UKSA Cadets get to work

This afternoon a team of UKSA's Yachting Cadetship students got the opportunity to gain some valuable work experience onboard a private luxury charter yacht, Halcyon. We couldn't resist the opportunity to pop across to East Cowes and interview them to share what they were up to and capture it for our blog readers.

Isle Swim for Kids

Our congratulations go to Richard Beardsall who came so close to his goal of swimming solo around the Isle of Wight. Richard's heroic efforts took him anti-clockwise around the Island, starting in Ryde and reaching Sandown Bay before conditions ended his long and arduous journey.

Following his challenge, Richard said;

"Well.....close but no cigar!!...18hrs swimming and 50 miles covered.....with 10 miles left it seemed a small effort however...having missed the tide and weather conditions deteriorating..I swam into Sandown bay against a strong spring tide..progress became slower and slower as my left shoulder and neck ( an old rugby injury) began to go into spasm and eventually gave up the ghost...rather like a vintage car I like to think..swimming with one arm is clearly not ideal however a decision had to be made and the prospect of covering the final distance was calculated at about 8-9hrs...something I know my body frankly wasnt up to....so I saluted those who have succeeded before me and allowed myself to be pulled from the water...landing in the bottom of the rib as the rib crew commented.."like a whale carcass!"..charming!...this adventure is over but so many great memories...swimming through the Needles at night, the random canoeist, fishermen for once taking in their lines and everyone on Ventnor Seafront!

My thanks go to all of you who have supported me in my endeavours, all the UKSA staff who do such a great job in giving themselves to the charity, the staff and the pupils at Ventnor Middle School who have been involved in the project, the lads at Comar and Shanklin Sports Shop for their donations..however, special thanks go to my team on all my attempts, who have given of their time at short notice and watched over me in the night and through rough unforgiving seas seas and kept my spirits up, and at times, clearly just lied through their back teeth!

It has been a pleasure to have met so many wonderful people and I have been amazed how this project has inspired others ,on many levels, to go on and have a go at something which perhaps they wouldnt have ordinarily done, Im really chuffed for the donations we have received as the young people from Medina House School can continue to extend their programme of events with UKSA."

Richard has raised a fantastic amount of money for UKSA, supporting on-the-water activities for the students of Medina House and Ventnor Middle Schools.

Thank you Richard, from all at UKSA!

University clearing places at UKSA

UKSA has a wealth of options for anyone just finishing school or college and wondering "....what next?"

UKSA offers a very viable alternative to enable you to leap off the school college academic treadmill straight into vocational work in an interesting and stimulating environment. If being on / in / or around the ocean floats your boat, then you should consider training at UKSA for a career in the maritime industry. Working on or around the ocean has a lot to offer anyone thirsting for variety and adventure, with opportunities to travel and the potential to earn good money.

Broadly speaking, for those leaving school or college (or even university for that matter), UKSA offers training for two main routes into the maritime industry. You can train on our Watersports Extreme for a career afloat as a Watersports Instructor, teaching windsurfing / kitesurfing / dinghy sailing and Kayaking either here in the UK or in an overseas resort in the Med or Caribbean, or you can focus your training for a career in professional yachting.

>Read more about careers in watersports
>Read more about careers in yachting
>Read more about careers in marine engineering
>Find out what it takes to succeed in yachting

But what if I still want a Degree?

Want a degree, but also itching for the opportunity to get away from academia and satisfy your wanderlust and perhaps earn while you do that? No worries.... UKSA offers a 3-year Cadetship with an optional Foundation Degree in Operational Yacht Science, giving you the best of both worlds. With the Cadetship / Foundation Degree you get to learn and study for vocational qualifications that are hugely valued by employers in the industry while at the same time studying for your degree and earning a wage as a member of professional yacht crew. Sound interesting?.... read more about it here

Last space for great Uni alternative

If you're looking at our 6-week Crew Training course, we now only have the last couple of places available for 2009.

If you are looking for an alternative to university, or just want to secure something proactive to do in your gap year, this course offers the ideal opportunity to gain some great skills and potentially travel and earn money over next year's yachting season.

Training at sea in the winter months is also a fantastic learning environment to gain the skills and confidence required to handle potentially heavy and variable weather and tidal conditions; something that is far better to experience in a training environment than on your first job!

If you're interested in this course, would like to find out more, or would like to reserve your place, please call the Course Advisory team on +44(0)1983 203038.

UKSA work with The Even Keel Project

Thanks to The Even Keel Project, an initiative with the vision to make sailing accessible to all, UKSA had full use of six new Artemis 20 Keelboats specially designed for training people with disabilities to sail this summer. The Even Keel Project, who was based at UKSA and who will be returning in September, also provides a valuable resource for many groups and individuals who might want to use the project for rehabilitation programmes, sail training purposes, specialist training for athletes who wish to train in a competitive environment or simply to be used just for fun.

The project was recently delighted to welcome a group of sailors from the tri services initiative: 'Toe in the Water' down to UKSA to compete in some inter club fleet racing. 'Toe in the Water' aim to inspire the men and women who have sustained often traumatic injuries, including the loss of limbs, to move beyond their disability and to become re-inspired by life.

Competitive sailing is a physically and mentally challenging adventurous sport and provides a unique opportunity for injured men and women to sail and race on equal terms with their able-bodied contemporaries.

UKSA graduate and Ambassador, Hilary Lister, recently completed her 40-day voyage aboard her very own Artemis 20 keelboat, smashing another world record by becoming the first quadriplegic woman to sail solo around the UK.

"Sailing has given me something I never thought I would have, it has brought me challenge, satisfaction, enjoyment and a huge sense of achievement."

Hilary Lister, UKSA Ambassador and record breaking quadriplegic sailor

Isle Swim for Kids starts Saturday

Richard Beardsall's swim around the Island starts Saturday at 9pm after previously being postponed due to bad weather conditions.

Click here to track Richard's progress

Shanklin resident, Richard will be attempting a solo swim around the Island to raise funds for UKSA's projects with Medina House School and Ventnor Middle School. The monies raised from this gruelling challenge will be used to give even more young people the opportunity to experience a new environment, meet new challenges and develop skills for life through watersports activities.

To support this uniquely Island based project, email: fundraising@uksa.org or visit Richard's Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/medinahouseschool

Last few Ocean Graduate places for 2009!

If you're looking at our 23 week Ocean Graduate course, we now only have a couple more places available for 2009 on the Ocean Graduate starting on 19th October.

The October course finishes in April 2010 which is a great time to find work on all sized yachts across the board. The Med charter season kicks off at the end of April / start of May, with yachts all crewing up for the summer season. Yachtcareers.com, the UKSA recruitment website exclusively for UKSA career course graduates, typically sees an increase in positions from the end of February each year.

Training at sea in the winter months is also a fantastic learning environment to gain the skills and confidence required to handle potentially heavy and variable weather and tidal conditions; something that is far better to experience in a training environment than on your first job!

If you're interested in this course, would like to find out more, or would like to reserve your place, please call the Course Advisory team on +44(0)1983 203038.