Top award for Pendennis Shipyard

5:38pm Friday 11th July 2008

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Yacht-builders Pendennis has sailed away with a prestigious Large Employer of the Year at the annual national Apprenticeship Awards.

Now in their fifth year, the Learning and Skills Council's Apprenticeship Awards are designed to recognise employers who are successfully using Apprenticeships to improve business performance and the key role apprentices play in today's business world, spanning the breadth of the economy from accountancy, engineering, construction and veterinary nursing.

Pendennis pioneered an Apprenticeship in Yacht Surface Finishing, the first qualification of its kind in the country.

Jill Carr, training manger at Pendennis champions the business benefits of apprentices said: "One of the main benefits of our Apprenticeship programme is that the apprentices inject skills, youth, longevity, and flexibility into our niche business. Apprenticeships help us mould employees, through training and on the job experience, thus providing us with the right level of skills and discipline."

Apprentice Pete Legg said: "It is great the company was recognised. It is important to know we are valued as employees and good to know we have got a future within a growing business."

Pendennis is now celebrating its Apprenticeships 10th anniversary, over this period around 100 young people from the local community have benefited from this training run in partnership with Cornwall College Business (CCB). Apprentices now account for 20 per cent of the company's workforce, who specialise in the construction and refit of luxury motor and sailing Yachts over 30m in length.

John Latham, Principal of Cornwall College Business (CCB), Pendennis' partner in the scheme further said: "This achievement is a reflection of the dedication Pendennis has shown to its apprenticeship programme. I am delighted that Pendennis has been recognised in this way and that the company can be an example to the rest of the UK of why working with apprentices is so important. Congratulations must also go to the team at CCB who have worked tirelessly on developing and delivering the high quality training that both Pendennis and the apprentices need."