Attracting skilled workers & boosting productivity in shipbuilding

Recruiting skilled workers in shipbuilding begins today, long before the first job advert is published – and does not end with recruitment, but continues to influence the shipyard’s productivity. If you are a shipyard or a supplier and would like to know how to retain young talent at an early stage, attract international skilled workers and, at the same time, boost productivity in manufacturing, this article will give you an overview of both aspects: recruitment and process optimisation.

How do shipyards reach out to young talent whilst they are still in training?

An important step in recruiting young talent for the shipbuilding industry is to approach potential new employees at an early stage of their training. In this way, shipyards aim to attract them to the shipbuilding industry at an early stage and prevent them from opting for other sectors.

To this end, the companies collaborate with educational institutions. Recruiters not only visit schools and universities to engage with pupils and students, but also offer apprenticeships at the shipyard as well as dual study programmes in shipbuilding. In this way, they directly link the further training of potential employees with practical experience in shipbuilding, thereby increasing the likelihood that these individuals will later choose to take up a position at a shipyard.

How do staff referral schemes help with recruitment?

Another approach frequently used by shipyards is referral schemes for their own workforce. Under these schemes, employees draw the attention of acquaintances to vacant posts or recommend suitable candidates to join the company. In return, employees often receive a bonus or other benefits.

This method is particularly effective. The recommendations reflect the experiences and beliefs of the staff. As a result, the recommendations are highly persuasive and can help to facilitate and speed up the integration of new staff.

How do shipyards support their own staff through further training?

Furthermore, companies support their own staff. Through further training programmes, staff improve their prospects for promotion within the organisation. This benefits both the staff and the companies, thereby increasing staff loyalty to the organisation. In addition, staff can acquire further qualifications and improve their work performance.

Why are German shipyards increasingly looking abroad for skilled workers?

Whilst the focus of recruitment is clearly on Germany, companies are also increasingly looking abroad for new skilled workers. This is particularly the case when there is a high volume of orders or when specific areas of expertise are in demand.

Globalisation in the shipbuilding industry does not merely lead to international competition. It also creates a market for international skilled workers in shipbuilding, which German companies are capitalising on. Workers from neighbouring European countries – and, in some cases, from Asia – bring valuable experience with them, which complements the existing skills in German shipyards.

What role do temporary work and contracts for services play as short-term solutions?

The shortage of skilled workers also poses a major challenge for the shipbuilding industry in Germany. It is forcing the sector to explore new approaches to human resources management and the recruitment of young talent. Short-term solutions such as temporary agency work or contracting out work to specialist firms can provide important support. In the long term, partnerships with schools and universities, as well as in-house career and development opportunities, can play a key role in securing a skilled workforce.

In practice, the two levels complement each other: whilst training partnerships and in-house further training help to secure the workforce of skilled professionals in the long term, they bridge the gap Temporary staffing until then and covers periods of peak workload without permanently altering the shipyard’s staffing structure.

After all, a ship is not just made up of steel, machinery and equipment. The work carried out in the shipyards and the ideas of the people in the design offices also play a part in its creation. This makes the workforce a crucial factor when it comes to shipbuilding.

Why is productivity a key competitive factor in shipbuilding?

High productivity is not a luxury, but a key factor in competitiveness. Higher productivity means lower costs, higher quality and shorter project durations.

To ensure high productivity, it is important that modern shipyards constantly optimise their employees’ work and their manufacturing processes. This poses a particular challenge for the shipbuilding industry. The key here is to combine traditional craftsmanship with digital processes and modern technologies.

Which areas are key to a shipyard’s productivity?

Shipyards can only achieve their goal of increasing productivity with a technically competent and motivated workforce. This helps to prevent errors, reduce breakdowns and downtime, and achieve consistently high performance. The following areas are key to this:

• Optimisation of production processes
• Staff training and development
• Integration of modern technologies
• The working environment and staff motivation
• Project management and team organisation

How does standardisation improve productivity in shipbuilding?

