Finding a Balance: Companies and New Seafarers Generation Needs and Expectations

• Main Authors: Viktoras Sencila, Genutė Kalvaitiene
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Gdynia Maritime University 2018-06-01
• Series: TransNav: International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation
• Subjects: Seafarers Problems; New Seafarers Generation; Maritime Education and Training (MET); MET System in Latvia; MET System in Lithuania; Maritime Career; Seafarers Needs; Seafarers Expectations
• Online Access: http://www.transnav.eu/files/Finding a Balance: Companies and New Seafarers Generation Needs and Expectations,811.pdf

MET institution’s mission is not only preparing young people for maritime career at sea, forming their professional competences, but also providing help in their career management. For this reason, it is important to know new seafarers’ generation needs and career ambitions, as well as expectations from employers’ point of view. Mutual understanding would help to find a balance between expectations of both and adequately manage changes. Results of research, conducted by surveying 4th year full-time students studying at the Lithuanian Maritime Academy and experts from shipping and crewing companies in Lithuania and Latvia regarding desirable contract conditions and seafarers’ personal and/or professional characteristics, important for successful career, are presented in the article.