Maritime industry
Life at sea with the Merchant Marine has always appealed to young people who want to combine travel with a challenging career offering exciting future prospects. This is the life for those who relish the challenge of working with the sea - one of nature's most powerful and temperamental elements.

Modern technology is used extensively in many areas on board the merchant ship of today, with great emphasis being placed on safety and protection of the environment.

Despite the 'hi-tech' aspects of ship operations, seafarers must remain very much in tune with the natural environment in which they operate and the basic principles of seafaring. There are normally two main departments on board, the Deck and the Engine.

The Deck department is concerned with the overall operation of the ship and its responsibilities include navigation, communications, cargo and stability, maintenance and safety.

The Engine room department is responsible for all technical services including main engine propulsion, other plant and machinery, and electrical generation.

Currently there are shortages of workers in this sector. According to Captain Dave Hopkins, President of the Irish Chamber of Shipping...

"The industry needs people to work aboard ships around the coast of Ireland, and internationally.  It is an exciting and rewarding career, and an important factor is the 'life after sea' element which includes the operation of ships from shore side, the management and building of ships which trade globally, careers as harbour masters, ships pilots, college lecturers, and surveyors who work within government marine and transport departments, insurance and classification industry" [feb 08]

Cork Institute of Technology’s National Maritime College situated in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork is the designated national centre for the education and training of personnel for the Merchant Navy and is Ireland’s only Nautical College. The National College of Ireland has developed a suite of Maritime Management education programmes to provide opportunity for those with a professional interest in the maritime industry.

[Source - Irish Maritime Development Office]

Fishing & Aquaculture
There are 5,000 fishermen in the catching sector of the seafood industry with another 2,000 people engaged in finfish and shellfish aquaculture around the coast.

People engaged in commercial fishing harvest fish and shellfish from their natural habitat and depend for their livelihood on a naturally replenishing sustainable supply of fish and shellfish.

Some fishermen work on small inshore day boats often in sight of land. Crews are small - usually only two or three people and the catch is landed fresh that day. Others fish offshore on larger vessels on trips lasting days or weeks away from their home port, depending on the type and size of vessel. Navigation and safety skills are vital for all of those who work on the water, irrespective of the size of vessel. BIM provides a three day Basic Safety Training course which is a statutory requirement for all fishing vessel crewmembers, who are also obliged to wear Personal Flotation Devices.

Large boats require a crew that includes a skipper (the person in charge of a fishing vessel), a mate and engineer and highly skilled deckhands to operate the fishing gear, sort and pack the catch when it is brought onboard and aid in the general operation of the vessel. Every day brings fresh challenges and modern vessels are highly sophisticated with an incredible array of hi-tech navigation and fishing equipment, which requires skill and experience to master. BIM is the agency responsible for training in the fishing industry and offers a wide range of courses and demand for crewmembers at all levels is still strong.

Fish farming is a growth area attracting people to work as farm managers, marine biologists, divers and highly skilled operatives who can detect changes in fish and shellfish behaviour and respond appropriately. The work is very varied and more like that of a farmer than a fisherman, but the same skills that apply to fishing easily transfer across to aquaculture.

BIM’s courses are developed in consultation with industry. They are very practical FETAC and Department of Transport accredited qualifications which can be applied directly to the sector of choice and offer realistic career opportunities.