PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Shipping: Training (7 February 2018)

Work is underway in developing a range of rating apprenticeships which will deliver more routes into ratings training. The Deck Rating apprenticeship is now approved and the Maritime Caterer and Engine Room Rating apprenticeships are still under development. These apprenticeships, along with the levy, the tonnage tax ratings option and the challenge put to industry during London International Shipping Week to double the number of maritime apprenticeships will help stimulate increased demand for ratings.

Coupled with this is the Ratings Taskforce of which the Department is an active member and a number of officials also attended the Ratings Seminar held in July last year. A range of actions were put forward by attendees and the Department looks forward to seeing the development of a Ratings Strategy by the Ratings Taskforce which will address some of these actions.