Marine and maritime 

Here in the Solent area we are ideally placed for exploring careers in the maritime sector - from the luxury cruise industry to the Royal Navy.  The Solent's Marine and Maritime sector is one of our largest and most productive sectors, accounting for 20.5% of Solent's GVA, providing 40,000 jobs locally, and supporting more than 3,000 businesses. Over the period to 2025, the marine and maritime sector in the Solent region is forecast to grow by at least 5%. Portsmouth Naval Base sits at the heart of a high-tech defence and advanced manufacturing cluster, supporting 20,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing over £1.6bn of GVA. This cluster extends beyond marine into aerospace, including companies such as BAE Systems, GE Aviation Systems, Airbus and QinetiQ.

We have an international reputation for leisure marine excellence, and a cluster of world-class superyacht designers that play a central role in maintaining the UK’s world-leading reputation for the production of quality powerboats and high-value sailing yachts. We are renowned as a venue for watersports, sailing, ocean racing, long-distance races and for globally recognised events such as Cowes Week, Southampton Boat Show and Seawork. Our waterways and marinas are filled with leisure boats year around, supporting a variety of jobs in large and small businesses across the economy.

The Maritime industry is vital to global trade and plays a significant role in our economy, with an estimated 90% of world trade carried by sea. Within the UK, the sector supports over 1 million jobs, however women remain underrepresented in many parts of the industry, and in particular in STEM based roles. New videos will launch soon to raise the profile of STEM based careers and inspire young females into STEM roles.

QinetiQ has created the first video which gives an insight into the typical day of an Associate Naval Architect based at Haslar. 

Watch the full video here.