ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how career pathways may play important roles in facilitating seafarer retention and maintaining a dynamic and sustainable workforce for the shipping industry. Due to the international nature of the industry and the high mobility of its workforce, conventional employee retention strategies need to be modified and applied at both organisational and industry levels. Public awareness and the image of the shipping industry affect the perceptions of the general public towards the shipping industry, influencing the formation of expectations of prospective seafarers. The movement of the seafaring workforce poses both opportunities and challenges to the shipping industry. The industry's desire for readily available high quality seafarers with flexible employment and minimum commitment frequently conflicts with the priorities of seafarers of the new generation. A breach of the psychological contract often leads to adverse consequences such as employee dissatisfaction, poor employee performance, loss of employee commitment, and high employee turnover.
