Meeting the next generation of maritime industry professionals

Last week, Small Vessels Manual was proud to be an exhibitor at the Maritime Careers Open Day at the Port of Brisbane – an event that brought together some of the best of Australia's maritime industry with the students who might one day join it.

Organised by the Australian Commercial Vessel Operators Association, the day drew 32 industry organisations and 45 schools, with more than 300 students, parents, teachers, and career advisors attending. Students heard career interviews from professionals working across trade, towage, and marine engineering, and each left with a Marine Careers Passport – a practical record of the companies they visited and the career pathways they explored.

For the Small Vessels Manual team, the highlight was the one-on-one conversations. Students came with genuine questions about where a maritime career could take them. Many were accompanied by parents who were just as engaged: asking questions, collecting information, taking it seriously alongside their kids. We stamped plenty of passports on the day.

We were also pleased to give away three copies of the Small Vessels Manual as lucky door prizes.

Events like this do important work: putting young people face-to-face with industry professionals before they've locked in their future plans. The Port of Brisbane was a fitting backdrop, and the turnout from both industry and schools made it a genuinely worthwhile day.

Thank you to ACVOA for organising, and to all the organisations that gave their time.