Investigating the characteristics of skills and competency frameworks through a systematic literature review: a feasibility study to revise the STCW Code for seafarer training.

Recent research has provided a strong foundation to believe that future seafarers are expected to possess a traditional seafaring licence as a prerequisite for obtaining a licence to operate ‘smart’ ships [Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS)]. Since the standards of competence for a traditional seafaring licence are dictated by the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Code, it may be implied that the Code may have to reinvent itself to include skills and competencies which will be relevant for the seafaring workforce of the future to take on expected roles and responsibilities. The question, thus arises, should the STCW Code continue in its current form in laying down the standards of competence, or should it draw lessons from skills and competency frameworks (used for the workforce of other industries) to outline defined set of behaviours deeply valued by the maritime industry? This question drove a systematic literature review, based on which, this paper presents findings to answer if past research had investigated the feasibility of the STCW Code to be translated into a skills and competency framework. This study also delved deeper into the essential characteristics of the frameworks which need to be imbibed (or which already exist) in the Code to continue allowing it to be relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]