UK Invests in ‘Maritime and Me’ Diversity Program

UK Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani has pledged £730,000 (about $910,000) in Government funding to increase diversity, well being and skills in the maritime sector, including £100,000 (about $125,000) for a new scheme in which girls aged 11 to 14 will be paired with inspiring women from the maritime sector to teach them about the range of careers available to them before they make their choice of subjects for their final school examinations with the aim of having more young women opt for STEM subjects and related career paths.

The Minister also announced funding to better understand and address the skills gaps and improve careers promotion in the maritime sector, including funding for the ‘Maritime and Me’ campaign,a new industry-led project aiming to increase and retain female talent in the maritime sector; the setting up of a new Maritime Skills Commission to identify the existing and future skills needs of the sector, informing the training curriculum and ensuring it evolves over time: and funding for a new single-industry body that will raise awareness of maritime careers in schools and better coordinate their promotion.

Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani stated:

“I am immensely proud of the vibrant range of jobs offered by the maritime industry, and I know that the 186,000 people who work in the sector will agree that it is a truly fantastic place to build a career. We need to ensure this fantastic industry is fueled with the brightest talent from across the country, and that means tapping into the potential of our diverse society and increasing the number of women working in maritime. In doing this we will boost British standing in maritime globally, allowing us to successfully lead the charge to a bright new future for the UK.

“The ‘Maritime and Me’ project will use a public campaign to show girls of all ages the fantastic range of opportunities in maritime – from jobs at sea to engineers on the shore. It will work with WISE, a community interest organization, to create an online quiz where girls and young women can see which roles would suit their personalities, supported by case studies of women working across different sectors, including maritime.