Willingness of students majoring in the navigation to work as seafarers in China

Abstract

Delivering high-quality students to the navigation industry is very important to international shipping. However, the attraction of shipping industry is decreasing dramatically in recent years. This study using a questionnaire survey to explore the willingness of students majoring in the navigation to work as seafarers in China, as well as their enrollment motivation, attitude towards the major, changes of willingness, career planning, attitude on the profession and opinion on seafaring. It is found that high salary is a crucial reason to attract students to work as seafarers, while work mode and family factors are the largest resistance. As a little portion of respondents has a detailed career planning, therefore, most students are stressed or confused about their future. To attract more students to work as seafarers, it is recommended by respondents that universities need to strengthen career planning, professional identity and to increase internship frequency, while shipping company and the government should raise salary level, improve working environment and help to reduce the tax for seafarers. The findings of this research could provide better insight into the willingness of students majoring in the navigation to work as seafarers, as well as their attitude and opinion on seafarer's occupation.