Engaging together to solve the big issues
Chris Goldsworthy, Chief Executive of the IMarEST takes a look at what is coming up in the next few months including supporting young professionals and working towards a sustainable future for the sector.
Having started as Chief Executive in January, the time has flown by. I’ve enjoyed meeting so many members, volunteers, partners, and working with the Executive team to continue delivering our strategic plan and new initiatives.
The next few months promise to be just as busy, if not more so, with a wide range of events which we are very much looking forward to. We have our Annual General Meeting, the inauguration of our new President Yves and his lecture, our Annual Dinner, our first ever Future Leaders Event and our Annual Conference.
Through all of these, our aim is to bring together our members, our community, our sponsors, our team, and marine industry leaders. Coming together on our new IMarEST Connect platform allows us to engage, network, knowledge share, inspire, and most of all celebrate the marine sector which contributes so much to the world economy, and yet often remains unseen by the vast majority of the population.
One of the events that I’m particularly looking forward to is our first ever Future Leaders Forum. Whilst we support everyone in the marine sector, it is vital for the future of the sector that we support young professionals. By doing so we can ensure not only that they are able to build a successful career by supporting with their career pathways, CPD, mentoring and training, but also enable the sector to thrive long into the future. I’m also delighted to announce that the event is now free to attend, thanks in part to a grant from the TK Foundation. I’d strongly advise registering as soon as you can as places will go quickly!
We have also recently announced the line up and theme of our Annual Conference which will take place in July. We will be bringing together expertise from across the globe to focus on the future of ships, shipping and environmental sustainability. This is our first in person Annual Conference since the pandemic and will feature opportunities for professionals to enjoy the plenary keynotes, panels and interactive roundtables, organised into three streams covering Technology, Human Contribution and Environment.
Companies confirmed as speakers so far include; London School of Economics, Engineering Council, BIMCO, Lloyd's Register, Delft University of Technology, Core Power, University of Exeter, World Maritime University, Columbia Ship Management, IMarEST, BMT, GMS, Edgewise Environmental, Maritime Research and Innovation UK, DNV, The Nippon Foundation & GEBCO Seabed 2030.
Reaching the sustainable goals set out by the IMO is a race against time, one of the best ways we can win this race is to bring together the science, engineering and technology communities who are at the centre of finding the innovative solutions we need; so join us and be part of the solution.
I’d also like to end by thanking all those members who completed our Annual Membership Survey. The results each year help us to understand what you find most helpful from your membership. I was particularly interested to see that 79% of you see gaining Professional Registration (e.g. Incorporated or Chartered status) makes you more employable, and 67% of you feel your IMarEST membership helps you to stand out in your job and career. Several of you also provided some insight into what your membership means to you, and what more you would like from us. I was delighted to read the comments, including this one which was echoed by several of you: “IMarEST membership represents more than just joining an organisation; it's about becoming part of a global community dedicated to driving innovation and excellence in Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.”
Let’s continue our journey together and give voice to the marine sector.