Important factors in selecting Maritime Education in Sri Lanka: Perception of seafarers’ professions

Abstract

Maritime Education and Training (MET) are presently faced with many challenges thus sustaining a pool of qualified and competent marine officers and engineers is a serious issue. Given the very complicated nature of the industry certain grades of seafarers are waiting to be deployed while some categories are invariably short staffed. MET institutes compete with other higher education institutes while improving the overall quality standards of global MET. Also, the demand for seafaring by younger generation is seen declined while the quality of limited applicants also deteriorated. As a result, leading MET institutes are pressurised to be flexible in selection criteria. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to identify the factors that influence students’ choice of maritime education. The study has been conducted by obtaining empirical data from past and present seafarers and the findings may be helpful for MET institutes. It explored key factors pertaining to the seafarers’ profession such as the professional identity and perception; social impact; the family concerns; and gender issues as influencing the choice of maritime education.