Lymington boatbuilder Berthon picks up apprenticeship award

Run by the National Apprenticeships Service, the awards celebrated the achievements of apprentices and their employers at a ceremony hosted by rugby world cup winner Matt Dawson. Berthon Boat Company has been training apprentices for more than 100 years, producing generations of skilled marine engineers, electricians, shipwrights, painters and riggers. The company regards Apprenticeships as the foundation of the workforce with over 50 per cent of the company's project managers having been trained as apprentices. Managing director Brian May said the award backed up the work the company had been doing to change the view that manufacturing was dead and that skills training is less important than tertiary education. He went on: "Our business wouldn't survive without apprentices and in these difficult times the government support we receive is vital to enable us to continue offering apprenticeship places. I am especially pleased that we have 12 further places to provide more opportunities for supply line businesses to commence training in the marine industry from next year." Bentley Motors's successful apprenticeship programme was highly commended in the large business category for its the breadth; rather than just manufacturing, the scheme includes all areas of the business, such as logistics, engineering and sales and marketing. One of the most attractive aspects for the apprentices is the opportunity to spend a period of time living and working abroad within the Volkswagen Group, part of an exchange programme which sees Bentley host foreign apprentices wishing to gain some experience working in the luxury car sector at the Crewe plant. Bentley Motors employs 51 apprentices who follow a three to four year training programme across a number of disciplines. Pictured: The motor yacht Bounty, built by Camper & Nicholson in 1936, and refurbished by Berthon having been stripped from stem to stern.