{"id":122328,"date":"2018-09-09T16:53:19","date_gmt":"2018-09-09T14:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/women-in-maritime-the-focus-of-eastern-cape-career-fair\/"},"modified":"2018-09-09T16:53:19","modified_gmt":"2018-09-09T14:53:19","slug":"women-in-maritime-the-focus-of-eastern-cape-career-fair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/women-in-maritime-the-focus-of-eastern-cape-career-fair\/","title":{"rendered":"Women in maritime the focus of Eastern Cape career fair"},"content":{"rendered":"

Women in maritime the focus of Eastern Cape career fair<\/a>: <\/p>\n

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WOMEN IN MARITIME: Networking at the Women in Maritime career and networking event held in Port Elizabeth on Thursday are (from left) pupil Kirsty Langford (Paterson High School), Nondumiso Mfenyana (SA Maritime Safety Authority), Pumla Makubalo (African Marine Solutions) and Nwabisa Matoti (SA International Maritime Institute). Photo: Supplied<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

WOMEN in the South African maritime sector were the focus of an inaugural career fair hosted by the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI), which attracted high school pupils, tertiary students, educators and women in in the maritime industry on Thursday (September 6).<\/p>\n

Presented in conjunction with partner African Marine Solutions (AMSOL), the fair hosted about 120 students and pupils from Nelson Mandela Bay high schools, Nelson Mandela University, the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University. While experts from the sector addressed pupils and students about their experiences of the maritime industry, other issues such as marine tourism and entrepreneurship were touched on by academics.<\/p>\n

The aim of the event was to link women already working in the maritime sector with university students and high school pupils, to share information on careers and opportunities in the industry.<\/p>\n

The event was also used to announce a new merit bursary scheme for female students wanting to pursue maritime qualifications, in honour of the late Sindiswa Nhlumayo. Nhlumayo, who was the executive head of the Centre for Maritime Excellence at the SA Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), was directly responsible for spearheading and implementing the National Maritime Cadetship Programme and creating awareness of maritime careers, jobs, business and recreational opportunities \u2013 and in so doing, introducing youth to the sector.<\/p>\n

SAIMI spokesman Samantha Venter said the inaugural maritime women\u2019s event was part of a wider campaign targeted at all South Africans, to raise awareness of the wide scope of the \u201cblue economy\u201d and attract talented women and men to the nation\u2019s thriving oceans economy. SAIMI was embarking on a National Maritime Awareness Campaign to \u201censure that the many job and business opportunities in the maritime sector are conveyed to the public through various strategies that include career guidance and mentoring\u201d, Venter said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to celebrate women working in the maritime sector through acknowledging their contribution and providing a platform for them to influence, promote, support and mentor other young women in a maritime-related career. We want to ensure that women are equally included in career opportunities across the maritime sector,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

AMSOL\u2019s Pumla Makubalo told attendees how the organisation \u2013 the leading employer of South African seafarers \u2013 comprised 80% black employees, 14% female staff and a 35% \u201cyouth\u201d workforce.<\/p>\n

\u201cAMSOL is aiming to bring as many women into this technical and male-dominated space as possible. Women in the AMSOL workforce have increased from 8% to 14% over the last three years,\u201d said Makubalo.<\/p>\n

According to SAMSA\u2019s Wilna Kapp, a career in maritime was one \u201cthat is never the same; it changes every day. The maritime industry ebbs and flows constantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome days you feel like you are sailing with calm seas and fair winds, and you have the sense that you are on top of the world \u2013 only to be brought down to size by force 10 gale force winds!\u201d<\/p>\n

Kapp related her career journey and told attendees to pursue computer literacy and become diversified in their skill sets.<\/p>\n

\u201cTechnology will change the industry. Autonomous ships will require more diversity from seafarers, in that navigation and engineering will only be a small part of the job scope. We will have to diversify to remain relevant. IT will become the cornerstone of development of the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking advantage of the career guidance and expo component on the day, Grade 10 pupil Fagen Prinsloo of Alexander Road High School, said she had learned a lot.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to study economics and one of the speakers inspired me to branch out into other areas I never thought of, like the maritime industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Estee Vermeulen, who is studying towards her PhD in marine spatial planning at Nelson Mandela University, said the event had exposed many young women to opportunities across the maritime sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cOpportunities within the industry have a lot more to offer than just shipping and logistics. The maritime sector integrates all the social and ecological facets within the South African ocean space.\u201d<\/p>\n

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