Are you a high school or university student who just hasn't nailed down your future career path? Belizean maritime agencies may have some ideas for you. We headed to the Coast Guard compound today for the 1st annual Maritime Educational Expo. A showcase for the jobs the seafarer in you might love. Cherisse Halsall reports.
Today, in celebration of World Maritime Day The Belize Port Authority in collaboration with its key Maritime partners hosted the first "Maritime Educational Expo." Students from across the country were invited to learn about jobs in the maritime industry and consider the possibility of a maritime career path.
The theme for this year's Expo was "Empowering women in the Maritime community." We spoke to a Lt. Alma Pinelo of the Belize coast guard who told us that her sector made a special effort to reach young people on the cusp of a professional future to tell them about this uncommon industry.
ALMA PINELO, Lieutenant, Belize Coast Guard
"Today was a very special day the world maritime expo that was organized and thought up by mostly the headliner, the Belize port authority, Belize coast guard and IMMARBE, to commemorate the theme and world maritime day which is the 26th of September which was empowering women in maritime communities. It was a joint effort to get the children out here especially from secondary, tertiary, and I.T. Vet vocational schools to learn about our industry one that is not very common."
"The Maritime sector and Maritime industry is vast if you think about how big the world's oceans are 75% of the world is covered by ocean and there are so many different fields that are available not only seafarers. There are things like Maritime lawyers, and port has a lot of good opportunities as well as IMMARBE and the Belize Coast guard. You don't only have to be an officer or go to sea but there are different opportunities and educational opportunities within the maritime field itself. The incorporation of a diverse work field is very important for us to be able to continue in engaging the maritime sector and because it is always changing, we also have to change the workforce that we will have."
The International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize acts as the Belizean seafarer's gateway to the ocean. Their Registrar of Ships shared her level of commitment to the job and told us why her office's efforts are so important to Belize.
Annette Garel, Senior Deputy Registrar of Ships, IMMARBE
"I entered a very dynamic industry I learned to love it so I prepared myself, a lot of hands on, a lot of knowledge based training, seminars, workshops, alot of IMO sponsored trainings as well but someone that is committed and very interested to learn because the maritime industry is very evolving it's a dynamic industry everyday there is a new regulation, there's a new convention. So you have to love what you do."
"We manage an international shipping fleet of over 100 ships these ships are all over the world all over the globe they don't come to Belize these vessels are internationally operated so IMMARBE as a maritime entity is important for Belize it creates jobs, it creates opportunities, it creates world wide recognition as a viable registry. So yes it's very important for Belize."
The Maritime Educational Expo also marked the end of a Poster Competition for highschools and the recognition of the first and second place winners. And while the EXPO had a heavy focus on empowering women it was a male student, who beat out the competition.
Well representatives from the Port Authority's booth didn't want to forget about the male students in the audience and made a point of reminding us that the core purpose of the EXPO is to make maritime an equal opportunity industry.
Nicole Reneau, Port Of Belize Ltd.
"We just want to enlighten the students about the port, what we have to offer, what a future in maritime has to offer, and it's I think because we have this perception that it's a male avenue we've been asking over and over when will we have our first female pilot? So we have only male pilots and we're looking and we're hoping that women would be more interested in the field of maritime."
"We just want the students to know that there is an opportunity within the maritime sector and it's not something to fear or say oh it's only for men but when we say empowering women in the maritime sector we mean it's not only women we want everybody to be empowered when it comes to maritime."
This Maritime Educational Expo was the first of it's kind but the maritime agencies hope to repeat the presentation in years to come and through their efforts perhaps Belize will see more young professionals monitor, protect, and take to the seas.
The Expo featured booths from various companies in the Maritime industry including IMMABE, the Big Creek Group, and the Belize port authority among others.
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