Sailing away to success

Industrial and Commercial Training

ISSN: 0019-7858

Article publication date: 1 June 2003

36

Citation

(2003), "Sailing away to success", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 35 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2003.03735cab.004

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited


Sailing away to success

Sailing away to success

A training programme designed for the needs of a Cornish shipyard that specialises in custom-building luxury yachts has won an Association of Colleges beacon award.

The programme has been developed by Cornwall College in partnership with Pendennis Shipyard, both based in Falmouth, UK. The programme includes training in fabrication and welding for youngsters on modern-apprenticeship schemes and unemployed adults aged 25 and over on government-sponsored new-deal schemes.

The training has been designed to integrate with the day-to-day work of the shipyard and helps to nurture a learning culture within the company. It is also helping to solve local skill shortages, provide young people with the essential skills and qualifications needed to build a strong career, and offer new opportunities for the over-25s.

Future plans include training schemes in new technology and processes in paint finishing, developed as a partnership between Cornwall College and Pendennis Shipyard.

Sylvia Gentleman, development adviser at the Learning and Skills Development Agency, joint assessor for the award, commented: "This high-quality training programme is an outstanding example of a response to a local skill shortage and an ageing workforce. We were impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff and trainees at both the Shipyard and the College. Detailed planning, careful selection of trainees and useful links with national and local initiatives and resources have helped to make this programme a huge success".

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