A LONGITUDINAL STUDY ON KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES OF NEWLY GRADUATED MARINE ENGINEERS

Abstract

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2023), maritime transportation, which accounts for approximately 90% of international trade, is the primary mode of transportation for global trade. In order to meet the diverse and essential needs of people around the world (such as oil, food, flour, electronics, textiles, etc.), world maritime trade must continue uninterrupted and without interruption. This continuity is ensured through thousands of ships with various characteristics that are constantly in motion on the world's seas. Marine engineers responsible for the operation, maintenance, upkeep, and repairs of the electrical generation systems, boiler systems, propulsion systems, and the operations of these systems, as well as the ability to make quick and accurate judgments during potential failures in the engine room while the ship is underway, are among the most important actors involved in this mobility. This study aims to examine the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of newly graduated marine engineers and determine whether these attributes have changed within a 15-year period. To achieve this goal, the data collection form (questionnaire) used in the author's master's thesis published in 2008 was revised and data was collected through face-to-face interviews with 33 experts who possess similar qualifications. The data obtained in 2023 and the data obtained from the master's thesis published in 2008 were analyzed using the SPSS 15.0 program, and the findings were compared longitudinally. As a result of the study, it was determined that the averages of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes possessed by newly graduated marine engineers have increased by 0.52% over a 15-year period.