia Duarte grew up in Mexico City and built her career at the intersection of human resources and psychology. Working in San Diego’s maritime sector, she noticed a consistent pattern: safety programmes were designed around regulatory requirements, not around the people doing the work. The result was training that felt punitive rather than practical, and a safety culture that existed on paper more than on the floor.
In 2020, Duarte founded Illustra Pro, a licensed, woman-owned training firm based in National City, just minutes from San Diego’s busiest ports. Her methodology, which she calls Beyond Compliance, uses behavioural psychology to change not just what workers know about safety, but how they think about it. Rather than drilling employees on rules, her courses focus on respectful communication, mutual accountability, and understanding why safety standards exist — the kind of knowledge that makes workers look out for each other without being told to.
Instructors are drawn from Navy veterans and experienced safety managers, bringing real operational credibility to every session. Courses cover the full range of what maritime employers require, including OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Maritime certifications, plus specialist training for fire watch, forklift operation, rigging, and hot work supervision.
Illustra Pro has also built its scheduling around the realities of shipyard life. Weekend classes mean workers avoid disrupting regular shifts. All courses are available bilingually in English and Spanish. And for those who need flexibility, virtual instructor-led training (VILT) lets workers complete live, interactive sessions from home without sacrificing the quality of in-person instruction.
The practical impact runs both ways. Workers leave with their safety cards in hand, ready to start or progress in their roles immediately. Employers gain a workforce that is not only certified but genuinely engaged with safety — reducing accident risk and legal exposure in the process.
Groups of ten or more receive a 10% discount, with an additional 5% off for first-time bulk bookings.
Visit Illustra Pro’s website for course schedules, pricing, and to book a session.
