Why Are Young People Shying Away from Sea Work?

The shipping industry is continuously facing a shortage of seafarers. As the global economy evolves and workers' mental needs change, seafarers' spiritual needs are becoming more important when it comes to their job choices. Research suggests that the values seafarers place on their work could explain this shortage. A study looked into the work values of 368 seafarers and 322 college students studying navigation and marine engineering.

It found that values like conservation (keeping things stable) and self-transcendence (being part of something bigger) make people more willing to work on ships. Interestingly, these values seem to be decreasing in younger generations. This means that maritime schools and shipping companies need to consider these work values when hiring, training, and managing seafarers.

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