Students wowed by boat building brands as part of new employability exchange week
First South Devon Marine Academy students wowed by boat building brands as part of new employability exchange week with Institut Nautique de Bretagne
What do Fountaine-Pajot, Jeanneau, Beneteau Race Division, Neel Trimarans, Rhea Marine Motor Yachts, Pogo Structures have in common? As well as being phenomenal yacht brands with cutting edge design technologies, they were all visited by Foundation Degree Yacht Operations and Marine Technology students from South Devon Marine Academy for the inaugural employability exchange week.
In January 2019, at Paris Boat Show (Salon Nautique Paris) representatives from the South Devon Marine Academy and Institut Nautique de Bretagne (INB) confirmed a partnership that will give students on both side of the Channel access to learning and development opportunities including overseas work placements in thriving nautical areas.
As well as visiting major maritime employers, highlights included seeing the Figaro 3 being built at Beneteau Race Division and a day sailing off Concarneau to the stunning Iles Des Glenans.
Joe Oram, from Stoke on Trent, student on the Yacht Operations course commented, “The visit to France helped us to learn more about how different models of vessels were constructed, techniques used and the efficiency of production lines. The largescale Infusion at Jeanneau was impressive and the sleekness of the Rhea Marine Motor Yachts just drew me into really appreciating well-made vessels that are hand laminated.”
Timothy Morgan, from Northamptonshire, student on the Marine Technologies course said, “One of the main things that I will take away from the visit was learning the methods of manual layup, infusion and injection. The best advice I was given was that good preparation and layup can avoid problems later.”
In return, the students from INB spent a week at the Marine Academy sailing on the River Dart, taking part in a CAD and 3D printing workshop, visiting the Ribeye factory and taking part in a MaxSurf hull design competition.
Qualification Development Coordinator at South Devon Marine Academy, Paul Singer said, “The exchange not only gave the students the chance to learn the latest techniques and approaches by visiting exceptional companies, but it also enabled them to meet other students, share experiences and network with potential future colleagues. We are confident that our partnership with INB will help open doors to the huge range of employers. We will be working together to make sure that our students all take the next step, that is right for them, as they join our incredibly diverse industry.”
For more information about the South Devon Marine Academy, please visit: https://www.southdevon.ac.uk/college/south-devon-marine-academy
Students can register for the Marine Technologies free taster session on Friday, 28 June 2019 here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/south-devon-marine-academy-fdsc-marine-technologies-taster-session-tickets-60866867439 The session will start at 10am and finish at 13.30pm. The event is taking place at Noss on Dart Marina, Kingswear, Devon.
Students can register for the Yacht Operations free taster session on Friday, 28 June 2019 here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/south-devon-marine-academy-fdsc-yacht-operations-taster-session-tickets-61682713657 The session will start at 10am and finish at 15.00pm. The event is taking place at Noss on Dart Marina, Kingswear, Devon.
