New ICS programme targets schools

26 Sep 2014 - by Adele Mackenzie

Last week saw the launch by
the Institute of Chartered
Shipbrokers (ICSB) South
Africa of a new education
programme, High Tide.
It's designed to create
awareness among school
children of the shipping
industry and to highlight
the various career path
possibilities. The High
Tide programme includes
an eight-week afterschool
cadet training
programme, a 12-week
pre-employment
programme to
prepare pupils for
apprenticeships
and/or
employment, as
well as a two-week
work placement
scheme over the
holidays.
Bruce Ogilvy,
vice president of the
ICSB, told
FTW that the programme
was first launched in the
north east of England
18 months ago where
unemployment is about
40%.
The programme started
with 12 students from one
school and now has 200
school children from eight
schools participating,
said Ogilvy, noting that
the participating schools’
principals will select
the pupils they think
are eligible, or have the
potential, to participate.
“The children come
from underprivileged
backgrounds and
have no concept of the
shipping industry and the
employment and training
opportunities it offers,”
commented Ogilvy, adding
that once
they’re enrolled in the
programme, the children show
diligence and commitment.
He recounted a story of a
16-year-old girl who showed
great promise as a student
but dropped
out of school
and became
addicted
to drugs.
Her school
principal
recommended
her for the
programme
and she
managed to
get drug-free
while working
on work placement
programme on board a
cargo ship travelling from
the UK to Russia. “She is
now enrolled in one of the
advanced ICSB courses and
intends to make a career in
the shipping industry,” said
Ogilvy.
Some South African
schools are already offering
shipping programmes so
it made sense to launch
it here, noted Ogilvy.
He added that the ICSB
had seen a 10% rise in
demand for ICSB training
worldwide, with 2 600
students completing some
form of training last year.