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workforce of an industry with no experience or knowledge replacement workforce with the knowledge to continue com- being passed on to them. This is the brain-drain conundrum! peting in the industry. The ever-present brain-drain.

No other workforce in the construction industry is affected This brain-drain is, simply put, an Aging Workforce with no more by this conundrum than “Shipbuilding”. replacement system to depend on. For example, the average

Shipbuilding has been around for centuries, and it has gone age of maritime and shipyard workers is around 41-55 years through its cycles of innovation and improvement, but the ba- old. These workers are closer to retirement than the start of a sic tenants of shipbuilding stay consistent. That is until now. career. This is tied to the fact that most high school aged kids

U.S. Shipbuilding is facing a two-fold attack. An ageing and are pressured to attend college and not enter the physical labor retiring workforce paired with an ever-increasing demand workforce has led to the dif? culty of the modern shipyard to for technological innovation. Once upon a time a shipbuild- ? nd replacement workers. This also leads them to face a hard er could work his entire career in one place and retire while reality, either adapting to the ever-changing world or falling knowing he could have his own kids working in that same by the wayside. So, what can be done to mitigate the brain- place for their entire career. Coupled with the instability of in- drain conundrum? Several factors must be realized ? rst before dustry workloads and the ever-increased competition for those you can address the problem.

workload contracts, there has been an attrition to the industry.

Some smaller yards that were once stable places of employ- ¦ Accessing what your shipyard workforce looks like. ment for community workforces have gone under. Either due Is it a group of aging individuals who will walk out the door to competition and lack of work or simply due to the lack of a with the years of insight and knowledge that can hurt you [email protected] www.cimolaitechnology.com

Ship Lifting Platforms “Cimolift” Mobile Boat Hoists Portal Cranes Transfer Systems www.marinelink.com 15

MR #8 (1-17).indd 15 8/8/2024 10:12:19 AM