Apprenticeship Case Studies
Training the next generation of the
workforce
The name Pendennis
is known worldwide as a premier service provider in the superyacht
sector. The company is a world leader in the restoration, refit and
new build of bespoke luxury sailing craft and
motoryachts. Key to its success is a philosophy of investing in the
next generation of the workforce to provide the skills and talents
required to meet the company's needs.
Their apprenticeship scheme is a
fundamental part of this investment in training and they take on
between 10 and 12 apprentices at a time. Tristan Jones, who started
with the company ten years ago, is one member of the workforce who
has benefited from a comprehensive training programme at Pendennis
and is one of this year's winners in the BMF Trainee and Apprentice
of the Year Awards. He has gone from starting out as an apprentice
to being Joint Project Manager on the Va Bene, a
motoryacht which is undergoing a multi-million pound eight month
refit at the yard.
Tristan finished his boatbuilding
apprenticeship four years ago, he then completed a HNC and HND in
furniture construction followed by three more years of study to
attain a degree in 3-Dimensional Design.He says getting the BMF
Award was not only a recognition of his achievement but an
endorsement of the company's training philosophy as well: "It
was really good to get the Award but also really good that the
boatyard is getting the recognition that is due," he comments,
adding: "Anyone out there trying to employ someone will probably
appreciate the fact that often they can't employ the right people
with all the skills bases they need, so therefore they are making a
compromise. However once you train someone in house you're training
someone who is job specific for the role you need to
fill."
For Tristan a key factor when he
started out was that although he was an apprentice joiner, he also
got a much wider view of the whole boat refit and construction
process. "The way the training scheme is structured has given me a
good understanding of all the other trades within the yard and
that's very useful now that I'm a project manager. A lot of
people just get trained in one area so only have a particular
expertise in that area."
He says that in order to get the
most out of any apprenticeship scheme, trainees need to be given as
many learning opportunities as possible. "Within a trade base you
need to make sure that an apprentice doesn't end up sweeping the
floor all the time. The biggest mistake you can make is to use
apprentices as unskilled labour, which is essentially what they are
until they graduate. But you can't do that because you'll never go
forward or you'll end up with a semi-useless product at the end of
the exercise which is no good to anyone." He admits that with his
own training the years of studying have been something of a
'long slog' but it's been worth it in the end. He concludes: "You
couldn't get a much better job really."
Training secures skills
base for the future
When Jacob Stimpson of
Princess Yachts was voted one of the winners at
the BMF Trainee of the Year Awards he admits it came as a bit of a
surprise. "I didn't even know I was up for an award until I arrived
at the BMF AGM Conference in Bristol," he commented. "Then my name
was called out in the ceremony and I was very chuffed. It was
brilliant to get the Award."
Since then he has gone on to win
the South West Apprentice of the Year Award from the Learning and
Skills Council and has now been put forward for a National Award.
All these Awards recognize how training employees is vital to
building the future skills base for a company and Jacob is a good
example of that. "He is an excellent ambassador for the company and
the apprenticeship scheme," commented Diane Ekland, Training
Manager of Princess Yachts. "He is a very capable and respected
carpenter boatbuilder and definitely destined to enter the
management structure. He is bright, enthusiastic and keen to
progress."
His boatbuilding apprenticeship was
supposed to take four years but he completed it in three and Jacob
says he has always had an interest in boats which has been nurtured
by living close to the sea. But ironically he initially thought
he'd missed the boat when it came to training. "When I was looking
at apprenticeships I thought I was too old because I had just
turned 21 and there's an age limit on training funding from the
Learning and Skills Council." Fortunately he got on to the scheme
and has never looked back.
