The Maritime Skills Commission (MSC) has recently launched the Skills for Green Jobs Position Paper.

The Maritime Skills Commission (MSC) was established to ensure that the maritime sector has a pipeline of talented people to serve all parts of the sector covering shipping, ports, leisure marine, engineering, science and professional services.

The Commission is chaired by Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire, and was established in 2020 by the Department for Transport and Maritime UK as part of the implementation of Maritime 2050. The Commission reports to the Maritime Minister and the National Council of Maritime UK and has seven main objectives all targeted towards improving the skills and employability in the UK maritime sector.

The position paper sets out the key findings from the first evidence-based skills session in July 2021 and how the Maritime Skills Commission defines ‘green’ in reference to Green Skills and Green Jobs. The evidence-based session found that demand for green jobs is expected to be considerable, with some 1.7million additional jobs to be required by 2030, a 400% increase. 

The Maritime Skills Commission has a key role to play in championing the skills required for green jobs in the sector and facilitating the responses of both industry and education and training providers. 

The paper sets out 7 actions for the Commission following the evidence-gathering sessions and independent report at COP26, these are:

1. Take ownership of the ‘skills to support green jobs’ agenda for the maritime sector by continuing to collaborate, learn, listen and work with key industry stakeholders.
2. Support Maritime UK’s recommendation for a Green Skills tax credit.
3. Work closely with Government, Research and Development institutions, and sector representatives to foster a favourable context for infrastructure investment, technology readiness and workforce development.
4. Support the calls for Government-funded green-specific promotion of skills and jobs, along with wage subsidies for jobs contributing to the green transition.  
5. Support organisations to promote the diversity in green jobs in the maritime sector. 
6. Collaborate with Regional Maritime Clusters and intermediary organisations to develop local ownership of the skills agenda whilst the Commission monitors the development and deployment of skills for green jobs across the UK.  
7. Oversee the development and deployment of a comprehensive Matrix of Green jobs/skills in the sector. 

Following the release of the position paper, the MSC has established a commitment to ensuring that the green jobs agenda is woven throughout all aspects of its Scheme of Work. The MSC has gone live with the recruitment of a dedicated Sustainability Skills Manager with Cornwall Marine Network to assist deliver the recommendations set out in the tasking letter and the actions from the position paper. 

More information about the Maritime Skills Commission can be found here.

Click here to read the position paper.