Maritime Set For Biggest Recruitment Drive In A Generation With 170,000 Jobs

The maritime sector is preparing for the biggest recruitment drive in a generation following the freeports announcement in the Spring Budget.

The move is expected to create a 170,000 jobs bonanza in the next 5-10 years across seven coastal regions in the UK.

Maritime UK is now calling on the next generation to take a fresh look at the industry, to support international trade and power the green industrial revolution.

Maritime UK chair Sarah Kenny said: “To all our future adventurers, engineers and technology visionaries – maritime needs you.

“At sea or on shore, you can make a difference by keeping our country supplied and developing the solutions we need to tackle climate change.

“Whether you are at university, thinking about an apprenticeship, or considering your next career move: think maritime if you want to shape the future of our planet.”

Maritime is responsible for enabling 95% of the UK’s trade and will be key to the race to net zero, with the industry developing battery and hydrogen powered ships, alongside coastal charging points to help power tomorrow’s Teslas of the seas.

AI is also disrupting the sector with the world’s first fully autonomous ship, the Mayflower, expected to set sail to the US without any humans on board in a few weeks.

The global industry is expected to double in size to $3trn by 2030, with the UK, as a maritime nation, looking to play a leading role.

Beauty Marshall, a 22-year-old Port of London Authority apprentice who works on the Thames, said:
“Leaving college with A levels in philosophy, psychology and sociology, I never imagined being in a job where I get my feet wet.

“But since taking the punt with maritime, my love for the river has grown, and now I am hoping to be a ship captain by my 30’s.

“There are so many different areas within maritime, however, and I am excited to explore them all.

“I would encourage anyone, from any background, to consider a career in maritime. And for Londoner’s like me – the river under your nose could be a route to a long and happy career.”

Jobs in maritime can be in any of its industries: shipping, ports, professional services and finance, engineering like shipbuilding or leisure including superyachts and boating.

This can include working at sea or in the UK’s coastal gateways, to working in the City of London, to cleaning the oceans of plastics, or designing a superyacht; with all providing the chance to see the world.

The average salary for sector is £11,700 more than the national average, and employees are 42% more productive than the average UK worker.

There are wide and varying career entry routes, with Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) skills offering the best chance to join maritime.

While technical skills are important, the ‘arts’ in STEAM is also key, with possibilities for creative thinkers to thrive in an industry that’s looking for innovative solutions in shipbuilding, big data and robotics.

With a sector that is becoming increasingly digitalised, computer science skills will also be valuable for work including data analysis, forecasting and the development of ship cyber security systems. As well as for the thriving robotics scene in maritime, with the increasing development of AI vessels.

The sector also promises futures for mechanical and electrical engineers to build tomorrow’s wind farms, with the government recently announcing plans to quadruple offshore wind power by 2030.

Solent-based Maritime education leader Gosport and Fareham Multi Academy Trust, which is launching a marine and maritime careers course backed by Olympic sailing gold medalist Sir Ben Ainslie and British sailor Alex Thomson, also identify a number of personal attributes needed to thrive, based off of their outreach with maritime businesses.

These include communication, problem solving, creativity, aiming high, the ability to stay positive, teamwork and leadership.

Chris Willis, Executive Leader at the Gosport and Fareham Multi Academy Trust, said: “I’m often asked about what makes for an ideal maritime student.

“The truth is that there is no such thing: maritime is for everybody.

"Regardless of your background, or whether you fit a 'traditional mould', the industry has a huge amount of potential to offer the next generation. You don’t even have had to spent any time at sea.

“If you’re curious about our world and its waters, and want to make your positive impact, maritime could most definitely be for you.”