"I've always enjoyed working with
my hands and I don't know why I didn't get into it earlier," he
adds. "I finished my apprenticeship training just under a year ago
and am now a full time member fitting out boats. I particularly
enjoy the joinery side of it but of course I'm still learning all
the time." His awareness of how important it is to grow and develop
his own knowledge within his trade is reflected in his attitude to
the Team Leader course he is now on. "I'm learning about different
areas and the qualities a Team Leader should have. I'm not
desperate to jump into that sort of role but I'll do the training
and in a couple of years time when I've got more experience I'll
apply for a job."
If he did progress to becoming a
Team Leader one of his duties would be mentoring others as he was
mentored in his own apprenticeship. He says he has learnt
from his own training the importance of gaining broad experience in
boatbuilding as well as learning specific skills. "I was fortunate
in that I was able to move around and see how the whole boat was
made," he explains. "Giving a trainee this sort of variety really
helps later when it comes to problem solving." On the wider subject
of training Jacob concludes: "I haven't got any regrets to be
honest and when it comes to getting involved in training schemes
such as apprenticeships I would encourage others as much as
possible."
Training is 'the backbone
of the company'
Clive Howard, General Manager of
Windboats, has a clear philosophy when it comes to
training. He describes it as 'the backbone of the company' adding
"it is very important that companies reinvest in people." One of
the people who has benefited from Windboats' commitment to training
is Gavin Williams who was one of the winners in the BMF Trainee of
the Year Awards.
Gavin trained as an Apprentice Boat
Outfitter with Windboats, builders of luxury Oyster Yachts. The
company is based in Norfolk and Gavin showed a commitment to his
trade from an early age by moving from Wales at sixteen to join the
company. This proved to be the right move both for Gavin and his
employer.
"Not everyone can come in and build
these types of vessels. They are very high quality; we are at the
prestige end of the market and Gavin has proved himself to be very
capable," commented Clive. Gavin studied a City and Guilds course
for two years and then moved on to NVQ level. Training involved
attending college and an intensive programme of being mentored at
the boatyard.
"I started off in the joinery
department and then moved on to the boats themselves. I was
supervised throughout and they taught me everything I know really,"
said Gavin. Clearly his own attitude meant he learnt quickly.
"We've got to have pride in what we do and the quality of the work.
It starts off hard but I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I try my
best to get the work up to standard," he adds, "and it's very
satisfying when you come to the end of a job and see it all
varnished and everything."
Windboats are members of the
Anglian Boatbuilding Association and Clive says that in this
Association there is a general commitment to training. "There is a
kind of underlying agreement that we take on a minimum of three
trainees, and this year four apprentices have joined us.
People will fall off the top end and we need to replace those.
Training is an endorsement of this business and we've had a very
good batch of trainees this year." Following the BMF Award the
trainees have also been put forward for the Shipwright's Queen's
Award.
Gavin says that Awards schemes help
with motivation when training "and give you something to aim for."
His next goal is to gain more experience of the boats themselves.
"I would like to learn to sail and get a bit more
understanding around boats generally and then hopefully move on to
boat design in the future," he says.
All the trainees have already had a
taster of the ocean sailing yachts they help build. They got an
opportunity to crew on one of the finished boats when it was
returning from a Show. "It was great to be out on the water and see
it all rigged up," said Gavin. "It was also a really good
experience to feel that you were part of building it. The training
has given me a trade for life and a lot of knowledge and
understanding of how things fit together."
Goodchild Marine
Services is a diverse business, building a range of boats
– powerboats for the leisure market as well as commercial vessels
like pilot launches, lifeboats and fishing boats – and carrying out
boat repairs and maintenance work. Moorings are also
available on site. Goodchild's modern apprenticeships are
managed by ITE Corporate Training & Recruitment.
Robert's work has attracted much
attention – his portfolio is often used as a working example to new
students and employers as an example of the level of work and
commitment needed to complete a Modern Apprenticeship.
For Robert, it is an exciting
opportunity, and he has this advice for anyone interested in
becoming a boat builder: "I'd say go for it. I can't
knock this trade at all. There's definitely a future in
it. Boat building is a good way to earn money and it's very
interesting."