Education, Manpower and Employment Growth: The Emerging Female Seafarers in Taiwan

Taiwan has allowed women to have navigation education for already 15 years. Although the number of women who got seafarer qualification is significantly increasing, the number of hiring women seafarer is relatively low because shipping industries are shackled by traditional gender stereotypes. The shipping industry in Taiwan heavily depends on foreign seafarers, and with the large amount of upcoming retirement from national seafarers, the gap of land base manpower management is directly impacted. This research analyzes the manpower of female seafarers and development potential in Taiwan through literature and secondary information review. This research found out that, globally view, European OECD countries have the most women seafarers. Most of these female seafarers serve on cruise ships, which is different from Taiwan. Most women seafarers in Taiwan serve on container fleet and are in charge of navigation related job. In the navigation workplace, women have been treated unequally around the world. However, women’s nature characteristics such as soft and prudent are extremely meet the qualifications of ship manipulators. Shipping industries should explore and develop female seafarers, introduce them at the proper timing to reach win-win situation as well as create the niche for Taiwan's navigation education, shipping industries and female seafarers.