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Sailors’ Society’s third global cadet conference continues their record-breaking run

10 Oct, 2024

Almost 4,000 cadets attended Sailors’ Society’s South East Asia Cadet Conference 2024: Wellbeing skills for future seafarers – doubling the previous year’s numbers.

This is the third of four global virtual events, hosted by the charity, all of which have seen record-breaking attendance by maritime cadets and ratings

CEO Sara Baade said: “Our first cadet conference this year for North Asia saw an incredible 4,090 cadets and ratings logging on while our conference for African cadets and ratings saw a 129 per cent increase in numbers on the previous year.

“We can be left in no doubt that young seafarers at the very start of their careers see our conferences, with insights from maritime employers to mental health and wellbeing advice, as a vital part of their preparation for a life at sea.”

During these events, cadets contribute their thoughts and experiences and this is shared in the Society’s annual cadet reports which provide unique data for the maritime industry.

Some 81 per cent of cadets attending the South East Asia Conference said they saw maritime as a long-term career although half were concerned about getting their first contract.

The cadets overwhelmingly put permanent employment as the main reason for staying in the industry while time away from family and the way a company treated them would be their main reasons for leaving the industry.

The majority said that the conference had helped them to become knowledgeable about the resources available to seafarers for maintaining their wellbeing and were confident they could access the services if they needed them.

The cadets also ranked Sailors’ Society’s Peer-to-Peer Support Groups as the first service they would turn to for support.

Funded by the TK foundation, the South East Asia Conference was sponsored by Britannia P&I Club, and Tindall Riley, as the managers of the Club.

Ella Hagell, Director, Claims, Britannia P&I, said: “We were delighted to sponsor the Sailors’ Society Cadet Conference in Southeast Asia for the first time. The conference covered very important topics to prepare and equip the cadets for life at sea, and we were also pleased to have the opportunity to provide an overview of the role of the Club to the cadets.”

Cadets and ratings can find out more and register for the next conference for the UK and Europe on November 6 at https://www.sailors-society.or...

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