Grand Bahama Shipyard announces New Apprenticeship Programme with COB

Wed, Aug 5th 2015, 03:20 PM

During a ceremony held last week, Grand Bahama Shipyard (GBS) announced their revamped apprenticeship programme in conjunction with The College of The Bahamas (COB) where all future apprentices will graduate from the programme with an associate degree.

“The Grand Bahama Shipyard is extremely pleased about our new partnership with College of The Bahamas and we are happy to be able to now offer our apprentices an Associate Degree in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technology upon completion of their academic training,” said Katherine Smith, Director of Human Resources and Community Relations.

“This program will continue to have a very strong practical component and the Shipyard is also improving how we deliver the practical training to the students.”

GBS invited the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald to give remarks at the ceremony where he noted, “The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology welcomes partnerships that will benefit our students academically, particularly young people.

This programme will have social and financial benefits and participants will be able to take advantage of this programme for career advancement.”

Last year, the apprenticeship programme celebrated their 10th graduation ceremony and the programme has trained over 100 young Bahamians since its inception in 2001.

The Shipyard continues to develop the apprenticeship programme as it provides opportunities for young Bahamians in the maritime industry.

“We have been working on this apprenticeship programme for many years and it’s been a continually evolving process and this is the next step in the process,” said Reuben Byrd, Acting President and COO at GBS.

“The young men and women involved in this will now have an associate degree and if they choose they can go on to obtain a bachelor’s degree and they will have the opportunity to go anywhere in the world to work because they will have the skills, the knowledge and the job experience to do so.”

GBS looks forward to this new partnership with COB and hopes that young Bahamians will take advantage of this opportunity to become skilled in the maritime industry.

About GB Shipyard

Located on Grand Bahama Island in the Freeport Maritime Centre, 73 miles east of Florida, Grand Bahama Shipyard is one of the biggest ship repair companies in the region. With 3 floating docks that feature all the capabilities and resources for dry-docking, repairs, upgrades and conversions of ships, as well as the ability to fabricate marine structures. GB Shipyard is now also ready to take on fabrication projects, especially for offshore industry. Learn more at www.gbshipyard.com

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