Richards Bay -Today, 21st September 2011 South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) officially launches its Maritime Skills Development Study. This critical initiative by SAMSA done in partnership with the Human Resource Development Council South Africa (HRDCSA) and supported by the Department of Transport (DoT), will be key in the process of skills development and empowerment.
The ongoing issue of unemployment and skills shortage in South Africa has prompted the urgent attention of both public and private sector entities.
This study is therefore SAMSA’s undertaking to help with highlighting the skills gap within the broader Maritime Sector and to provide further insights on pivotal interventions needed by the industry.
The study was conducted with the expert help from audit firm Deloitte who provided the technical expertise to investigate the economic influence of the Maritime Sector, where extensive research was conducted in investigating skills shortages within the Maritime Sector; and a framework to harness the job creation potential within this industry was provided.
The study calls upon training institutions, the government and the private sector to work together in ensuring that South Africans are armed with skills to be able to participate in the Maritime Sector thereby ensuring the bridging of the existing skills gap.
“We value the partnerships forged with private international companies to assist with Cadets deployment but we also need to remind the South Africans about the economic value that will be brought should we have our very own Human Capital to quantify for the employment opportunities on the business shore.” Says SAMSA CEO Commmander Tsietsi Mokhele
The study provides for measures that will be put in place to promote growth and development in the 5 sub-sectors in the Maritime industry: Ports and Ships of the industry i.e. Shipping, Marine Resources, Marine Tourism and Leisure, Marine Manufacturing and Construction, Commercial Support and Business Services and Public Interests.
Furthermore, measures will need to be set in place for the protection of current jobs and over and above this a catalyst be provided to promote growth and development in the 5 sub-sectors in the Maritime industry: Ports and Ships of the indusrty i.e. Shipping; Marine Resources; Marine Tourism and Leisure; Marine Manufacturing and Construction; Commercial Support and Business Services and Public Interests.
Currently in South Africa the Ports and Shipping sub-sectors are the biggest employers in the sector but this is to the exclusion of the other sectors that have been identified by the study. The Marine Resources sector of which fisheries bring a GDP of approximately USD 323 million (2008). Maritime Tourism and Leisure, which is broken down into boating and cruising; sports and recreation; as well as leisure.
Part of the Operational Support Services, which includes Manufacturing / Construction, Business Services and the Public Interest Cluster. Manufacturing / Construction has an important boat building industry with a strong export component compromising 85% of production.
The annual boat building turnover is in the region of R1,2 billion and the industry employees approximately 4500 people. Business Services, which looks at banking and consulting maritime specialised services; and the Public Interest Cluster, which considers maritime regulatory and naval defence, encompasses Training and Education to assist diversify the academic curriculum space in SA’s education system.
The strategic plans in place will have measurable outtakes by 2013.
Photo by borkur.net
