A new report issued by Frazer-Nash Consultancy for the Department of Transport, recommends that the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme should be increased to ensure that UK training costs are in line with other northern European countries, who not only provide assistance for maritime training but more generally cover the full cost of university education.
In light of the report, Nautilus International warns UK Government that seafarers will continue to decline, adversely impacting defence and economic interests, unless increased levels of support are met.
Findings Recommendations The maritime professional’s trade union, Nautilus International, has welcomed the report findings. Nautilus General Secretary, Mark Dickinson, commented: “Its core messages are very straightforward and it presents the government with a simple choice: do nothing and watch our seafarer numbers continue to decline, or increase support for training a workforce which will richly repay the investment made in them. It is now imperative that the government acts urgently on these recommendations.” The UK Chamber of Shipping also welcomed the report’s suggestion that the funding level should be increased in order for UK training to be more competitive with that provided in other European countries. “The UK Chamber welcomes the recommendation that the Government give a long-term commitment to SMarT funding,” comments Tim Springett, the chamber’s policy director, employment and legal. “This will assist employers greatly in devising their crew training and employment strategies and give greater certainty to maritime education and training institutions when making decisions on infrastructure investments.” Explore more by reading the full report:
