Student-shaped met study programmes

Considering that the digital revolution introduced computing in the field of maritime science and produced highly sophisticated ships, maritime students are compelled to specialize even before entering the workforce market. Ship operators require cadets with a somewhat clear vision of career path, and, therefore, oblige maritime students to show their interest in specific maritime transportation branch early in their education. To perceptively select the career path, maritime schools, colleges and academies have a unique responsibility to thoroughly present to maritime students various maritime transportation branches and vessel types operated on markets. One of the examples is Faculty of Maritime Studies in Rijeka, where third-year students were pursuing B.Sc. Degree in Nautical Studies and Maritime Transport Technology are able to choose among four elective courses that explicit characteristics of maritime transportation branches. This approach allows maritime students to gain adequate perspective of various types of ships and facilitates career path decision-making. The main focus of this paper is to analyze the data collected through interviews and surveys of 107 final-year maritime students to gain the clearer perspective on the importance of qualitative maritime education. Results represent a base for further research in the field of maritime education and training (MET), specifically on identifying and developing appropriate curriculums in maritime education