Spotlight on job roles within shipbuilding

Building an important structure such as a ship or boat requires a vast range of skilled tradespeople during the construction process. It’s not just building vessels such as naval ships, and cargo vessels, often shipyards are charged with refurbing and refitting cruise liners. With maritime vessels, there are lots of regulations and protocols that must be followed to ensure a safe working environment and deliver a vessel that is fit for its purpose. There is a whole raft of individuals that are needed to deliver on projects of this scale so we thought we would shine a spotlight on some of the opportunities in the maritime sector.

Mechanical fitters

Mechanical fitters are engineering specialists who are responsible for assembling machine parts and installing as well as maintaining equipment.

Marine electricians

Marine electricians are responsible for installing electrical components and wiring on board vessels. They also inspect repair and maintain ships systems & equipment.

Industrial painters

Industrial shipyard painters are responsible for preparing services for painting such as wood, metal, and fibreglass. They could be painting the exterior and interior of ships and boats as well as equipment parts.

Welder and solderer

Welders are an extremely important part of a shipyard workforce. The quality of their work contributes not just to the timeline of projects but clearly is an integral part of the quality of metal structures that make up the integrity of the ship.

Firewatch personnel

Firewatch personnel will monitor fire hazards in the workplace and carry out a close observation to ensure fire safety in work areas. This is particularly important where hot work such as welding or cutting is taking place due to the potential of sparks and molten metal to fly around the area.

Marine engineers

A marine engineer is responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of a range of seagoing vessels such as naval ships, cruise liners cargo ships and oil rigs. These individuals have strong problem-solving skills and understand a variety of systems from structural to electrical and mechanical.

Project supervisors

The job of a project supervisor in shipbuilding is to plan organise and control various aspects of the project. This means hitting specific deadlines, ensuring a safe working environment, and managing key staff.

We have only touched on a few of the many skilled trades that are needed to carry out exceptional shipbuilding and refits. The marine industry has countless jobs on offer, with these spanning engineering, marine, mechanics, and even ship refit roles.

At SLR, we know how overwhelming this can seem. As industry leaders in recruiting veterans for the shipping and marine sectors, we have a detailed understanding of its intricacies. If you’re searching for a job in the industry, you don’t need to be overwhelmed. Working with us makes your resettlement into civilian life and career transition easier.

We are connected to the busiest shipyards in the UK and have longstanding relationships with our shipbuilding clients and this means not only do we advertise the latest positions on our job board, but we also become aware of positions before they are advertised.