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<p>Having a skilled workforce is essential to the future of the UK's maritime sector
and is an area I am personally committed to.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside the Seafarers
Projections report, a review of the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme was
also commissioned and the report published on 18<sup>th</sup> July. Both of these
pieces of work will be used to inform future policy with the aim to increase the number
of officers and ratings.</p><p> </p><p>The Department continues to support seafarer
training through the £15m SMarT scheme. It has been working with industry and the
unions on the development of the SMarT Plus proposal which aims to increase officer
numbers to 1200. The latest version of the proposal was received in June and is currently
under consideration.</p><p> </p><p>Work is underway in developing a range of rating
apprenticeships which will deliver more routes into ratings training. The Deck Apprenticeship
is now approved and the Engine Room and Catering rating apprenticeships are progressing
well. These apprenticeships, along with the levy and the tonnage tax ratings option
will help stimulate increased demand for ratings training. Coupled with this is the
Ratings Taskforce of which the Department is an active member. At the recent Ratings
Summit, which was attended by a number of officials, a range of actions were put forward
by attendees and the Department looks forward to seeing the development of a Ratings
Strategy by the Ratings Taskforce which will address some of these actions.</p>
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