Tag: Scholarships

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Local BV Islanders Graduate from Marine Training Programme

 

This past summer, two BV Islanders Recaldo Noel Jr and Shakudo Pickering graduated from the Marine Professional Training program at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Both men received full scholarships from Sailors for Hope and the Stanley Blaxton Foundation.  Noel and Shakudo were hired immediately out of their apprenticeship programs into Full Time employment into the Marine Sector.

Sailors for Hope congratulates Recaldo, Shakudo and all of the other graduates for a job well done.

Below is a letter, which we received the other day from the Marine Professional Training programme manager.

 Good morning Don,

Sincere thanks for your very kind support of Marine Professional Training (MPT) Level 1.

I’m very pleased (actually quite proud) to update you on Recaldo Noel, Jr and Shakudo Pickering, the MPT L1 Cohort 4 candidates sponsored by Sailors for Hope this past Spring 2022.

Both were hired immediately out of their Apprenticeships into Full Time employment in the Marine Sector.

This is precisely the outcome that I look for with our MPT L1 programmes- namely, that candidates are exposed to workforce opportunities, and employers have the chance to audit potential hires for entry-level roles in the marine industry.

As an update:

  • Recaldo is working F/T at Nanny Cay on their Marina Team.
  • Shakudo is working F/T at BVI Yacht Charters with their Technical Department.

What’s more, each of these young men has added to their workload a Community-based Part/Time engagement, fitting our Blue Economy model for resilient ecosystems and robust economies:

  • Shakudo works 10 hours / week for HLSCC’s Mangrove Nursery, assisting in the care and maintenance of mangrove seedlings as part of HLSCC’s coastal resilience initiative to protect our shorelines and juvenile fish habitats.
  • Recaldo was one of 5 MPT candidates that were hand-picked as instructors for Kids and the Sea (KATS), a cherished youth focused NPO that has been in the Territory for over 30 years.

Here is a lovely short video produced by one of our instructor trainers which features Recaldo (aka ‘Junior’) in a typical day at KATS: KATS Video by Cara Brown

Don, your support makes all the difference in these young people’s lives.

MPT Level 1, Cohort 5 is due to begin in January 2023. We are currently inteviewing candidates for enrollment and scholarships.

The MPT programme has attained tremendous fidelity in the BVI Community. For 12 spaces on Cohort 5, we’ve had over 40 applications!

Thank you to Sailors for Hope by helping our MPT candidates get their careers off to a great start!

With kind regards,

Matt

Matthew Holt | Marine Programme Manager

Centre for Applied Marine Studies (CAMS)P.O. Box 3097  |  Road Town, Tortola, VG1110  |  British Virgin IslandsMain: (284) 852-7000  |  Direct: (284) 852-7225  | mholt@hlscc.edu.vg  | www.hlscc.edu.vg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sailors For Hope Providing Scholarships for Locals

Sailors For Hope Provides Scholarships for Two BV Islanders

Sailors For Hope and the Stanley Blaxton Foundation are proud to have sponsered two scholarships for Maritime Training at the H. Lavity Stout Community College in Tortola. Each scholarship consists of a $5,500.00 tuition grant. The recipiants are Recaldo Noel and Shakudo Pickering both from Tortola. Noel and Pickering were amoung five locals to apply.

Marine Professional Training (MPT) is a gateway learning platform into the BVI Marine Industry. It is comprised of internationally accredited certifications as well as workplace apprenticeship learning.

The participants meet at the H. Lavity Stout Community College Marine Center or participating businesses for two months, all day, each day.

Classes for the fourth installment of the MPT Programme begin on February 21st with a cohort of twelve participants. Students study various asspect of the marine industry for 8 weeks and apprentice (on-the-job-training) with local marine industries for 8 weeks. The students receive a salary of $8.00 per hour for the duration of the program.

The program consists of eight modules. Each week a new module is presented to develop and refine specific skills required for successful marine professionals. These skills are benchmarked and certified through Local, Regional and International Agencies.

Modules include the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Essential Navigation and Seamanship (ENAS); Basic Safety Training; Fundamentals of Marine Service Technology (electrical, engine, electronics and plumbing); Fiber Glassing; Woodworking; Swimming and Water Safety; Customer Service; US Sailing Basic Keelboat Training; Watchkeeping for Seafarers training and Discover Scuba.

The participants benefit from presentations from a number of guest professionals/practitioners as well as receiving training through the International Convention on Standards of Training programme as well.

The funding for these scholarships was made available through generous donations to the Sailors For Hope General Fund.

 

Stanley Blaxton Foundation is a educational support foundations located in Chesapeake Virginia USA.

Sailors For Hope is a non-profit all-volunteer organization dedicated to fundraising for individuals and community projects impacted by natural and ecomomic disasters in maritime environments.