Just as an extra bit of thought on this subject. I am presently a fairly senior engineering manager with a well known "British" oil company insofar as I work on their oil tankers at sea. I am an engineer who has ten years experience but as no recruitment has been done in the last five years or so, there is a huge shortage of good engineers. These jobs are now going to third world staff because they are cheap to employ. These crews seem to know a lot about the theory but putting it into practice is a different thing entirely. The companies only seem to listen to the accountants and won't train anyone anymore or pay a wage which is attractive. Just like with aircraft, if the engineers don't keep the ships operational, then the ship don't move. I recently qualified as a flying instructor on helicopters. (please don't groan) but I wanted a change from the stress I get in my present position. It seems that it isn't just airlines suffering from shortages.