Missing the tide? Workplace cultural differences as a barrier to seafarer mobility in the U.S. workboat and sail training sectors

ABSTRACT

While previous research details the psychological and social benefits of sail training programs for amateur ‘trainees,’ much less is known about the value and transferability of sail training work experience in terms of professional development for seafaring careers. This article reviews the current state of scientific knowledge on sail training and presents the findings of a qualitative study of maritime recruiter perceptions at 10 U.S. flag workboat companies. Results suggest that the maritime industry may benefit from an improved understanding of the role that sail training programs and the sail training community can play in training and inspiring the next generation of motivated and professional seafarers. Workboat recruiters see positive and negative aspects of sail training experience and perceive cultural divides within the maritime industry that may affect a seafarers’ job mobility, whether or not such divides actually exist.

KEYWORDS:

• Human resources
• sail training
• seafarers
• work culture
• maritime trades
• labor mobility
• tall ships

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to extend particular thanks to the following for their assistance and support: Capt. Andy Chase, Marine Transportation Department, Maine Maritime Academy; Capt. Timothy Leach, Director of Career Services, Maine Maritime Academy; Capt. Jonathan Kabak, Director of Sail Training, the United States Merchant Marine Academy; Bert Rogers and Lori Aguiar, Tall Ships America, Capt. John Worth, Capt. Chris Gasiorek, Ms. Elizabeth Greco, and the individuals and organizations participating in the present study.

Disclosure statement

The authors reported no potential conflict of interest

Notes

1. Professor of Marine Transportation at Maine Maritime Academy, author of Auxiliary Sail Vessel Operations for the Aspiring Professional Mariner, 2nd ed. (forthcoming).

2. Study participants refer to skills such as barge towing operations or working with dynamic positioning systems, which are only applicable to tugs or offshore supply vessels, respectively, and not to other types of commercial vessels.

3. ‘Triangulation may be of data (time, space and persons)…Triangulation means that the researcher has multiple data points that can broaden their understanding of the subject of their research (Savin-Baden and Major 2013, 477).’

4. ‘In an external audit, an expert not involved in the process examines the processes and products (Savin-Baden and Major 2013, 479).’ Two colleagues reviewed our coding scheme and data analysis and found no inconsistencies or gaps in either processes or end product.