Over the last month students involved in the Maritime Education Programme with Sail Training Trust Portland have had the opportunity to visit local maritime industry professionals. They have been able to chat with the volunteers at Weymouth Lifeboat Station as well as paying a visit to Portland Marina and Portland Port.
Students from Wey Valley Academy have been coming down to the Andrew Simpson Centre as part of the funded Maritime Education Programme. The programme introduces students to careers and skills associated with the marine industry. They get involved in sailing, paddlesports and powerboat sessions on the water as well as shore-based sessions focused on navigation, sustainability and other skills. The most recent shore-based session saw the students getting involved with sail making, learning techniques for sail repairs and design. Another opportunity we offer to the students is to head offsite and learn more about marine careers from industry experts.
Weymouth Lifeboat Station Visit
The students headed down to the Weymouth Lifeboat Station and were able to learn about the important work the RNLI does around the British coast, particularly in the waters surrounding Weymouth and Portland. They took part in a tour of the station where our local volunteers got kitted up and saw The Ernest and Mabel, a Severn class all-weather lifeboat.
As well as learning about the RNLI operations, the students had the opportunity to understand the pathways that the crew took to their current role. Throughout their time with ASC, young people are introduced to water safety, how to avoid getting into difficulties in the water, how to attract attention and stay warm. The additional tour of the RNLI station enabled the students to gain a deeper understanding of the Weymouth Lifeboat Station and how they help save lives at sea.
Portland Marina Visit
The students had the opportunity to visit Portland Marina and learn more about how the marina and its onsite partner’s run. They had the opportunity to learn about the marine facilities and how they are maintained as well as receiving an informative talk from the Marina Manager, Tom, where they were able to ask him lots of incredible questions.
A highlight for the students was seeing the large boat lifts in action and getting to give a helping hand with catching and securing lines. A super cool insight into boat building was given to the group by the onsite boat maintenance crew at Boatcare, who showed the students some of the projects they were working on and how they were approaching complex repairs.
They learnt all about the amazing biodiversity studies that are happening in the marina, and how they keep their environmental impacts to a minimum. The whole experience allowed students to explore new career paths as well as getting a unique behind the scenes experience of a working marina.
Portland Port
Another exciting visit was to Portland Port, where the students had the opportunity to hear from members of staff and go on several engaging site tours.
They received informative talks from different departments within the Port including a presentation from the CEO giving an overview of what goes on at Portland. They also received talks from a representative of the Dorset Clean Energy Super Cluster, highlighting future career pathways that are opening up in Portland. Two members of the Port then chatted to the students about the apprenticeships and training that are currently underway. This introduced the students to a different entry point to a career in the maritime industry.
A highlight of the trip was getting a tour of a tugboat including seeing the engine room and learning about how the tugs operate. As well as this they had tour of the berths and some of the onshore areas of the Port, including some historical military areas, which the students found interesting and were able to ask lots of questions.
These offsite trips have enabled students to get a feel for career pathways available in the maritime industry around Portland. It was great to hear from so many different people about the pathways they took to get to their current role. It inspired the students to consider all options to achieve their goals not just traditional pathways.
Rowing to FSMBC
Rowers at FSMBC
Issue 990
Chief Instructor Will took the helm and sailed onto the kayaker to pick him up, whilst the pupils were awesome in helping out, and without Will asking or suggesting – they even got lines ready to throw to the kayaker in case we missed him.
They then got the guy on board and the pupils got his kayak the right way up for us to tow it. Finally sailing him to Southsea Marina holding pontoons where he got back in his boat to paddle down wind to Locks SC where he started from.
The pupils represented the school maturely and respectfully and were a credit to the school and to the Sail Training Trust.