Marine Engineering Skills Gap to be Explored

The issue of the skills gap in the marine sector is to come under the spotlight as part of London International Shipping Week 2013 when the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) and specialist engineering recruitment agency Matchtech will hold an invitation only roundtable to discuss and debate the topic.

Chaired by Rear Admiral Nigel Guild CB, Chairman of the Engineering Council, and a Past President of IMarEST, the roundtable, taking place on Monday, September 9 at IMarEST headquarters in London, will attract key organizations from the marine industry, defense, academia and training, providing those taking part with the opportunity to discuss the skills shortages in marine engineering within the sector.

There is also a questionnaire aimed to get at getting a broader view of the skills gap in the sector; this and can be filled out by visiting is open to all, and can be completed at: http://surveys.imarest.org/index.php/649737/lang-en.

“We are really looking forward to exploring topics such as the size and level of concern of the skills gap in the marine sector; where the recruitment of future marine engineers will come from; the value of marine engineering as a career; and the steps the industry is taking to address these issues. We’ll also be asking whether organizations invest in their staff and support the professional development of marine engineers which is something that the IMarEST is very well placed to support” explains David Kelly, Head of Marketing for IMarEST.

Natalie Desty, Department Manager- Marine & Shipping Division at Matchtech commented, “A whitepaper will be published post-event and it, and our discussions on 9 September, will encompass many key issues. These will include a skills survey; the current numbers of engineers needed to facilitate the forecast growth of the marine sector; graduates and the challenges of attracting them to the marine industry; the growth of rival industries; the importance of retention – keeping good engineers within the sector; recruitment costs; and whether or not it is easy for the sector to attract engineers from other sectors and help them become "marinized."