Ten young people are finding their sea legs on board their first ships as part of Caledonian MacBrayne’s trainee programme.
Beating nationwide competition for their coveted places, the group, ranging in age from 17 to 25, is the second intake to take part in the company’s Merchant Navy Training Board ratings training scheme. The three-year programme is divided into five stages which includes a mixture of classroom and on-vessel learning, with the classroom element being delivered by South Tyneside College in South Shields.
The initiative, delivered in partnership with the Rail and Maritime Union (RMT), is approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and provides the trainees with an internationally recognised qualification. The group is comprised of Deck Rating trainees and Engine Rating trainees.
The trainees recently joined their first ships, which include MVs Lord of the Isles, Isle of Mull, Hebrides and Hebridean Isles, after completing the first classroom section of the programme at South Shields College. While there, each trainee received instruction in the areas common to all sea-going roles with CalMac, including survival, first aid and firefighting.
They are now spending a period of 60 days’ sea time on board their new vessels to gain important practical experience in specialist deck or engineering roles. This part of the programme sees the trainees work a rota of five days on, two days off or two weeks on and two weeks off – depending on which route and ship they are berthed.
Adam MacIntyre, 17, from Oban, is one of the youngest to undertake the training programme and was attracted to apply after seeing how important a role CalMac plays in his local community. The former Oban High School pupil, who is a deck trainee, is currently working on the MV Isle of Mull.
He said: “When you live in Oban, it’s impossible not to see the impact which CalMac has on the town and the other communities it serves. None of my family has ever worked at sea but I did spend a summer season working for CalMac at the pier so I know it’s a good company to work for. It’s early days in the training programme but I’m really enjoying it and we all get on well together. I’m not familiar with all the roles available with CalMac yet but it’s my aim to progress through the company as far as I can.”
CalMac’s traineeship has been widely praised both within and outwith the industry, with the initial intake from 2013 having previously been invited to the Scottish Parliament to meet the Transport Minister.
Megan MacDonald, 18, from South Uist, is an engineering trainee based on the MV Lord of the Isles. She applied to the programme as she wanted a sustainable career within the island community.
She said: “I’ve always been interested in engineering and when this opportunity came up, it was too good to miss. It offers long-term career prospects without having to move far away from home. CalMac has a great reputation locally of looking after its employees and it’s my aim to be with the company for a long time.”
The other trainees from this group come from a range of communities across Scotland, including Greenock, Harris, Inverkip, Lewis and Wishaw.
After completing this period of training at sea, the trainees will return to South Shields College for stage three of the programme, followed by more time at sea and a final assessment stage at the college.
Stephen Horne, learning partner at CalMac, said: “We are pleased to be welcoming our second intake of deck and engineering trainees to CalMac. We are already seeing the benefits which trainees bring to the company as the enthusiasm of last year’s group is already being felt on the vessels on which they’re serving.
“It is particularly gratifying that we receive so many applications from the communities which we serve as it means our reputation for developing and supporting our employees is well known. We look forward to seeing these latest recruits develop during the next three years and hopefully going on to become members of the CalMac team.”