Sea Swift partners with Charles Darwin University in effort to hire locally

In the interest of ending their reliance on fly-in fly-out workers, a Northern Australian shipping company has joined forces with Charles Darwin University in hope of generating local manpower.

Shipping company Sea Swift has joined forces with Charles Darwin University in a bid to cultivate a local workforce. Picture: Supplied

In the interest of ending their reliance on fly-in fly-out workers, a Northern Australian shipping company has joined forces with Charles Darwin University in hope of generating local manpower.

Last week, shipping company Sea Swift revealed it had formed a partnership with CDU’s TAFE team, with a view to ensuring Sea Swift’s workforce can be upskilled to national standards regularly.

Having relied on FIFO workers for years, Sea Swift General Manager Corporate Services Leanne Hulm said employing professionals with local knowledge was necessary in supporting the communities for which the company served.

“Our barges are one of the only ways completely remote islands and communities have access to fresh food and essential supplies especially when roads can be cut off for long periods of time, we need a local workforce to ensure these services are not cut off,” she said.

“Since the launch of the campaign we have had a lot more locals across Northern Australia employed, the training provided through CDU TAFE ensures all our staff are trained properly specifically in regulations and safety.”

In October 2024, Sea Swift announced it would turn its attention to hiring locals and Indigenous talent. Picture: Supplied.

The partnership comes four months after Sea Swift announced it would target Indigenous talent across the Top End in line with the company’s ‘local jobs, local people’ employment program.

In revealing the program, Sea Swift announced plans to increase it Aboriginal workforce by 10 per cent by the end of the 2024-2025 financial year.

In a bid to lure aspiring seafarers, the company also promised its program would accept school leavers, with traineeships offered to those without marine qualifications to obtain the relevant certificates and skills needed for a career at sea.

At the time, executive chairman Chris Pearce said the company’s recruitment vision would entail a “earn while you learn initiative”.

“With new vessels, we’re not just growing our business — we’re opening doors for more local talent to step into dynamic, long-term careers,” he said.

Originally published as Sea Swift partners with Charles Darwin University in effort to hire locally