The Complete 21st Century Officer

Officers of the 21st Century will need to cope with quite different working environments and cultures to their predecessors. Topical and highly publicised issues, such as piracy and the criminalisation of the seafarer, which affect their careers, will continue in the short term. However, both the technical and non-technical skills of the officers will need to be developed in directions not seen hitherto. Technology affecting shipboard equipment is progressing dramatically, as cited elsewhere in this conference?s papers, yet it becoming increasingly apparent that non-technical skills and human factors are being integrated on a more formal basis within an officer?s formal training. The recent IMO Diplomatic Conference in Manila debated proposed amendments to the existing STCW?95 Convention relating to mandatory Human Factors training. For the first time we may have to get used terms such as ?leadership? and ?teamwork? incorporated into such legislation. In response, one might ask the question ?How can leadership and teamwork competence be measured?? Clearly therefore, interpersonal skills will form a significant part of this requirement. This paper will examine the various personal and inter-personal qualities required by the individual whom is to become the ?Officer of the 21st Century?.