UK Skills / Case Studies

Large Employer Award

Pendennis Shipyard

Falmouth superyacht builder Pendennis Shipyard’s apprenticeship scheme has helped build a workforce to steer it into the future.

The scheme was launched in 1998 to help the business develop the skills it would need in the years to come – and managing director Henk Wiekens says it has been a great success.

He says: “The impact over the last 10 years that the apprentices have had on Pendennis has been outstanding. The scheme has achieved and often exceeded all of its original aims - from bringing down the average age of our workforce by a number of years to providing us with leaders of the future.”

In 1998, Pendennis faced the twin challenges of a shortage of skilled recruits and an ageing workforce. In consultation, the workforce asked for a more traditional apprenticeship scheme, and together with training provider Cornwall College the shipyard set about designing one.

The result was a four-year apprenticeship scheme, aimed at training 16 to 19-year-olds as engineers, electricians, joiners, fabricators and welders specialising in building and refitting superyachts. In recruiting apprentices, who must have four GCSEs at C or above, the company looks for young people who would be capable of attending university but have chosen a more hands-on route. The aim is to develop not only highly skilled tradespeople, but also future supervisors and managers. The company also wanted to minimize its reliance on sub-contractors, increase in-house control, and to grow the business.

The first year of the apprenticeship is spent full-time at Cornwall College, with 15 weeks of work experience at the shipyard, learning about all the yard trades and gaining an understanding of other parts of the business before going on to specialise at the beginning of the second year. Over the next three years they study relevant qualifications through day release, balancing training and practical experience.

Progress is measured through regular assessment, and by gaining nationally-recognised qualifications. By the time the course is completed, apprentices are at least at the level of NVQ3 in their chosen trade, and many go on to higher qualifications. All take the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award and have the chance to learn to sail, take RYA qualifications, and to take on community work.

The Learning & Skills Council pays most of the training costs through Cornwall College Business. To date the apprenticeship scheme has also cost the company some £1.5 million in apprentice wages, as well as the cost of the time employees spend teaching. The investment has produced a stream of highly-skilled tradespeople, some of whom have progressed to roles including project manager, supervisor and engineering leadhand.

More than 80% of the 110 people recruited through the course in the last decade, have completed successfully. Today, apprentices make up almost a fifth of the company’s 282-strong workforce.

In 2005 a second apprenticeship, the pioneering Surface Finishing Scheme was launched to supply the yacht finishing talent Pendennis needs in order to guarantee a world-class paint job on its superyachts. A post-apprenticeship course now exists to fast-track potential managers.

The scheme has won local, national and international recognition and press coverage, including the 2008 LSC large employer of the year award. Mr Wiekens adds: “The fact that we invest so heavily into new tradespeople for ourselves and ultimately the industry, often gives us a boost in the sales negotiating process when up against our competitors.”

Pendennis Shipyard was founded in 1988, with a contract to build the 125ft ketch Taramber. Since then it has built or refitted more than 100 luxury motor and sailing yachts.

ENDS

Entry name: Pendennis Shipyard; Pendennis Apprenticeship Programme.
Entry no: 90450
Location: The Docks, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4NR.
Region: South West.

For further information contact: 
Antonia Lee 020 7429 2825 / Kate Moloughney 020 7429 2827 
antonia.lee@ukskills.org.uk
kate.moloughney@ukskills.org.uk