Why soft skills will shape the future of marine engineers
Jeremy Liew is a shore‑based marine engineer II at the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), in the early stages of his career. For IMarEST Voices, he explains how his career so far has taught him that soft skills, such as collaboration and reflection, are just as important as his technical abilities.
When I first started my career, I assumed that technical knowledge would be the main thing that mattered. The maritime industry is built on detailed engineering work, clear regulations and a strong focus on safety, so it seemed natural to think that technical skills would always come first. But my experience at the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has shown me that while technical skills are only one part of the story.
My day‑to‑day role is highly technical: reviewing thruster designs, analysing propulsion shafts and assessing propeller blades for vessels with ABS Ice Class notation.
However, one piece of advice has stayed with me, which came from my manager when I first joined his team. He said, “I didn’t hire you because I expected you to be an Einstein—I hired you because of your personality.” That really resonated with me and reminded me that while technical skills are important, your attitude, values, and how you treat others matter just as much.
The power of reflection
One of the skills I’ve learned to value is reflection. I try to pause at certain points and think about what went well and what didn’t. This has helped me improve my judgement and understand myself a bit better.
In an industry that relies heavily on safety and accuracy, taking the time to check my assumptions or revisit a decision has often led me to a clearer answer.
I think this mindset has helped me evolve not only as an engineer but also as a colleague.
Proud moments in unexpected places
If you had asked me at the start of my career what my proudest moment would be, I would likely have pointed to a technical achievement. Yet the experience that shaped me most came from being selected as one of ABS’s Engagement Champions.
During the early days of my career, I was selected to be part of a group called the ABS Engagement Champions. This group brought together a few colleagues from different countries across ABS to find ways to increase company engagement through things like community outreach projects, internal recognition events and other, approved ‘outside the office’ initiatives.
The effort was well worth it. Seeing smiles and joy from colleagues from our global offices was incredibly rewarding. Also, at the end of my term as an Engagement Champion, I received a small, engraved token as a gesture of appreciation from my leaders. It now reminds me of the impact we can make when we come together to create something special.
I’ll always be grateful for this experience, as it marked the beginning of a journey that helped shape the person and professional I am today.
Lessons I have learned
I believe in being actively engaged and leading by example, whether it’s sharing knowledge, supporting your team, or driving improvements in how we work. Showing initiative and treating others with respect builds trust and strengthens the collaborative spirit. The future of this sector will depend on engineers at the top of their technical game, who communicate and collaborate effectively.
As the Chinese saying goes: ‘机会是留给有准备的人’, which means opportunities are for those who are prepared. For me, preparation goes beyond technical training and includes the soft skills that I’ve come to rely on just as much.
Soft skills courses that count towards CPD are available at IMarEST Learning.
