Employment in Maritime Industry

Though I have titled it as "Employment in Maritime Industry", I am referring mainly to the Ship board employment and the worries of Indian Maritime Industry in this blog.

One of my previous blogs highlighted some of those worries and had requested your input.

Here is my further thoughts on the subject.

Questions arising out of the subject:

Crisis? Was it existing or is it a just surfaced demon?

I am sure this crisis was existing all along. We were keeping a blind eye or just peeping in whenever there is a seminar or conference. Lot of good thoughts goes in, and then………?

Crisis? Who created this crisis?

Almost all the players in the industry, including the opportunists, those who cashed in.

This situation came due to two main broad outlooks

Quality . People are not sure of the quality of the seafarers. What they want and what they should be. STCW, National Standard and quality systems are all there. But the main act is always played behind the screen.

Quantity. While there is a harp on shortage of man power, we have many employable ones out there without job.

Administration plays a large role on both the issues. They are the one who can regulate and control the training institutions at present.

Next entity is the employer. They are always under pressure from the market conditions and the administrators. They will always want cheapest but the best, as every market looks.

Ship in campus: is a useful addition to support the training. It is not a replacement for the real learning. It is good as long as it can represent the shipboard operational machinery. Not just a dummy which sits in the campus and used to show the shipowners to “ Woh!” them. I have seen DGS certified Institutes having variations of “Ship-in-campus”. Some are very good, and some are just show pieces, painted nicely as a display.

Quality Systems. So many quality systems were introduced, with no effect or little effect. This was because we wanted just the minimum to satisfy the “paper” and forgot the “people”. CIP has met with Court now since it is not easy to keep spending and spending without good returns. Another blunder made by administration is bringing in commercial graders like Crisil or Icra. They had no idea what a ship is or how it is operated. They were just finance graders and got their finances strengthened, thanks to who-ever brought them in.

World of Touts.

Today I got a whats-app message about a seaman, Ranjit from Hoshiarpur who was declared missing from a ship on 14th Feb 2016. Some agent had taken huge cash to get him an employment on board, he finally landed on board a dead ship in Iran, without any contract letter with him. It was said that the agent on the last day before sending to Iran snatched the letter they had initially signed and given to him. Though I have no hard proof, these things are happening in Shipping industry.This is a very healthy situation we have built for them. At the training level they get their share. Then when it comes to employment they get further. Sadly many shipping companies and management companies are involved in this vicious circle. Who pays for all these? The job seekers ?.

Administration remains silent. First of all, they being the regulators of the industry cannot remain on the pretext of lack of surveyors to conduct periodic inspections.

I agree that there is a silver lining there. But the shine is losing. Just a couple of good institutes cannot keep the glory of Indian Seafarer. Every day world reads no glory of these institutes, but about the black news of an Indian seafarer’s performance. How do we stop this publicity?

Suggestions:

Indian Maritime Administration take strict steps to ensure
Quality of Training Operations, including quality of teachers and trainers.
Regular periodic inspections and be bold to throw the low quality ones out.
Ensure, by regulation, that the institutes will find employment for their trainees.
Instruct media to keep a positive look and help out.
Trust organisations like I Mar E. They can help out in examinations and many other area.
Get more freedom of operation from Ministry.
One company vetting an institution is not a standard, but could be a pointer.
Competency building need not create commitment, look for commitment building.
Employers to ensure
Use your own selective tests to get the best out of the good.
If required carry out more specific training to mold them to your need.
Do not blame the institutes once they have selected and employed them.
Give more berths to do onboard training, so that you build up your own people for tomorrow.
Don’t look for cheap labor
Competency building need not create commitment, look for commitment building
For us to ponder
Push back on unrealistic expectations instead of passing them on
Take honest stock of realities.
Look back to good old principles
Be bold to stand up and voice the right
any more thoughts........ feel free to let me know