Young people living in the greater Saldanha Bay area may be aware of the many ships calling at the harbour, but not all of them are aware of the exciting and lucrative career opportunities the shipping industry offers, both ashore and at sea.
As demand grows for specialist, maritime-related skills to support the substantial investments being made in the port of Saldanha Bay, high school learners have the opportunity to prepare themselves now, while they are still at school, to take advantage of these career opportunities.
On Thursday, May 21, Transnet Port Authority Saldanha Bay invited Brian Ingpen, head of the Lawhill Maritime Centre in Simon’s Town, to visit four West Coast High Schools, Vredenburg High, Louwville High, Weston High and Diazville High.
The purpose of the visit was to tell the Grade 9 learners more about the Maritime Studies curriculum (which forms part of the National Senior Certificate) and the opportunity to apply for a bursary to study and board at the Lawhill Maritime Centre in Simon’s Town.
For the past 20 years, Lawhill has provided students aged 15 to 17 with specialised knowledge and skills in their last three years of secondary schooling and in doing so, made it possible for hundreds of young South Africans to embark on successful careers in the maritime and other industries.
According to Brian Ingpen, “The many young South Africans who, upon leaving Lawhill, have gone on to pursue successful careers because of the specialist education they received at our school are proof of the effectiveness of our programme in helping to address the high levels of youth poverty and unemployment in South Africa.
“Each year, young South Africans from across South Africa, including port cities such as East London, Port Elizabeth and Durban, come to Lawhill to do this programme and we would like young people from the Saldanha Bay area to benefit from this programme by being part of our student body in 2016.”
Attending and supporting the Lawhill Maritime Careers presentation were Transnet Saldanha Bay management, Mr Willem Roux (Port Manager), Captain Quenton Brink (Port Captain), Ms Blanche Manuel (Human Resources Manager) and Ms Bukiwe Gomo (Customer Relations/Corporate Affairs Manager).
Transnet Port Authority, a long- term supporter of Lawhill, currently has 19 bursary students at Lawhill.
The Lawhill Maritime Centre, which is wholly-funded by the maritime industry, has won several awards since it was founded in 1995. Past awards include the Lloyds List ‘Salute to Youth and Training’ award (1999) and more recently, the international Seatrade ‘Investment in People’ Award (2012) and a Platinum Award from the Impumelelo Social Innovation Centre .
More details and application forms for bursaries are available on www.lawhill.org.
Photographed with Diazville High School Principal, Mr Vraagom, were Transnet Saldanha Bay Management, Ms Blanche Manuel (Human Resources Manager) , Ms Bukiwe Gomo (Customer Relations/Corporate Affairs Manager), Mr Willem Roux (Port Manager), Captain Quenton Brink (Port Captain), and Mr Brian Ingpen from the Lawhill Maritime Centre.