The maritime sector faces growing labour shortages, in particular at sea. BSM’s strategy to attract and retain qualified seafarers is diversification combined with a strong focus on adapting career options, as well as growing in-house training programmes. One of BSM’s key initiatives is the Cadet Programme, aimed at developing deck, engine and electrical officers. Shipowners play a fundamental role in the long-term success of this programme, as BSM board member and Director of HR Marine, Eva Rodriguez, explains in this interview.
Published on 17 Oct 2023
Like many industries, the maritime sector faces growing labour shortages, in particular at sea. What is BSM doing to attract and retain qualified seafarers?
Eva Rodriguez (ER): While the world economy continues to rely on shipping as a major means of transport, the seafarer profession is losing its attractiveness in many of the traditional home countries and regions of seafarers. The demographics as well as the expectations of new generations of seafarers are changing. Our answer to this situation is diversification combined with a strong focus on adapting our career options, as well as growing our in-house training programmes.
We are continuously expanding our global footprint by opening up to new markets and cultures. We are creating new employment opportunities in regions where seafaring is still perceived as a highly attractive career. Expansion goes hand in hand with investment and BSM is investing heavily in recruitment and training at our own facilities to ensure that all knowledge and behavioural gaps are addressed in good time prior to joining our vessels.
As we diversify, we are also focusing on retention. In that context, we are working on more fluidity between sea- and shore-based jobs and the possibility to transition more flexibly between the two areas.
One of our key initiatives is our Cadet Programme aimed at developing deck, engine and electrical officers.
What is the purpose of the Cadet Programme?
ER: The purpose of our Cadet Programme is to secure our pool of skilled and resilient seafarers for the future. The Cadet Programme ensures continuity and retention of professional, motivated and empowered seafarers.
We recruit high-potential seafarers from all cultures and nationalities and align and increase their diverse levels of knowledge to our requirements while establishing a sense of belonging in them, to lay the foundation for long-lasting relationships with them.
Through this programme, we provide our cadets with equitable opportunities for training and assessment in a controlled and realistic work environment. They are offered full-time development support from the point of joining the company to the level of junior officer.
What makes the BSM Cadet Programme stand out?
ER: I believe that our programme has a competitive edge for three reasons:
We focus on the right fit: We recruit candidates from 36 countries across 4 continents. We only recruit cadets whose values align with ours at BSM. We do not rely on academic performance only, but conduct a thorough assessment of a candidate’s attitude and mindset.
We embrace diversity: When we recruit our cadets, we see that there are considerable regional differences in knowledge. We have learned that a “one size fits all” approach does not work. That is why we cooperate closely with our local partners, international maritime universities and academies, to ensure that the growing industry requirements are introduced to the respective countries in an appropriate way.
We make our training as realistic and transparent as possible: Our cadets can have a life at sea experience even before going on board. Our programme consists of three stages where stage two, the Cadet Foundation Course, is the bridging element between stage one, which is the recruitment and induction phase, and stage three, which is spent on board.
The Cadet Foundation Course lasts three months and takes place in one of our four Maritime Training Centres (MTC). There, we simulate onboard working and living conditions, allowing our cadets to assess how life on board will look and to better prepare for it.
I believe that the success of our programme is also reflected in the fact that our long-term retention rate is 93%, while 80% of our internal promotions to junior officer level are covered from within BSM and the Cadet Programme. In addition, many of our cadets reach senior officer positions within ten years. We are very proud of this development.
What role do shipowners play in the Cadet Programme?
ER: Shipowners play a fundamental role in our Cadet Programme. They help us finance the course as well as run it. This means that the more shipowners agree to be part of the programme, the more cadets can embark during stage three of the programme and successfully complete the course.
What’s in it for the shipowners?
ER: Considering the changes that the whole maritime industry is going through, we are in this together. By allowing us the time and support we need to develop the future workforce, we can continue to offer owners highly skilled crews to manage their ships. This will help preserve the high safety standards and records on their ships in the future.
In addition, the internal development of well-trained and high-potential personnel reduces our dependence on the recruitment market, which leads to improved sustainability of manning, as well as an optimum return on investment.
What additional support do you need from shipowners?
ER: The vast majority of our customers participate in our BSM Cadet Fund, which co-finances the training and development of cadets, stages two and three of the programme. We are extremely grateful to our clients for their generosity.
On the operational side, we would like to invite all our customers to embrace our diversification strategy, prioritise competence over nationality and be open to new seafarer source markets, offering not only cadet slots but also opportunities for career development. In the end, the success of a cadet programme is measured by retention and career progression.
As it gets harder to recruit crew members from the traditional seafarer nations, our cadets and crews are inevitably becoming more diverse. The more cadets we train, the more qualified, resilient and sustainable our workforce of the future will be. This is to everyone’s benefit.
What role do shipowners play in the Cadet Programme?
ER: Shipowners play a fundamental role in our Cadet Programme. They help us finance the course as well as run it. This means that the more shipowners agree to be part of the programme, the more cadets can embark during stage three of the programme and successfully complete the course.
What’s in it for the shipowners?
ER: Considering the changes that the whole maritime industry is going through, we are in this together. By allowing us the time and support we need to develop the future workforce, we can continue to offer owners highly skilled crews to manage their ships. This will help preserve the high safety standards and records on their ships in the future.
In addition, the internal development of well-trained and high-potential personnel reduces our dependence on the recruitment market, which leads to improved sustainability of manning, as well as an optimum return on investment.
What additional support do you need from shipowners?
ER: The vast majority of our customers participate in our BSM Cadet Fund, which co-finances the training and development of cadets, stages two and three of the programme. We are extremely grateful to our clients for their generosity.
On the operational side, we would like to invite all our customers to embrace our diversification strategy, prioritise competence over nationality and be open to new seafarer source markets, offering not only cadet slots but also opportunities for career development. In the end, the success of a cadet programme is measured by retention and career progression.
As it gets harder to recruit crew members from the traditional seafarer nations, our cadets and crews are inevitably becoming more diverse. The more cadets we train, the more qualified, resilient and sustainable our workforce of the future will be. This is to everyone’s benefit.
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