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Minister recognises importance of marine industry apprentices

Guest of honour John Hayes, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning was present to welcome the apprentices into the marine industry and to award them with their certificates of achievement. The Skills Minister has responsibility for skills and apprenticeship strategy and is a supporter of the work the BMF and National Boat Shows (NBS) is doing to promote and support apprenticeships in the marine industry.

John Hayes said: “The leisure marine industry is a model of manufacturing success, concentrating on design, innovation and quality. The industry demonstrates the importance of manufacturing in Britain and how good we are at it; Britain is very good at making things and we are quite rightly the envy of the world.

“Apprentices make a life changing difference to companies and to individuals.  My congratulations to the employers, trainers and above all the sixty young people who have graduated today.”  

Apprenticeships have a long history of success in Britain and are widely accepted as a form of training for all parties involved. The government strongly believes in the value of apprenticeships as they provide young people with a key opportunity to learn the necessary skills in a work-based environment.

Sarah Dhanda, BMF Business Development Director commented: “I am delighted with the success of our first ever Apprenticeship graduation ceremony, it is important to recognise the success of apprentices from across the country and the contribution that they make to the success of the industry. It is particularly pleasing to be awarding 68 certificates to graduating apprentices in the current economic climate. “

 The awards were open to all BMF member companies who had apprentices completing their training in 2011. Apprentices from over eight companies received their awards on the day with a further 40 some apprentices being recognised.