Bridging the marine skills gap

Although much of the Task Force’s focus was toward seagoing mariners, there is a related engineering gap which stretches to onshore facilities as well as those engaged in shortsea, ferry and workboat operations.

Michael Cooke MBE, technical training manager of Mabway is very aware of the growing gap: the UK’s manufacturing relies on many skilled engineers who are going to reach retirement age in the next few years but don’t have anyone to step into their shoes. “We assumed the British engineering training was being looked after by the engineering manufacturers. But we blinked, and these factories closed or left our shores, and the apprenticeships followed them,” said Mr Cooke.

“We have to be able to attract those young people who may not originally think about marine engineering, by opening up a career pathway that starts at the bottom but still reaches to the top,” he says.

However, one difficulty is that the needs of the sector are changing dramatically, and this means that some companies are no longer making the most of their existing workforce.

Mr Cooke explains that this is partly because “the gap” that industry needs to be filled has become more and more fluid of late: engineering is changing at the same rate as new engines and their systems are being developed. Certainly the new emissions legislation (Tier III) is pushing engines toward more electronic controls, going far beyond the fuel injection system.

Unfortunately, says Mr Cooke, this means that some older, very experienced and knowledgeable engineers are getting left behind.

“These developments have meant that there’s more reliance on electronic circuitry than ever before, but you don’t want to let go an experienced employee who might really know and understand marine engines thoroughly – apart from this latest control section. So, rather than try to find an ‘electronics’ man, it might be more economical and better all round to ‘lift’ the skills a company already has.”