Apprenticeships are the Future.
How many wooden Boat gatherings have you been to where the standard profile for an attendee, is a late middle aged white bloke with greying hair and possibly a bushy beard.
I can talk, because I’m one of them. (minus the bushy beard)
Well, on the Mornington Peninsular in Victoria, one successful Boat Yard is doing something practical that fundamentally addresses this problem.
The Wooden Boat Shop is an Accredited Training Facility for apprentices in Marine Trades and over the years has trained around 50 shipwrights. Their program involves one day a week at TAFE and the other four days working in the yard on both new timber builds, restorations and maintenance. They currently have 5 apprentice shipwrights working at Sorrento and at this stage are not looking for any more.
However the good news is they have got apprenticeship positions for a couple of other trades!
APPRENTICE SAILMAKER & COVER MAKER
The Yard and loft are situated in Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsular.
If successful you will be working alongside the highly respected sailmaker Geoff Floyd, learning fine upholstery work, cover making and sail manufacture.
This full time apprenticeship will have a schooling component taking up approximately one day a week, and the other four days will be in the loft. The apprenticeship takes four years to complete
The successful applicant will have a passion for boats and preferably be an accomplished sailor, having come up through a yacht club junior program or the like.
APPRENTICE FITTER & TURNER/ BOILERMAKER
The workshop is situated in Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsular.
This is a new opportunity to learn the combined skills of fitter and turner, and boiler making.
Learning to manufacture bespoke metal fittings for both the range of new WBS craft and ongoing restoration projects is a key element of the position.
This full time apprenticeship will have a schooling component taking up approximately one day a week, and the other four days will be in the workshop..
The apprenticeship takes four years to complete
If you have an interest in either of these positions please send a CV and cover letter to sales@woodenboatshop.com.au
Here at SWS, we believe that the future of the wooden boat world lies in youth and diversity. I can’t think of a better way to address these goals than by employing young people and teaching them the increasingly rare skills required, from the ground up. Tell a friend about these great career opportunities.