Career Progression And Promotion Survey Report

In the past you went to sea, did your time and if you were good enough you climbed the ladder to become Master or Chief. Unfortunately that was before the “manning crisis” and the need to accelerate the process. Now it seems as soon as the ink is dry (sometimes before) on the latest certificate of competency, individual seafarers are catapulted into a higher role…roles that they may be unprepared, or unskilled to perform.  The matter of career progression has gone from HR issue to safety management in one generation, and there are some important issues to address.

This survey examines seagoing career progression and promotion. We ask how important promotion is to seafarers and what do they perceive to be the most important factors affecting their promotional prospects? Do employers have proper appraisal systems in place to check on an individual officers’ suitability for promotion? Is progression through the ranks a matter of putting in the time and gaining experience or of being in the right place at the right time? Are younger officers being fast-tracked through the ranks?

The survey is a must read for recruiters and employers concerned with the real-life, contemporary thoughts of those working at sea today.

Life at Sea Survey 2007/8
Seafarer Career Progression and Promotion Survey Report
ISBN 978-0-9562542-1-4
Published by Shiptalk Publishing

The Shiptalk Recruitment "Life At Sea" surveys have become a must read for recruiters and employers concerned with the real-life, contemporary thoughts of those working at sea today. The latest in the surveys has focused on the areas of seafarer career progression and promotion.

The “Seafarer Career Progression and Promotion” survey has once again debunked a number of myths about seafarers; by looking at seafarer’s career expectations and aspirations, promotional prospects, company appraisals, fast tracking of junior officers, issues regarding people returning to sea after a career ashore and how the heighted concerns over personal criminal liability affect career aspirations.

List of Tables and Charts

Preface and Acknowledgements 

Overview

How can you access and use this survey?

Notes

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 METHOD

3.0 SURVEY CHARACTERISTICS

4.0 SUMMARY AND OBSERVATIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION

    4.1.0 Aiming High

    4.2.0 Promotion

    4.3.0 Factors Affecting Promotional Prospects

    4.4.0 Formal Company Appraisal

    4.5.0 Fast Tracking

    4.6.0 Returning to Sea

    4.7.0 Personal Liability

    4.8.0 Conclusions and Comments

5.0 SURVEY RESULTS

    5.1.0 RESPONDENT PROFILE

    5.1.1 Gender

    5.1.2 Nationality

    5.1.3 Age

    5.1.4 Experience

    5.1.5 Department

    5.1.6 Type of Vessel

    5.1.7 Flag of Vessel

5.2.0 SEAGOING QUALIFICATION AND RANK

    5.2.1 Highest seagoing qualification (navigation)

    5.2.2 Desired rank (navigation)

    5.2.3 Achieved rank (navigation)

    5.2.4 Highest seagoing qualification (engine)

    5.2.5 Desired rank (engine)

    5.2.6 Achieved rank (engine)

5.3.0 INTENTION OF STAYING AT SEA (ALL RESPONDENTS)

    5.3.1 How long intend to stay at sea

    5.3.2 Increase in number returning to sea

    5.3.3 Impact of people returning to sea

    5.4.0 PROMOTION

    5.4.1 Importance of promotion

    5.4.2 Motivations for promotion

    5.4.3 Has promotion been used to attract/retain services?

    5.4.4 Would employee leave current employment to obtain promotion                           

             elsewhere

    5.5.0 CAREER PROGRESSION AND THE COMPANY

    5.5.1 Clear understanding of opportunities for career progression    

             within the company          

    5.5.2 Importance to employee of understanding of opportunities for

             career progression

    5.5.3 Most important factor in awarding promotion

    5.5.4 Most relevant experience check

    5.5.5 Promotional criteria (Chart 18)

5.6.0 RECORDS AND APPRAISALS

    5.6.1 Record of shipboard professional experience

    5.6.2 Company requirement to keep record

    5.6.3 Does company have formal appraisal procedure?

    5.6.4 Feedback on career progression requested by employer

    5.6.5 Onboard appraisal

    5.6.6 Employee appraisal feedback

5.7.0 FAST TRACKING

    5.7.1 Evidence of increase in officers being fast tracked

5.8.0 LEGAL LIABILITY

    5.8.1 Has personal legal liability affected willingness to accept

             promotion?

6.0 FURTHER RESEARCH

Capt Thomas Brown BSc (Hons) MNI

Following fourteen years of deep sea experience on all vessel types and in all ranks Capt Brown graduated from Plymouth University with a BSc (Hons) in Marine Technology and Maritime Law before spending seven years working at a senior level in the claims department of a leading International Group P&I Club.

As well as being the current Chairman of Shiptalk Recruitment Limited, Capt Brown is the Managing Director of Seacurus Limited a leading UK based marine credit insurance brokerage.

Capt. Brown was assisted by Emma Brown BA MA with the statistical analysis.