The Maritime Skills Commission launches the Skills for Green Jobs Position Paper. The Maritime Skills Commission (MSC) was established to ensure that the maritime sector has a pipeline of talented people to serve all parts of the sector covering shipping, ports, leisure marine, engineering, science, and professional services.
The Commission is chaired by Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire, and was established in 2020 by the Department for Transport and Maritime UK as part of the implementation of Maritime 2050.
Key industry stakeholders
The Commission reports to the Maritime Minister and the National Council of Maritime UK and has seven main objectives all targeted towards improving the skills and employability in the UK maritime sector.
The position paper sets out the key findings from the first evidence-based skills session in July 2021
The position paper sets out the key findings from the first evidence-based skills session in July 2021 and how the Maritime Skills Commission defines ‘green’ in reference to Green Skills and Green Jobs. The evidence-based session found that demand for green jobs is expected to be considerable, with some 1.7million additional jobs to be required by 2030, a 400% increase. The Maritime Skills Commission has a key role to play in championing the skills required for green jobs in the sector and facilitating the responses of both industry and education and training providers.
Evidence-gathering sessions
The paper sets out 7 actions for the Commission following the evidence-gathering sessions and independent report at COP26, these are:
- Take ownership of the ‘skills to support green jobs’ agenda for the maritime sector by continuing to collaborate, learn, listen and work with key industry stakeholders.
- Support Maritime UK’s recommendation for a Green Skills tax credit.
- Work closely with Government, Research and Development institutions, and sector representatives to foster a favourable context for infrastructure investment, technology readiness, and workforce development.
- Support the calls for Government-funded green-specific promotion of skills and jobs, along with wage subsidies for jobs contributing to the green transition.
- Support organisations to promote the diversity in green jobs in the maritime sector.
- Collaborate with Regional Maritime Clusters and intermediary organisations to develop local ownership of the skills agenda whilst the Commission monitors the development and deployment of skills for green jobs across the UK.
- Oversee the development and deployment of a comprehensive Matrix of Green jobs/skills in the sector.
Proposed future activity
The MSC will enhance its understanding by extending its consultation with different parts of the industry
Following the release of the position paper, the MSC has established a commitment to ensuring that the green jobs agenda is woven throughout all aspects of its Scheme of Work. The MSC has gone live with the recruitment of a dedicated Sustainability Skills Manager with Cornwall Marine Network to assist deliver the recommendations set out in the tasking letter and the actions from the position paper.
There is much still to do to understand the complexities and implications in the development of green jobs and the requirements for the appropriate skills. By launching the position paper, the MSC will enhance its understanding by extending its consultation with different parts of the industry, identifying the challenges faced, solutions in place, the differing interpretations of green jobs and skills, and proposed future activity.
Green skills for green jobs
Professor Graham Baldwin, Chair of the Maritime Skills Commission, said: “This position paper sets the Maritime Skills Commission on the path to ensuring that green jobs, and the skills required for them, can be properly understood in order for the workforce, both future and existing, to be skilled, reskilled and upskilled in order to transition to net zero. While this position paper sets out the Commission’s 7 key actions, we will ensure that the skills for green jobs agenda will underpin all activities rather than being a defined activity in its own right.”
Cornwall Marine Network has successfully won skills capacity-building funding"
Paul Wickes MBE, CEO, Cornwall Marine Network, said: “Cornwall Marine Network has successfully won skills capacity-building funding and we are currently recruiting a new Green Skills development team to be based in Falmouth to provide a lead on owning and implementing some of the key priorities for new green skills for green jobs identified in the Maritime Skills Commission position paper.”
Developing new training
"Green qualifications and training curriculum will be developed and piloted with South West businesses prior to national roll-out over the next 2 years. The team at CMN is delighted to be supporting MSC and will work closely with our Regional Cluster Council colleagues to create the green skills needed for maritime businesses.”
Sarah Kenny OBE, Chair, Maritime UK said: "The work of the Maritime Skills Commission, particularly on green jobs, is crucial for the sector to understand what is required for a transition to net zero and to develop the new training and qualifications to get us there."
