Author: MSAteam

The Maritime Skills Academy (Part of Viking Maritime Group) have partnered with Dover Technical College (East Kent College) in its first offering of maritime-related courses to the East Kent region.

With the wealth of maritime heritage and being so close to the busiest ferry port in the world, it makes sense the two training providers have linked.

This is the first in many maritime related courses which will be on offer and will give the young people of Dover and Kent a real insight into a career and a qualification in the marine industry. This could be working at sea as an Officer, an Engineer or a Stewardess onboard a ferry, a cruise ship or even a superyacht. If working away at sea is not for them, a career in the port of Dover or many of the marinas on our coast could be the perfect job.

The first qualification to be run is the SQA Level 2 Diploma in Maritime Studies: Able Seafarer (Engine Room). This course will be run from September 2018 and has already had amazing interest from the local community. We are still excepting enrolments and this can be done here.

Mark Jaenicke, Training & Performance Director says, this partnership is something to be proud of and we can now offer the local young people qualifications in one of the most exciting and important industries around the world.  The opportunities and skills learned through these courses are endless and we delighted to work with East Kent College.

We will then provide further qualifications which will either be full time or apprentices, like the SQA Maritime Catering and SQA Level 2 Diploma Deck Rating.

A full list of SQA marine related course can be found at https://www.maritimeskills.org/Qualifications

As the guests arrive at the 59th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2018 (FLIBS), an array of changes to form and function will offer a fresh approach to enjoying the largest in-water boat show in the world and an even more successful sales environment for exhibitors.

One of the most noteworthy changes to the 2018 show, set to take place October 31 to November 4, is the redesign and repositioning of the main entrance several hundred yards to the north end of the Bahia Mar Hotel and Marina property, along Seabreeze Boulevard, just south of the International Swimming Hall of Fame and Marina.

The brand new, professionally designed entrance will feature a plaza-like configuration, efficient security and a VIP and exhibitor gate.

The previous main entrance will be used for exhibitor move-in, move-out and other show logistics, improving access for both show guests and exhibitors.

“Informa is focused on evaluating the overall show experience and how FLIBS is perceived by people who arrive from many different places and spend time at the show each day,” said Informa U.S. Boat Shows General Manager Andrew Doole.

“First impressions are crucial, which is why we are creating a professionally designed, dedicated show entrance with a thoughtful layout and other elements of convenience for guests and exhibitors.”

Varied and easy to obtain food and drinks options are part of the plan, with emphasis on quality and convenience.

A new culinary provider will offer fresh, farm-to-plate fruits and vegetables, sustainable seafood, and natural, organic meats through partnerships with purveyors of locally-sourced, organic and sustainable products.

“Wherever you are in the show, and whether you want to grab a cold drink, a snack or a gourmet meal, we want it to be easy and satisfying,” added Doole.

Owned by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) and produced by Informa, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) is recognized as the largest in-water boat show in the world.

FLIBS spans more than three million square-feet of exhibit space across seven waterfront locations that are connected by an intricate network of water and ground transportation services.

The five-day show attracts approximately 110,000 attendees and 1,200 exhibitors representing 52 countries with more than 1,500 boats on display each November.

For more information, visit www.FLIBS.com.

Sarrah Macey, Global Superyacht Marketing – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/enhancements-planned-59th-annual-fort-lauderdale-boat-sarrah-macey/

Maritime Skills Academy is delighted to announce a new partnership with Ventus Workboats that sees us become its preferred training partner.

Directors of the two companies met at Seawork 2018 in Southampton and discovered an alignment of goals and a shared passion for high standards that naturally led on to partnership discussions. The brand new partnership with Ventus Workboats was agreed following the show.

Mark Jaenicke, Performance & Training Director at the MSA, commented:

“Working with Matt and the team at Ventus we can really get the word out locally and to industry partners that an organisation like the Maritime Skills Academy is here, ideally located on the Kent coast, supporting the maritime training needs of the southeast region and its booming offshore wind operations.”

Ventus Workboats was set up in 2014 by Matthew Lane, a former Royal Marine with over 13 years’ experience in the marine and renewables industry. The company offers a broad range of vessel, crew and project management needs.

Ventus Workboats is ISO 9001 certified and a member of the National Workboat Association.

The company can also provide IMCA’s Common Marine Inspection (CMID) and Marine Inspections of Small Workboats (MISW) audits, seen by many as the industry standard for due diligence safety audits of working vessels.

Matt Lane, owner director of Ventus Workboats, added:

“It’s great for Ventus to be aligned with one of the most professional training organisations that I have come across. Add to that the fact that here we have two Kent-based businesses supporting each other with local presence and awareness. Together we can keep training courses relevant by feeding in real-life scenarios, methods and technique on an ongoing basis. It’s a formula that works for all involved.”

Read more about Ventus Workboats and about what they do here.