Maritime UK is set to embark on a nationwide roadshow aimed at inspiring girls to consider careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) within the maritime sector. The organisation has been awarded £100,000 from the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver the Maritime Roadshow for Girls throughout 2023.
The roadshow will offer Key Stage 3 girls the opportunity to participate in speed networking with a Maritime UK Industry Ambassador and to engage in a range of hands-on STEM activities. The events are designed to support schools with their careers education, information, and guidance programmes.
The roadshow will visit cities across the UK, including Hull, Liverpool, Aberdeen, Cornwall, Fleetwood, Southampton, Wales, London, Belfast, Barrow, and the Midlands, with the first event scheduled to take place in Hull on 7th March during National Careers Week.
Maritime UK’s roadshow builds upon the work of the 1851 Trust, which previously ran a similar roadshow which saw 1,400 girls from 90 schools participate, with 70% of those students feeling inspired to consider new career paths. The latest investment from DfT to deliver Maritime 2050 follows the establishment of the Maritime Skills Commission, Diversity in Maritime Taskforce, and Careers Taskforce in partnership with Maritime UK.
Maritime UK Programme Executive (Careers & Outreach) Jess Huxley said that it is crucial to have a pipeline of future talent from all backgrounds to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving maritime industry and that it is important to raise awareness of the opportunities available to young people.
Stuart Rivers, Chief Executive of the MNWB, said that the roadshow is a great step towards raising awareness of the opportunities available within the maritime sector and that it is hoped that it will inspire more women to join the industry, which currently only has two percent female representation among the world’s 1.89 million seafarers.
Maritime UK is looking to collaborate with as many partners from across the sector as possible and will be running webinars on how to get involved for both the maritime industry and for Schools during National Apprenticeship Week.
