Trinity House has awarded coveted bursaries worth £17,000 each to six budding superyacht captains of the future.
They have signed up for the world renowned Yachting Cadetship by Isle of Wight-based youth charity UKSA (the country’s leading maritime training provider), which is a structured three-year apprenticeship that includes a Foundation Degree in Operational Yacht Science delivered in conjunction with Falmouth Marine School and validated by the University of Plymouth. Training begins in October 2013 and allows students to ‘earn whilst they learn’ and train for a well paid and exciting career on superyachts.
These six places are generously part funded by Trinity House under the Professional Yachtsman’s Bursary Scheme (set up to encourage young people into professional careers at sea in the superyacht sector), which makes them accessible to everyone and an immediately viable option for those considering vocational training over the traditional university career path.
The bursaries will cover the first phase of training (five months) at UKSA’s Cowes campus and amount to a minimum of £17,000 worth of assistance/funding. Both also include a handy living allowance of £200 per month during this time.
Once employed as entry level professional deckhands in phase two of the course, students can typically earn €2000 a month tax free (not including tips) working in locations across the Mediterranean, Caribbean and worldwide.
This sponsorship scheme epitomises the aims and traditions of the Trinity House, in selecting and supporting men and women to achieve the qualifications required to have a long and successful career at sea.
What’s more, UKSA still has two £17,000 bursaries left to allocate on its 2013 intake. These places are generously part funded by another leading maritime charities, Seafarers UK, and applicants have to attend a two day Cadetship Selection. Those who pass, also go to a final interview day in London, but these two final part-funded places are open to candidates until the end of August.
Applicants should be between 18 and 25 years old, have obtained at least 120 UCAS points (or the equivalent in work experience) and have high grade passes in GCSE Maths and English. Candidates must be seeking a genuine alternative to university and also demonstrate a keen desire for a long term career in the superyacht industry – and whilst previous water sports and/or yachting experience is highly desirable, it is not essential.
With the Foundation Degree recently being granted UCAS accreditation as a full-time course, successful 2014 cadets will be able to drawn down on student loans to assist them, as well as taking advantage of all the other associated benefits that full-time students enjoy