There is a lot of work to be found in the maritime sector in the Netherlands. It is one of the sectors that has been only slightly affected by the economic crisis. The maritime sector includes a large number of industries, such as the navy, fishing, the dredging sector, but also people who work on an oil rig. Working at sea is described as working offshore. There are many technical vacancies available. Many Dutch people originally worked in the maritime sector. That’s because the Netherlands is a seafaring nation. That culture has remained and as a result a large number of Dutch people still work in this sector. In total this concerns almost two hundred thousand people. Broadly speaking, there are two types of jobs in this sector: on land and at sea. Working at sea is also called offshore. This is an English term that has found its way into the Dutch language. Within the sector itself there are also all kinds of different branches. An example of this is the navy. Other examples of separate industries are fishing, maritime shipping, people who work on oil rigs and the dredging sector. They all have their specialty, but the connecting factor is that they all live from the sea.
Maritime sector only slightly affected by crisis
Due to the credit crisis, which was followed by the Euro crisis, the number of jobs in many sectors fell drastically and unemployment rose rapidly. The maritime sector was also hit initially, but quickly recovered. For example, world trade decreased drastically, resulting in far fewer ships putting to sea. However, after a year or two, trade with China recovered and the eventual damage turned out not to be too bad. The maritime sector was the bright spot in the Dutch economy. There was also an influx of new people wanting to work in that sector. For example, in 2011 there was a four percent increase in intake at maritime schools.
Shortage of technical personnel in the maritime sector
There is a particular need for technical personnel in the shipping sector. This could become a problem in the long term because there is already a shortage of technical personnel in the Netherlands. A ship is like a small town and there is constant maintenance. That is why there is a great need for well-trained personnel. The same applies to the dredging sector, for example. This means that people with a technical MBO or HBO diploma have a good chance of getting a job in that sector.
Working in the Royal Navy
One sector within the maritime sector where the number of jobs is decreasing is the navy. Defense has to cut back six thousand jobs because the government wants to combat the budget deficit. For example, the Navy must dispose of some of its submarines. At the same time, Defense is a large organization with a high degree of natural turnover. As a result, a thousand new people are still needed every year. These are mainly trained through our own internal KM training courses and the various ROCs. Furthermore, Defense is looking for sufficient suitable personnel in collaboration with the Randstad employment agency. The Royal Naval Institute is also looking for approximately one hundred people to be trained for officer training.
Working in the dredging sector
In the years before the outbreak of the Credit Crisis, the dredging sector was booming. This was because many countries all had prestigious projects that involved a lot of money. For example, Dubai had an island in the shape of a palm tree built off the coast. Many Dutch companies, such as Bam and Boskalis, operated their ships there. In recent years, situations have normalized somewhat, but the industry is still looking for a lot of suitable personnel, such as engineers and skippers.