An ageing population and growth in the global shipping industry has led to an increased demand for British seafarers, and the campaign will highlight the diverse range of professional opportunities available to young people who choose to enter the UK’s most international sector.
The short film, titled ‘To Sea or Not to Sea’, was produced by ITN Studios and will be promoted across social media in an effort to raise awareness of the maritime sector.
The campaign coincides with the Chamber’s call to the UK Government to double its contribution to maritime training, from £15 mill to £30 mill per annum. The new scheme, called SMarT (Support for Maritime Training) Plus, would see industry match any government contribution to seafarer training, as well as guaranteeing a job for newly-trained cadets for a minimum of one year.
A recent study conducted by the Chamber pointed to the shortfall of British seafarers that the industry may have to face, and the campaign represents an effort to address this issue head on.
Data in the study show that for every pound spent by the Government on SMarT between 2011/12 and 2015/16, the UK economy has benefited by £4.8, and that for every job created in the maritime sector, five are created elsewhere in the country.
Kathryn Neilson, Director of the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB), said: “We know there are many talented young people in the UK who want a career in the Merchant Navy, but there are many more talented young people out there who we could attract to the industry if only they knew of the opportunities available to them.
“This film marks a shift in our approach. In the months ahead we will dedicate significant resource to targeting social media users, and together with our Careers At Sea Ambassadors who travel the country to speak at careers events, schools and youth groups, we will ensure young people from all backgrounds, and all corners of the UK, are able to see the vast opportunities are career at sea can provide.”
Meanwhile, shipping unions RMT and Nautilus both responded to Monday’s UK Government’s pledge to double maritime apprenticeships.
Speaking from the TUC Congress in Brighton, RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said; "Whilst it is welcome that the Government has responded positively to RMT's campaign for a major increase in ratings apprenticeships, it will require action across the industry and, crucially, trade union involvement, to ensure that these words from Chris Grayling deliver a major increase in ratings jobs.
"The shipping industry certainly needs to train and employ more seafarers but they should be in secure jobs on good conditions and we should seize the opportunity of EU withdrawal to end the scandal of social dumping and the dodging of minimum wage and other core employment regulations.
"If we get this wrong, and if policies aren't rigorously enforced, shipping employers will carry on with their low cost crewing model which has decimated UK seafarer numbers since the 1980's," he warned.
The UK Government has pledged that UK’s £15 bill maritime industry will go from strength to strength in the wake of Brexit, as it devises an export plan to help bolster trade opportunities.
Speaking ahead of a round table with international industry figures at 10 Downing Street held last Monday, Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, said that leaving the European Union “will allow Britain to seize new opportunities and rediscover our heritage as a truly global, seafaring, trading nation.”
The Government said it will work with industry to deliver an ambitious export plan for when Britain leaves the EU, boosting trade opportunities, increasing jobs, and providing more investment in new technologies. It also wants maritime employers to double the number of apprenticeships they offer, and collaborate more with industry partners, as part of this drive.
Grayling is planning to hold a public discussion to help shape the future of the maritime industry up to 2050 and beyond and assess how the Government can encourage future growth in the industry, which supports at least 111,000 jobs, and contributes £15 bill to the UK economy each year.
He added: “Our maritime industry, far from being a story of the past, is a thriving success story – worth around £15 bill a year to our economy and supporting a quarter of a million jobs. This Government is determined to work with the maritime industry to help it grow significantly and make the UK a world leader for shipping business.”
Nautilus International has given a cautious welcome to the pledge.
Earlier this year, Nautilus called on the government to reassess the process for granting Certificates of Equivalent Competency to non-UK resident seafarers and also to promote the employment of UK seafarers in domestic shipping, as part of a 10-point Charter for Jobs to deliver decent work and training opportunities for British seafarers, post Brexit.
The Union, which represents 22,000 seafarers, is now calling on the minister to put measures in place to increase the number of UK seafarers employed on UK ships, as part of his commitment to increasing the number of vessels registered.
Nautilus general secretary, Mark Dickinson, commented: “Providing good job opportunities for UK seafarers is as important to our economic resilience as a maritime nation as the number of vessels on our register.
“Now is the perfect time to look at ways to increase the number of UK seafarers working on UK ships, especially in domestic shipping such as those operating between British ports and in the offshore services, and ensure a maritime future which benefits everyone.
“When I met with John Hayes last week I reaffirmed a number of points in our charter and he was very receptive to them. I hope he will bear it in mind as the UK ship register grows,” he said.
The Union’s Charter for Jobs also calls for the government to end its support for the Red Ensign Group of registers and encourage British shipowners to return to the UK Ship Register. The Union will highlight this ‘easy win’ to the Minister, which could significantly increase the number of vessels on the UK register if the current incentives to use the REG rather than the UKSR were removed.
“The support provided by the UK to the REG is akin to Waitrose subsidising Aldi. It's illogical, and the government should prioritise support for the UKSR – for only then will the government realise its target to double the number of ships on the UK register.” Dickinson added. “However, it is also essential that the government does not allow the UK register to become a flag of convenience itself during its pursuit of additional tonnage. The UK must maintain the high standards it is known for and ensure a real connection to the UK in compliance with international law.”