An Expert’s View

Kevin Daffey, Chair of the Board of Trustees at IMarEST, highlights a critical challenge: “90% of the world’s trade relies on the ocean, yet we face a growing shortage of marine engineers.”

The marine industry is pivotal to the global economy and sustainability goals, from powering offshore wind farms to maintaining the vessels that keep trade flowing. Yet, with fewer than 100,000 engineers entering the sector annually, the need to attract new talent has never been more urgent.

Daffey points to innovation as a game-changer. Remote monitoring and autonomous technologies could open up marine careers to a wider audience, including those who cannot work at sea. Flexible roles, exciting advancements, and meaningful contributions to the environment offer a clear purpose to aspiring engineers, technologists, and scientists.