Efforts made to persuade Estonian youth to pursue careers in maritime industry
Over the course of the current Maritime Year of Culture, volunteers from the Estonian Maritime Academy of the Tallinn University of Technology, Estonian shipping company Tallink, and other organizations related to the maritime industry will be visiting schools in order to persuade the country’s young people that the sea also offers opportunities for careers and steady work. As of today, over 150 interested parties from across Estonia have signed up to be guest teachers on the subject.
Speaking with “Aktuaalne kaamera”, Director of the Estonian Maritime Academy Roomet Leiger promised that students will surely be convinced just how interesting and relevant maritime studies are.
“The learning process is really interesting,” he explained. “It utilizes different training methods and technologies, like simluators of the bridge and engine rooms of a ship, and laboratories, which allow for one to simulate different scenarios involved in the maritime industry.”
Over 150 maritime specialists will be sharing their experiences, introducing navigation in physics classes, as well as sharing other basic seaman skills.
In addition to ship navigation, Tallink employees will talk to students about what other skills are needed in the maritime industry.
The effort will be introducing related onshore fields of activity as well. For example, Andrus Poksi, an international sailing judge, will be sharing about his experiences with the Tallinn Voluntary Sea Rescue.
“Nowadays access to the sea is relatively unrestricted,” said Poksi. “Anyone can go there, and more and more we are seeing schoolchildren down there sailing around on scooters, yachts, and motorboats. And then conditions change—weather conditions change, something technical goes wrong—and suddenly these same young people realize that they are in danger. And generally speaking you can’t just walk off the sea.”
In addition to the Maritime Academy and Tallink, there will also be lecturers from the Port of Tallinn, the Estonian Maritime Museum, the Estonian Maritime Administration, the Estonian Navy, the Ministry of Rural Affairs, as well as the Police and Border Guard Board.
Editor: Editor: Aili Sarapik