Oce-AW : To support diversity and gender equality in the maritime sector

Greater recognition of women in maritime professions and the necessary diversity in organizations are issues that are now widely accepted by the maritime world because :

• An inclusive work environment is beneficial for everyone, men and women
• Diversity increases team creativity, which is necessary for innovation and performance
• The legal framework is being strengthened and situations of violence and harassment can no longer be tolerated
• Recruitment needs are strong, particularly to develop new sectors (sailing propulsion, renewable marine energies, etc.)
• The maritime sector needs to develop and promote its career opportunities to retain talents and attract new ones
• The attention of public authorities and funders to equality indices is being looked at more and more closely in calls for projects and funding offers

Nevertheless, as everywhere, barriers persist because of the specificity of work environments (offshore workstations, staggered hours, etc.), of historically male technical professions, of biases and stereotypes which need to be deconstructed and imaginaries which need to be reinvented.

Nantes University, via UN e-Sea, will offer a training system to provide tools, experiment grounds, analysis ressources, networking, and thus enable:

• Women to position themselves on responsible jobs and accelerate their careers in the maritime sector
• Organizations, at the heart of change, to develop inclusion in their work environments and make diversity a lever for attractiveness

Two distinct targets, two training courses for the same ambition : to strengthen the place of women at top jobs in the maritime sector and improve working environments and conditions for all.

Concretely, in the coming months :
 

Oce-Aw will offer training courses :

• short and pragmatic to improve skills quickly
• blended, composed of e-learning and workshops (on remote or face-to-face)
• accessible whatever the status or geographical position of trainees
• bringing together a community of maritime professionals committed to gender equality (participants, trainers, mentoring, etc.)

Oce-Aw will also present a web site to :

• find resources and contacts on gender equality in the maritime sector
• discover sectors and career prospects
• find tools and references to act in your structure for greater inclusion
• give access to training programs

Partners

Operation supported by the State within the framework of the Maritime Intervention Fund (FIM) operated by the Direction Générale des Affaires Maritimes, de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture (DGAMPA)