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FACT SHEET - LAWHILL MARITIME STUDIES - APRIL 2012
Background /history
- Safmarine jointly pioneered the Maritime Studies programme in 1995, along with Brian Ingpen and the Department of Education. A pilot programme began in 1996 and the programme was formally established in 1997.
- The aim of the maritime studies programme is to attract young learners to the shipping industry, stimulate maritime awareness among young people and provide the industry with motivated new entrants equipped with a range of maritime-related knowledge and skills.
- Lawhill's maritime studies programme is a rather 'unique' programme because it is one of very few examples of an industry/company playing a role, at secondary school level, in providing industry-focused education which improves the school leaver's chances of finding employment.
Third party Comments/Quotes
"Simon's Town's maritime studies programme is not only unique in South Africa or Africa but is also possibly the only facility of its kind in the world. It's a model for the successful partnerships that can be established in education." - Premier of the Western Cape in 2010, Helen Zille, speaking at the opening of the new Lawhill Centre in March 2010.
"Many schools do a good job of educating the youth, but few schools prepare young learners for a career. A school such as the Simons Town High Maritime Studies programme is exactly what South Africa needs considering the country's high levels of unemployment." - Sean Day, South-African born chairman of the Teekay Corporation, speaking at the opening of the new Lawhill Centre in March 2010.
"This facility would one day provide a solid job, decent pay and a bright future for talented young people from less advantaged backgrounds. The Lawhill Maritime Centre gives children from these backgrounds a safe, comfortable place to study towards a career in an industry that needs them. There is no better way to help young people than to give them an education." - Ms Susan Karlshoej, Chairlady of the TK Foundation and daughter of the founder of the Teekay Corporation, speaking at the opening of the new Lawhill Centre in March 2010.
About the programme:
- The Lawhill Maritime Centre at Simon's Town School is currently the only school in South Africa offering two streams of maritime study that help prepare young people for careers within the maritime industry.
- Learners who begin the course with little background - some not even having seen the sea or a ship at close quarters - emerge with a range of knowledge and skills that makes them immediately employable in the shipping industry. The two study streams are Maritime Economics and Nautical Science (see end of document for more details on these two streams). *
- Upon finishing the maritime studies course at Lawhill Maritime Centre and a further year specialising in navigation or marine engineering, young South Africans can embark on a sea-going career as cadets or ratings on merchant vessels (containerships, tankers, bulk carriers or tugs) or follow a career ashore in various fields such as liner operations, port operations, ship's agents, shipbrokers, the clearing and forwarding sector and bunkering, amongst others.
- The Lawhill maritime studies programme is aimed at Grade 10 to 12 learners (ages 15 to 17/18 years). Learners come from all over South Africa, drawn from the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng.
- Students at the Lawhill Maritime Centre come from all walks of life but having the educational facility and an ongoing generous bursary type sponsorship from Safmarine and others, means a levelling out of opportunities for all, and young people from the less privileged communities are no longer denied the opportunity of considering the maritime industry as a career path.
- The Maritime Studies Department currently provides instruction for around 60 day students and 51 boarders.
- The Maritime Studies Programme has been recognised internationally - for example, it won the Lloyds List 'Salute to Youth and Training' Award in 1999. In April 2012 it was shortlisted for a SEATRADE award.
About Safmarine's involvement:
- Safmarine has funded the maritime programme since its inception in 1995.
- Safmarine provides financial assistance/bursaries which makes it possible for many learners from disadvantaged communities to participate in the programme.
- Safmarine not only pioneered the programme but continues to provide ongoing funding.
Safmariners - retired and present employees - also act as guest lecturers.
Success stories/Role models:
A number of former Lawhill students have embarked on successful careers in the maritime industry.
Lawhill expects to soon celebrate the first past student to obtain his Master (foreign-going) Certificate and another to obtain his Chief Engineer's Certificate (these announcements are expected 2012/3)
Examples of other success stories (as at April 2012):
- Kelly Klaasen (class of 2006) became Safmarine's first female engineering cadet in 2010. She graduated from the programme with distinction and was awarded a Safmarine bursary to study marine engineering. She current serves as Fourth Engineer. Kelly also won the 2010 inaugural SAMSA Seafarer of the Year award.
