In partnership with Southampton City College, Island RIBs have taken on their first apprentice. Lewis Wilde will officially begin his four year apprenticeship leading to NVQ level 3 boatbuilding in September but will spend the next few months working with the team, gaining valuable experience. Alex Cottle, technical director, believes that taking on an apprentice will be beneficial to the company: “we are a company that wants to grow a skilled and committed workforce rather than rely on subcontractors. We see an apprenticeship scheme as vital to that aim. We hope that any apprentice who trains with us will be offered employment on successful completion of their training.”