THE SINGAPORE Maritime Foundation has partnered Pacific International Lines and Pacific Carriers on a pilot project aimed at attracting new talent to the maritime industry.
The intent of the project is to demonstrate the feasibility and benefit of job redesign to make maritime roles more appealing to the talent pool in a competitive market.
Two roles, technical superintendent and vessel operator, will be the focal point of the project.
The findings of the pilot project will inform the development of the Maritime Workforce Transformation Guidebook, designed to help maritime companies exploring job redesign.
Singapore Maritime Foundation executive director Tan Beng Tee said the maritime sector needs to be adaptive if it wants to continue to draw talent.
“SMF is glad to work with PCL and PIL, with advice from [professional services organisation Ernest & Young Advisory], to pilot job redesign in two vital roles … to make them more attractive to talent in the contemporary job market,” Ms Tan said.
“This job redesign looks at current work processes and potential changes that may evolve in the near future as the industry embraces digitalisation and sustainability.”
Goh Chung Hun, general manager, fleet at PIL, said attracting the younger generation to pursue maritime careers, particularly in operational and seafaring roles, is challenging due to competition from other industries.
“For shipping companies like us, these roles are key and critical to enable our vessels, which transport essential goods around the world, to operate well, safely and in an environmentally friendly way,” Mr Chung Hun said.
“As such, we need to update the narrative that a maritime career is rewarding, and seafaring is just a chapter in the maritime career.
“There are many exciting career opportunities post-seafaring, such as the job of a technical superintendent, whose main responsibility is to ensure that vessels are in good condition.”
The project also involves providing analysis and recommendations for future job design implementations in the maritime industry across more roles.
