Skills England has confirmed it will retain five maritime apprenticeship standards after representations from across the industry, a decision welcomed by the UK Chamber of Shipping and reported on 16 October 2026.
The retained standards are Seafarer Deck Rating, Small Commercial Vessel Crew Member, Officer of the Watch 500gt Near Coastal, Marine and Boatyard Operative, and Marine Pilot. Skills England's decision follows a period of review and submissions from employers, training providers and representative bodies across the maritime sector.
Apprenticeships retained
The five standards will remain available for employers and apprentices seeking recognised training pathways in the merchant and small commercial vessel sectors. Each standard covers distinct roles within the industry, from entry-level deck ratings through to specialist pilot training.
The move preserves the formal frameworks that underpin workplace training and assessment for these occupations, ensuring continuity for employers who recruit and train under apprenticeship arrangements. The retained standards provide a common set of expectations for skills and competence that employers and training organisations use when designing programmes.
Industry response and next steps
The UK Chamber of Shipping publicly welcomed the decision after industry representations were made, signalling support from a major trade body for Skills England's outcome. The Chamber's response underscores the industry's interest in maintaining recognised apprenticeship routes into seafaring and shore-based maritime roles.
Skills England's confirmation is likely to be followed by continued engagement between employers, training providers and awarding organisations to promote uptake and ensure delivery meets sector needs. The retained standards will remain available for use in recruitment, training contracts and assessment by approved training providers.
The decision maintains a set of formal pathways that industry stakeholders had argued were important to workforce development across a range of maritime occupations. Sources indicated the announcement on 16 October 2026, noting the retention of the five named apprenticeship standards and the Chamber's welcome of the outcome.
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