Engineering a career at sea
Local students with an enthusiasm for engineering discovered more about the excellent career prospects offered by the Merchant Navy, during a recent visit to Southampton Solent University’s Warsash Maritime Academy (WMA).
More than twenty students from Quilley Technical College - studying for the Eastleigh Consortium Level 2 Engineering Diploma – were given a taste of the practical training and development undertaken by marine engineering officer cadets at the world renowned maritime training facility.
They observed some of the life saving training activities undertaken at the Academy’s Fire School and Lifesaving Pier, before being given a tour of the engineering workshops.
The young engineering enthusiasts were particularly interested in the comprehensive arrangement of lathes and milling machines in the John Thorneycroft Workshop, and the activities – linked closely to their own studies - carried out in the Electro-Technical Officers workshop.
As well as informative talks by some of the Academy’s academics and instructors, WMA Engineer Officer Cadets Tim Macleod and Sam Richardson hosted a Q&A session for the visitors. Pauline Lane, Fleet Personnel Officer for Carnival UK, also gave a presentation and answered the students questions on maritime careers.
Geoff Shaw, Lecturer in Engineering at the Eastleigh College said: "Visiting Warsash Maritime Academy was an excellent opportunity to understand the training that is required for a career at sea. It gave the students an insight into the maritime industry and feedback was very positive. Hopefully some will now consider it as a potential career path.”