UKSA partnership to expand apprenticeships

The partnership will deliver apprenticeship schemes and provide young people with employment, while undertaking quality training in specialist marine sectors – specifically ports, harbours and near coastal routes.

“Industry partnerships like this are incredibly important for creating more pathways in maritime. The more opportunities on offer, the more young people we can get into the workplace to start long-term maritime careers fulfilling vital roles in the maritime industry,” said Ben Willows, CEO of UKSA.

Training opportunities

MSSC joins existing UKSA partner Isle of Wight College, ensuring that many more places for job and training opportunities will be on offer and will recruit apprentices from across England.

Darrell Bate, director of maritime training and development at MSSC said: “We are thrilled to partner with a renowned maritime organisation who share our passion for high standards of training and will enable us to expand the number of apprentices training in the maritime sector. We look forward to developing our offer with UKSA in response to the growing employer demand for relevant skills.”

UKSA is already working in tandem with several companies including SeaCat Services, Veolia and Williams Shipping and its collaboration with MSSC should enable many more apprenticeships next year helping to plug the UK skills gap estimated to reach 4m in the next two years.

But it’s always looking for local and regional businesses to partner with in the apprenticeship programme to provide vital work placements for students.

With UKSA, apprentices can undertake the Level 2 Port Operative Apprenticeship or the Level 3 Workboat Crew Member Apprenticeship. The Port Operative Apprenticeship prepares students with everything they need to safely and competently carry out port operative duties. 

The Workboat Crew Member Apprenticeship is a two-year programme designed to give young people all the skills, knowledge and behaviours to work on a wide variety of specialist vessels. These range from tugs and multi-purpose workboats, to fast pilot boats and crew transfer vessels taking personnel out to vessels or installations offshore. 

UKSA is based on the Isle of Wight and provides life-enhancing water-based adventures, education and world-leading maritime training.