Back in 2013, Orskov Yard in Frederikshavn launched an apprenticeship project to solve an urgent shortage of skilled labor in the maritime sector. Today, 10 companies in North Jutland are involved in the maritime apprenticeship scheme, and more than 70 apprentices are currently undergoing training and 150 apprentices have completed the training since the beginning in 2013.
- We could hear from other companies that we were not alone with the problem, so it was natural to join forces. Today, the scheme functions as an extended HR arm - with a full focus on quality in apprenticeship training, says Director Christina Ørskov from Orskov Yard.
The model, which is coordinated by a central apprenticeship coordinator and is 100 percent financed by the companies themselves, has attracted attention – not least because it has managed to build a robust food chain of maritime labor without government support.
With the Danish Armed Forces' upcoming fleet plan and a growing need for offshore expertise, the scheme is more relevant than ever. Business Region North Denmark highlights the apprenticeship scheme as a strategic part of the region's preparedness for upcoming industrial tasks:
- We have a complete maritime education chain – from primary school to university – and the scheme is a good example of how we in North Jutland are already solving the challenge of obtaining qualified labor, says Per Bach Laursen (V), chairman of BRN and mayor of Vesthimmerland.
Several of the apprentices undergo rotations between companies, which both ensures breadth of skills and provides access to apprentices for companies that cannot have one full-time apprentice themselves.
The project also reaches into primary school. Through an 'adoption project', school classes are invited into the companies twice a year throughout their school years. The aim is to get more young people to choose a vocational education.
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