Talent Development

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In the article entitled The Next Agenda: The War to Develop Talent, Jeff Schwartz offers a description of the current shortage of qualified works (talent) in the business world. He says: “The concern is not about the availability of workers; it is, rather, about the shortage of critical skills, experiences and specialized capabilities of leaders, managers, creators and producers required in changing industries.” For Schwartz the real issue is not a lack of workers, but a lack of workers with the necessary skills to succeed in a changing market place. 

This reality is not different for a non-profit organization like Mercy Ships. We are constantly seeking talented seafarers to meet the demand for qualified crew in our ship. Our recruiters attend job fair and recruitment venue looking for Deck and Engineer Officers, Able Seafarers and Ratings, but the reality is there is a worldwide shortage of qualified ships workers, and shipping companies who can pay big salaries are also looking for them as well.

The Mercy Ships maritime training program offers training opportunities to equip and retain technical crew members. This week we are offering a marine diesel course to the Africa Mercy Engine Rating crew. The instructor, Mark D’Arcy, was instructor at the Calhoon Engineering School in Maryland for ten years, and now is an Engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers.

To develop talent is not an easy task. It requires qualified instructors, curriculum, facilities, funding and management. Our courses need to be approved by a maritime authority like the US Coast Guard or Malta Transport. Our instructors go also through an approval process. The difficult part is to attract candidates with aptitude to learn the skills and competencies necessary of a seafarer.

Jesus, who also utilized a boat in his ministry, faced the same shortage of talent as he alerted us to “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest fields.”


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