Every manufacturing process requires specific procedures. These form the basis for the planning, organisation and execution of the work. At the same time, they represent a key approach to increasing productivity. The standardisation of processes, the implementation of ‘lean management’ and digitalisation, when combined, make it possible to achieve a measurable increase in productivity.

A recurring problem in shipbuilding is the large number of different work processes. The resulting variety of procedures, individual manufacturing methods and, in some cases, unclear production steps hamper productivity and cause significant delays. They frequently lead to errors and make it difficult for individual staff members to master different processes with confidence. This means that anyone stepping in to cover for an absent team member must first familiarise themselves with the new area of work.

If, on the other hand, processes are standardised, they are easier to communicate and can be carried out reliably by staff. Repeated application also makes it easier to identify further opportunities for optimisation over time. This applies in particular to recurring tasks such as cutting to size, welding and assembly. Standardisation helps to reduce or completely eliminate the time required for rework.

What is lean shipbuilding and how does just-in-time production work?

The transition to lean shipbuilding, with just-in-time production and appropriate methods, makes it possible to reduce duplication of work and avoid waste.

At the heart of lean shipbuilding lies the avoidance of non-value-adding activities and irregular workloads, as well as the protection of machinery and staff from overloading. To this end, staff organise their individual workstations so that they are clean, tidy and efficient.

All staff are involved in the process of continuous improvement. This means that their ideas help to improve individual processes. Visual aids provide a clear overview of the production status and the work completed. Finally, production is managed using the pull system. This means that the teams work on the basis of actual customer demand, rather than producing for stock.

In shipyards, this results in well-organised docks and workshops. There, material flow routes and areas of responsibility are clearly defined. This saves valuable time when resolving day-to-day queries and problems.

Note: Short-term staff shortages in shipbuilding can be addressed in a legally compliant manner through temporary agency work under the German Temporary Agency Work Act (AÜG). You can read more about this in our article on Temporary Employment Act (AÜG).. You can find an overview of the individual recruitment strategies employed by the shipyards in our article on shortage of skilled labour in shipbuilding.

Conclusion

Recruiting skilled workers and productivity in shipbuilding are two sides of the same coin. Those who invest early in training, referral schemes and further training, whilst at the same time seeking skilled workers internationally, secure the expertise a shipyard needs in the long term. Short-term bottlenecks can be overcome by Temporary staffing and bridge the gap between works contracts. At the same time, standardisation and Lean shipbuilding With just-in-time production, productivity can be measured and the shipyard as a whole becomes more competitive.

FAQ

How do shipyards attract young talent whilst they are still in training?

Through partnerships with schools and universities, as well as our own apprenticeship places and dual study programmes, which combine practical experience directly with further education.

Why are referral schemes so effective in recruitment?

Because recommendations reflect the actual experiences of the organisation’s own staff and are therefore highly persuasive, whilst also helping to speed up the integration of new staff.

Why are German shipyards looking for skilled workers abroad?

Particularly when order books are full or when a specific area of specialisation is required, shipyards turn to the international market for skilled workers, for example from neighbouring European countries.

Is temporary work replacing the long-term recruitment of skilled workers in shipbuilding?

No, temporary work and contracts for specific tasks merely bridge short-term shortages. In the long term, only training partnerships and internal career development can ensure a sustainable supply of skilled workers.

Why is productivity a competitive factor in shipbuilding?

Higher productivity reduces costs, improves quality and shortens project completion times, which has a direct impact on a shipyard’s competitiveness.

What are the benefits of standardising work processes in shipbuilding?

Standardised procedures are easier to teach and repeat, reduce errors and shorten the training period when staff have to step in.

What exactly does ‘lean shipbuilding’ mean?

Lean shipbuilding avoids unnecessary activities and overloading, organises workstations efficiently, incorporates employees’ ideas and manages production via a demand-driven pull system rather than push production.

How does Zeitarbeit International help with short-term demand for skilled workers?

We provide qualified, vetted specialists on a project-by-project basis and ensure that all arrangements are handled in full compliance with the German Temporary Employment Act (AÜG), so that you can reliably cover peaks in workload.