Borders College Boat Building and Repair Modern Apprenticeship NEW FOR 2020

Oh, I do like to learn beside the seaside!

A new Modern Apprenticeship in boat building is about to be ‘launched’ at Eyemouth harbour in conjunction with Borders College and long-established company Eyemouth Marine.

The project will see a training hub developed in the premises of the Brown’s Bank-based company and will be part of a major refit of the current premises.

Known for servicing the fishing and commercial fleets of the North Sea and the leisure craft sector, as well as the development of offshore wind sector in the future, Eyemouth Marine has long offered commercial repairs, servicing, welding and painting projects to the marine industry.

Once established, the training hub will offer the SVQ Boat Building and Repair qualification from the Eyemouth premises, and in addition, will become a digital spoke connected to the South of Scotland Learning Network. As part of this exciting project, a suite of online training materials will be developed in relevant boat building and repair topics.

By providing very specific and specialised training to the needs of local businesses in the marine sector, this new development looks to both support the local economy and ensure that the future workforce is developed to help address an ageing population within the industry.

The project will be finished by September 2020, with the first students completing their qualification by 2023.

Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:

“Colleges play an increasingly important role in Scotland’s innovation economy. I am delighted that the College Innovation Fund is supporting projects of the quality and ambition of this one. This project demonstrates colleges’ ability to respond to the needs of local economies. It has the potential to make a real difference to the Eyemouth area.”

Commenting on the development, Davie Lowe, Borders College Assistant Principal, said:

“One of the aims of the project is to minimise students travelling from the Eyemouth area to College in Galashiels to undertake the Modern Apprenticeship, and at the same time make learning even more accessible in the local area.”

Boats have been built at Brown’s Bank for over 190 years, and Eyemouth Marine Manager Graham Perrins said:

“As ‘A Garage for the Sea’ we specialise in the repair and servicing of vessels. Whatever is required our experienced team of Craftsmen and Engineers can find a solution. For these reasons we are delighted to be involved in this exciting new project with Borders College in training the next generation of Modern Apprentices.”

The funding for this project has been provided by the Scottish Government to support colleges to work innovatively with businesses and address challenges in critical strategic areas.

Funding is available to support the cost of the awards – it’s all about who you are and where you are. Why not get in touch to see how we can help?

During this current period of uncertainty, due to the coronavirus crisis, our staff are continuing to respond to enquiries and engage with those who are interested in this new and exciting provision.