Go Beyond with UKSA and The Prince's Trust

Run in partnership with The Prince’s Trust, our Go Beyond programme is another initiative aimed at getting young people back into work.

The five week residential programme is designed to help six selected young people gain new qualifications and support them into employment. Alongside gaining RYA Assistant Dinghy Instructor and First Aid qualifications, time was spent developing interview techniques.

Towards the end of their training, all six young people were interviewed by Neilson Active Holidays, with four selected to join the organisation this spring. We are working with those going to Neilson to help them prepare for their new jobs and the remaining two young people to find employment.

One graduate from a previous Go Beyond programme, Darren Nolan was recently nominated for the Flying Start award at The Prince’s Trust Celebrate Success Awards. With his watersports qualifications, Darren has worked with us here at UKSA and overseas in Greece. He hopes to become a Chief Instructor in the next few years.

Now that the young people have finished the programme, here is some of their feedback:

“UKSA has been a great place to re-focus me on my life and aided me in taking steps of where to go next and how to go about it.”

“I have really enjoyed the course and look forward to a career in watersports in the future.”

“After being stuck in a rut for so long, I can now get up early everyday, be active, be challenged and learn. This has given me focus and energy.”

“Without UKSA, I would be in the same situation of looking for unsatisfying jobs and feeling low with low self-esteem.”

Helping Young People Back into Work

Change Direction is a programme we ran in conjunction with the Job Centre Plus aimed at helping long-term unemployed young people back into work.

To do this, the programme focused on removing barriers to employment by helping the six, selected young people train for new qualifications, gain work experience within the maritime industry alongside getting CV and interview advice. The programme included a 3 day non-residential programme, a 5 day residential programme and 4 weeks of work experience at UKSA, Paul Crabb, Cowes Marina, Cheetah Marina and Isle of Wight Sea Kayaks.

Now that they have finished the programme, here is some of the feedback from the young people:

“I was introduced to an industry which I did not think was available, and now I know that I can be part of it I’m not leaving.”

“UKSA has most definitely given my life a new unique direction; something which had been lacking for three months previous to beginning the course.  I feel extremely encouraged by this course and certainly motivated to progress in this industry.  I have met new people, learnt new skills and discovered a lot about myself.”

“I am very happy with the overall programme; the work experience with other companies was really fun and interesting.”

“If I had not attended UKSA I would have been sitting at home feeling sorry for myself whilst trying hard to get a job which would prove mission impossible.”

Our Change Direction programme has been a great success with the young people completing the training to gain kayaking qualifications, producing professional CVs and getting great feedback from the companies they were placed with, some of which are looking to employ the young people with them next year.

Student Placements

Here are our latest placements from November and December:

Jack Brown - Crew Training
Bosun on a 78m Motor Yacht
 

Tom Greening - Commercial Yachtmaster
2nd Mate at UKSA



 











Edward Clarke - Ocean Graduate
Delivery crew from Italy to Trinidad, trial for longer term race crew position on a 78ft maxi race yacht






 



Sven Bollerod - Commercial Yachtmaster
2nd Mate at UKSA



 










Kristina Hogg - Crew Training
Deckhand on a 52m Motor Yacht  


 










David Geddes - Essential Marine Hospitality
Deckhand/Steward over the winter on a 30m Motor Yacht

 
 









Fiona Baker - Essential Marine Hospitality
Stewardess on a 60m Motor Yacht 

  











Mark Fallon - Commercial Yachtmaster
Mate on a 34m Motor Yacht  




 









Simon James Smith - Ocean Graduate
Temporary Chief Mate on a 41m Motor Yacht

Accreditations Galore!

There’s been good news throughout the Academy as we have received a number of accreditations for our activities:

Learning Outside the Classroom (LOTC)

We recently went through an inspection where our Health and Safety, Staffing and Quality assurance processes were scrutinised for adherence to LOTC National Governing Body and Legislative. Thank you to Euan from our Education Department for providing a great kayaking session on a cold December day for the inspector's benefit. 

Fortunately we were successful for the second year in a row! With the LOTC license schools and groups from counties beyond Hampshire can visit UKSA knowing we will offer the best level of teaching.

Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) 

We have also been awarded Approved Activity Provider (AAP) status by the Duke of Edinburgh Award to deliver practice and qualifying expeditions in sailing and kayaking for the Bronze and Silver Award schemes. We also have the required facilities to deliver Gold Residential programmes. 

The DofE programme is designed to give young people, aged 14 - 25, the chance to develop skills for work and life and is recognised by many employers and further educational establishments.  This AAP status means that we have another avenue to use our expertise to work with young people and help them unlock their potential.

New Membership
 
We are now are an Associated Member of the International Association for Safety and Survival Training (IASST). The IASST aims to improve safety and survival training at sea and with this membership we benefit from the sharing of best practices between members.   
 
All in all, everything is going very well here!

Our First Cadets Graduate!

Its congratulations to UKSA Yachting Cadets Simone Vena and Lucas Brocker who have become the first graduates to complete a Foundation Degree in Operational Yacht Science.  

Simone is currently qualified to MCA Master 200 and is working towards his Officer of the Watch 3000gt. He has most recently worked on a classic sailing 60m superyacht sailing the Pacific. Lucas has also worked on several high profile large superyachts. They have now enrolled onto the final year of the Marine Studies BSc at Plymouth University.  

The UKSA Cadetship is a 3 year courses designed with the MCA to train motivated individuals into a successful career on superyachts. If you are 18-25 and are looking for an alternative to uni or want a change of careers, then the Cadetship could be for you! 

The sandwich course format means that you will spend time learning in paid work placements on board some of the world’s largest superyachts around the world and have the option to complete the Foundation Degree like Simone and Lucas.  

Plus unlike those leaving uni with big debts, at the end of the Cadetship you should have earned back your training fees and be free of debt! 

Call us on +44(0)1983 203038 for a chat and or email info@uksa.org for advice about whether the Cadetship could be the route for you.