IIMS has played a leading role as part of a small but dedicated team that has worked hard over the past two years to develop the framework for an apprenticeship scheme (‘Trailblazer’) for the marine surveying profession in the UK.
The working group has been chaired by Alan Cartwright, Blabey Engineering Ltd, with Mike Schwarz, IIMS CEO, in attendance from the outset. More recently, Alan Larsen, SCMS, joined the working group to help shape its direction. Di Fitch from John Moores University in Liverpool in conjunction with Mark Aberdein has been ever present and has brought her considerable specialist knowledge in the area of apprenticeship schemes and adult learning to steer and support the group in their at times challenging deliberations.
When asked to comment, IIMS CEO, Mike Schwarz, said, “This is an excellent piece of work and I am proud to have played a part and contributed to something that can help the next generation of marine surveyors to enter the market. My thanks to Alan Cartwright for his leadership and to those with specialist knowledge in the apprenticeship arena who have supported us all the way. It is now about encouraging potential apprentices to come forward and then, in time, ensuring that relevant employers know there is a talent pool available to them”.
Various other organisations have joined and contributed to the discussions from time to time as part of the process including, Maritime & Coastguard Agency, MECAL Limited, Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas, Port of London Authority, Brookes Bell, Royal National Lifeboat Association, Southampton Solent University, Maritime Skills Alliance, Lloyd’s Maritime Academy, Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, Yacht Designers & Surveyors Association and the National Workboat Association.
The result is that the Marine Surveyor Apprenticeship scheme has been formally given UK Government Ministerial approval with funding of £24,000 per apprentice available over the 48 months, the time the apprenticeship takes to complete. Full details of the apprentice scheme can be found at the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education web site.