People and Skills Forum

Maritime UK’s People and Skills Forum provides a place where colleagues across the sector can discuss items of common interest, with an operational, near-term, focus. Our role is therefore quite distinct from that of the Maritime Skills Commission, whose primary focus is strategic.  

During 2020 we hosted a meeting with Home Office officials to consider the implications of Brexit on recruitment overseas, which remains a hot topic as the end of the Transition Period gets closer. With an eye on the pandemic, we are also considering the plight of those being made redundant and the opportunities to work together on re-training programmes. 

The Forum is not an executive body. Where action follows from the discussion members pick it up between them. 

The Forum is chaired by Bill Walworth, who chairs the Maritime Skills Alliance.  

Our membership covers the breadth of the maritime sector, taking into account the full range within Maritime UK’s scope: ports, shipping, marine engineering and science, marine leisure, and professional services. If you would like to join us please contact the group’s Secretary, Iain Mackinnon: iain@maritimeskills.org 

We have four meetings booked for 2021, on 6th January, 14th April, 7th July and 29th September.  The first at least will be managed via Zoom, and probably the others too in the interests of maximising attendance from across the country.