Re-envisioning maritime education and training - technology facilitated lifelong learning for future ship operators

The increasing introduction of novel and digital technologies on-board ships is changing the landscape of work and the seafaring skill and competencies required to perform the job. The maritime industry currently finds itself in a dynamic evolutionary continuum culminating in the techno-saturated realm of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) of the future. This ongoing transition to future ships foregrounds the continuous and lifelong learning for seafarers to remain relevant as the industry irrevocably progresses and evolves. Meanwhile, the imperative incorporation of new technologies in Maritime Education and Training (MET) during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the traditional classroom-based teachinglearning process. Even though this accelerated technology adoption in MET was not free from challenges, it cemented the trend of technologically facilitated maritime blended learning and e-learning. This paper notes the need for lifelong learning in an industry in a flux and the maritime education system undergoing a transition. Seafarer training as we know today cannot serve the needs of future operators who would not be physically present on-board autonomous ships. This paper suggests that the proliferation of on-board technology needs to be complemented by technology in education and training. Furthermore, technology facilitated lifelong learning is imperative for current seafarers to remain relevant.