Successful Maritime Careers Day at DTU drew strong interest from industry and students

The Glass Hall at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) was abuzz with activity last Friday as ShippingLab and Maritime DTU, in collaboration with Danish Maritime and Danish Shipping, hosted the second ever Maritime Careers Day.

The event proved to be a tremendous success, attracting overwhelming interest from numerous maritime companies eager to engage with students, as well as over 130 curious students who spent hours exploring opportunities within the maritime sector.

Before the students began networking with the companies, we asked them what they hoped to gain from the day. Many expressed a desire to acquire new knowledge, expand their professional networks, and establish new contacts. As the event drew to a close, we asked what they had actually gained from the day, and the key themes in their responses were indeed knowledge, networking, and contacts.

Several students attended to explore potential collaborations with maritime companies for student projects, while many were also interested in relevant internship opportunities. Both aspects provided ample opportunity for meaningful conversations with industry representatives.

Several students also highlighted that they were pleasantly surprised by the large number of interesting companies to engage with during the day. It was evident that the companies were equally enthusiastic about engaging with students. Many emphasized the importance of participating in events that facilitate dialogue with future talent, recognizing the industry’s need for skilled technicians in both the short and long term.

The day also featured several exciting presentations from representatives of the Blue Denmark. Here, the students learned several important things about the maritime industry. For example, when CEO Jenny Braat from Danske Maritime revealed that the Danish maritime sector actually offers quite good salaries. Also, Head of Decarbonization Pathways Lina Barsøe from DFDS shared that an important lesson for her had been that it’s okay to make mistakes—because it’s through mistakes that one learns and innovates—and the Blue Denmark is a particularly innovative industry.

When asked, virtually all students indicated that the event met or even exceeded their expectations, and every respondent stated that they would recommend future Maritime Careers Days to their fellow students.

We are thrilled with the success of the day and eagerly anticipate the next Maritime Creers Day scheduled for September 27. However, the Maritime Careers Day is just one of many initiatives ShippingLab organizes in order to attract technical talent to the Blue Denmark. One example is a student rotation scheme, where students have the opportunity to undertake internships at three different companies (Knud E. Hansen, MAN Energy Solutions, and DFDS).

Another example is a student trip in September, when ShippingLab invites students on a three-day trip to Hamburg to visit the world’s largest technology trade fair, SMM.

So, if you represent a maritime company keen on connecting with future employees, or if you are a student interested in hearing more about the opportunities in the Blue Denmark, don’t hesitate to reach out to Magnus Gary at mg@shippinglab.dk.

ShippingLab is a platform for the entire Blue Denmark, and everyone is welcome on board!

The event has been made possible thanks to a generous donation from DS NORDEN.

Participating companies include:

  • Njord
  • DecarbonICE
  • Flex Feb
  • Rohde Nielsen
  • EMRI
  • Copenhagen Commercial Platform
  • DS NORDEN
  • A.P. Moller – Maersk
  • Navi Merchants
  • Hempel
  • Svitzer
  • CMP
  • DFDS
  • KNUD E. HANSEN
  • Søværnets Officersskole
  • MAN Energy Solutions
  • Insatech
  • G&O Maritime Group
  • IRON Pump
  • Cobham Satcom
  • OMT – Odense Maritime Technology
  • Danish Maritime Authority
  • Danish Maritime
  • Vessel Performance Solutions
  • Bunker One