Chamber of Shipping highlights opportunity to redress the skills shortages in the Irish shipping industry
Thursday 28 February 2008
Captain Dave Hopkins, President of the Irish Chamber of Shipping, the representative body for ship-owners in Ireland, has recently highlighted the opportunity to redress the skills shortages in the Irish shipping industry.
Speaking at the presentation of the Cadet of the Year Award from amongst graduates in the Bachelor of Science in Nautical Science programme at the National Maritime College of Ireland at The Conrad Hotel, Dublin, Captain Hopkins stressed the industry's concern that the awareness of fulfilling careers in the marine industry was minimal and he called on Ireland's educators to redress the situation.
'To remain competitive, the Irish marine industry must provide maritime professionals capable of implementing world-class projects, whether at sea or in a supporting role on-shore. Increasingly the industry finds itself recruiting these professionals from abroad and this is an unsatisfactory situation, particularly since Ireland now has an exceptional National Maritime College in Cork which has the capacity to fulfil this need through home-grown marine graduates. The industry needs people to work aboard ships around the coast of Ireland, and internationally. It is an exciting and rewarding career, and an important factor is the 'life after sea' element which includes the operation of ships from shore side, the management and building of ships which trade globally, careers as harbour masters, ships pilots, college lecturers, and surveyors who work within government marine and transport departments, insurance and classification industry' Captain Hopkins told us.
The Irish Chamber of Shipping President presented Stephen O’Flaherty from Carrigaline, Co. Cork with this year’s Cadet of the Year Award. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nautical Science, Stephen is one of the first class to start and graduate from the NMCI Ringaskiddy facility. He expects to be appointed as 3rd Officer with BP, one of the world's largest shipping companies, within the next few days and will return to his career at sea, travelling the world aboard BP oil tankers. His sea training over the last few years has included working aboard crude oil ships, product tankers and LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) carriers, trading globally.
“This is an exciting and challenging career. BP has an excellent training regime, and I have gained considerable and varied experience at sea and particularly in the tanker trade. I see good prospects in my career choice, particularly in the BP organisation. It is my ambition to achieve command as early as possible, and also further academic qualification. In the longer term I see myself in senior management within the maritime industry.” Stephen O'Flaherty said.