Future skills in the maritime industry: what should education and training provide?

LeaderSHIP panel discussion at Europe Forum 2026 in Turku

The Europe Forum is Finland’s most significant event for political and social debate, bringing together decision-makers, experts, representatives of the business community and members of the public. The 2026 Europe Forum was held in Turku from 26 to 28 August under the theme “Values, innovation and security as the foundation for the EU’s success”.

As part of the event, Turku University of Applied Sciences and the LeaderSHIP project organised a panel discussion entitled “Future skills in the maritime industry: what should education and training provide?”. Journalist Ari Welling (Yle – The Finnish Broadcasting Company) facilitated the discussion between panellists Rector and CEO Vesa Taatila (Turku University of Applied Sciences), HR Director Nina Marttila (Meyer Turku Ltd), CEO Elina Andersson (Association of Finnish Marine Industries) and Vice President, Shipowner Services, Jari Yli-Tolppa (Elomatic Ltd). An audience of 86 persons attended onsite and 57 watched the online streaming.

The panel emphasised that the maritime industry is a broad and interdependent ecosystem, its operations shaped by digitalisation, automation, the green transition, cyber security, and geopolitical changes. Future competitiveness will require even stronger systemic expertise, involving an understanding not only of one’s own specialisation but also of the functioning of the entire shipbuilding and maritime industry value chain.

The discussion pointed to the growing concerns about a skills shortage. There is a greater need than ever for shipbuilding professionals, as the maritime industry is a growth sector in Finland and, at the same time, a significant number of experienced specialists are set to retire over the next decade. However, the diverse maritime industry also requires skilled workers with a wide range of educational backgrounds and experience. Long-term solutions are needed to pass on expertise to younger generations, as the practical skills required for many roles are built up through years of experience.

Panellists also emphasised the importance of increasing productivity and efficiency in a situation where the working-age population is shrinking. Automation, digitalisation, and autonomous systems were seen as key means of addressing labour supply challenges and improving productivity across the entire sector. Cyber security expertise should be incorporated into virtually all job roles. With the rise of remote systems, data-driven decision-making and networked operating environments, every employee must understand the basics of information security, regardless of their own professional field.

Another topic was the international operating environment. English has become the everyday working language in many companies, which highlights the importance of language skills and the ability to operate in a multicultural working environment. Furthermore, attracting students and experts from various fields to the maritime industry was seen as an important means of broadening the skills base and strengthening the sector’s capacity for renewal.

The panel’s key conclusion was that, alongside specialised technical expertise, the maritime industry of the future requires continuous learning, the ability to utilise artificial intelligence, strong cyber security skills, and the ability to understand one’s own role as part of the wider maritime ecosystem. Proficiency in English, the ability to collaborate and a readiness to acquire new skills were identified as the core competencies of a successful maritime industry professional.

https://europeforum.fi/en/