Identifying challenges in designing and implementing a skills and competency framework for future seafarers: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Future seafarers are expected to work on autonomous ships, the systems and operations of which are increasingly being influenced by advancements in technologies and digital services. This implies that the skills and competencies outlined for current seafarers by the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Code (last revised in 2011) to operate nonautonomous ships, may need to be supplemented with new skills and competencies based on the threat of becoming redundant in the near future. Although there has been active research in the area of identifying new skills and competencies for future seafarers, there is a dearth of research in the design and development of a framework to accommodate them. In this paper, findings from a systematic literature review have been presented to identify the challenges and implications in the design and implementation of a suitable skills and competency framework in the context of the seafaring industry. The challenges (and suggested solutions) are drawn from the review of literature in the area of skills and competency frameworks built for other industries' workforces. The findings are useful in building a regimented structure for the training of future seafarers while meeting the needs of the employers and regulatory bodies.