Measuring and sustaining the UK maritime skills base: A review

Abstract

Numerous factors over the past three decades have contributed to a major decline in the number of seagoing staff in the United Kingdom. These include shipping companies opting for other flags, as well as the profession itself becoming less and less attractive for school leavers. This decrease in numbers is not only significant for shipping companies, but also for the allied services which used to get supported from seafarers coming ashore in search of a new career. It is now recognised that changes in the maritime skills base will affect both the seagoing as well as the shore side of the industry. This paper examines the decline in number of the UK Merchant Navy officers and cadet from glory of the past. Also the idea of a massive shore industry habitually employing former officers: therefore these can be seen as a core resource in the maritime labour market.

Missing the tide? Workplace cultural differences as a barrier to seafarer mobility in the U.S. workboat and sail training sectors

“…In fact, formal research focusing on maritime education and training (MET) practices and standards is a relatively recent development. Tarver and Pourzanjani (2003) discuss policy options for maintaining and developing the professional skills of seafarers in the United Kingdom. Researchers at the Seafarer's International Research Center (SIRC) in Cardiff have produced several studies on methods of assessing seafarer technical competence (Sampson, Gekara, and Bloor 2011;Ghosh, et al 2014).…”

“…Intangible Qualities in Hiring Research on maritime education and employment (Tarver and Pourzanjani 2003, Leggate 2004, Sampson et al 2011, Ghosh et al 2014 suggests that employers are increasingly concerned with the quality of maritime labor. A study by the SIRC notes '...the need to test for less tangible personal qualities such as "confidence" (Sampson et al 2011, 89),' Another study conducted at the Australian Maritime College emphasizes the importance of training seafarers in '...a higher level of cognitive skill required...for decision making and problem solving (Ghosh et al 2014, 55).'…”