Young Apprentices with Matt Loughlin (left) and Costa Hadji-Argyris (centre) of SW Lakes Trust and Mark Beckett (right) of Cornwall Marine Network  

Five young people embarked on watersports careers as they began their apprenticeships with South West Lakes Trust at Stithians Lake, Cornwall, this week.

Lucas Jones, 16, Cai Palmer, 21, Loretta Bowman, 22, Mark Puckey, 20, and Keith Bowler, 19, are all passionate watersports enthusiasts who have dreamt of working in the marine leisure industry.

Now, through support from Cornwall Marine Network's Apprenticeship Agency, they have been given the chance to be trained up as watersports instructors. The one-year apprenticeship will include RYA training, an NVQ in activity leadership and a BTEC in sailing and watersport. On completion they will be fully-qualified to land a job, whether with South West Lakes Trust, or the many marine leisure businesses in the South West.

Apprentice Keith, from Helston, is excited about acquiring further watersports qualifications that he needs following his Outdoor Education BTEC at Truro College. He said: "I'd struggle to get work without the extra training that this apprenticeship will give me."

Cai, from Falmouth, is looking forward to the "hands-on" experience the apprenticeship will provide him. Former health care assistant Loretta, from Camborne, sees her apprenticeship as a stepping-stone to a new career working in the outdoors. Former Penryn College pupil Lucas, from Stithians, hopes his apprenticeship will be a spring-board to teaching watersports overseas. And former life-guard Mark, from Stithians, is delighted to be pursuing a path to becoming a watersports instructor

Cornwall Marine Network (CMN) is a not-for-profit, membership-owned organisation dedicated to promoting the Cornish marine sector. Its Apprenticeship Agency helps its marine business members to reduce the risks and costs of taking on an apprentice, and is able to draw down funding to subsidise the costs, and facilitate the training of each individual.

Since 2008, CMN has worked with 1500 young people and 21 secondary schools in Cornwall to establish vocational pathways for students into the industry.

Mark Beckett, CMN's Academy manager, said: "It is great to see five young people getting the chance to embark on a career in their chosen field, especially at a time when youth unemployment figures are so bleak. We run a range of initiatives focused on getting young people on career progression paths, whether into work experience, relevant training, jobs or apprenticeships."

Costa Hadji-Argyris, Cornwall Area Manager for South West Lakes Trust, said ‘This project fits in perfectly with our charitable objectives. It is all about getting more people into outdoor sports and gives a pathway to employment for local young people.  We are so excited about this project which would not have been possible without the support we have received".

Watersports instructor Phil Sanger, who will be among those training the apprentices, said: "I am very pleased and excited to be involved in such a unique project that will see these five individuals develop their skills the old fashioned way, through experience-led qualification building. All those involved will gain a great deal from the scheme."

November 2011