- Mtobeli Krwabasini (class of 2005) is a Second Engineer at Smit Amandla Marine and is currently completing sea time to obtain is Chief Engineer's certificate.
- Thobela Gqabu (class of 2000) - is a deck officer with Unicorn Shipping on the South Africa coast. He is on track to becoming Lawhill's first Master Mariner.
- Paulette Maswanganyi, is a navigation cadet and is currently serving aboard a 40000-deadweight products tanker.
- Nicole Gouvias is a third navigating officer with Maersk Line and is currently studying for her Chief Officer's ticket.
- In 2006, fifteen-year-old Musa Mbakaza joined the Lawhill programme from his home deep in the interior of South Africa, and later went to sea as a cadet. He has since obtained his Second Mate's and Mate's tickets.
Comments from students:
- Zusiphe Mzotho, a current Grade 10 learner and General Botha/Safmarine bursary holder, says "I grew up in a township near Durban and never knew anything about this industry; I didn't even know a maritime industry existed in South Africa. Lawhill Maritime Centre has helped to open the doors to a future I could never have dreamt of and the course at Lawhill has taught me discipline, punctuality and responsibility - and that accomplishment is a hard journey and not a destination." Speaking at the 2011 awards ceremony.
- Doctor Dlamini, Simon's Town High School Head Boy in 2010, "Lawhill Maritime Centre signifies the opening of opportunities in South Africa." Speaking at the opening of Lawhill Maritime Centre in 2010.
The Lawhill Maritime Centre - the building/structure:
- Boarders (out of town learners) were initially housed in a container-based building built in 1997 using 47 containers donated by Safmarine. The container structure was replaced by a brick and mortar structure, the Lawhill Maritime Centre, in March 2010, sponsored mainly by the TK Foundation.
The containers - which had already spent many years at sea before they were 'retired' and re-used in the building of Lawhill House - began to corrode despite ongoing maintenance. It was decided to rebuild the structure and to combine the teaching and accommodation of the learners in one larger, more weather-resistant facility. A larger facility was also needed to accommodate the growing number of learners interested in Maritime Studies. Some of the containers from the original structure were re-donated to charities in the Simons Town area.
- Lawhill Maritime Centre was officially opened on March 17, 2010 by Premier Helen Zille, Premier of the Western Cape.
The new Lawhill Maritime Centre comprises:
- Accommodation for 52 students as well as supervisory staff.
- A custom-built classroom for each of the two maritime subjects. One of the classrooms contains computers with several navigational training programmes and other programmes to complement the students' classroom experience, as well as internet access.
- A maritime resource centre that houses a library of shipping, books, magazines and more.
- A dining saloon, galley and mess decks and a sun deck for students' leisure time.
General - Safmarine CSI - Awards and Recognition:
In 1992 - 20 years ago - Safmarine pioneered the 'Containers in the Community' programme involving the re-use of seafreight containers, 'retired' from ocean-going service, into permanent, land-based structures. Thousands of containers have been converted since the project began two decades ago. The majority of projects have focused on education and skills development.
For this initiative Safmarine has received ...
• the Lloyd's List Award 'for creativity of using containers'
• Education Africa's 'Presidential and Premier Education Award';
• and the Professional Management Review Award, 'Uniqueness of Container Programme'.
The programme has also been recognised by the South African Government, with awards presented by the South African Department of Transport.
Safmarine has also been involved in various container-related projects in the rest of Africa, including a school in Zambia (and one being built in Zimbabwe) as well as a Cocoa Skills Development Programme in Ghana and a community library in Senegal, amongst others.
Other former Lawhill students - where are they now?
According to information made available to Lawhill on Facebook:
* Ainsley Olivier - Third Mate, Stena Tankers
* Aldine White - Senior Berthing Master at Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA).
* Aubrey Miller - Second Mate, Smit Amandla Marine, currently studying for his chief Mate's and Master ticket at CPUT.
* Blondie Jobela - Engineer Cadet, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
* Brent Jacobs - Navigating cadet at Seaspan.
* Calvin Scholtz is completing his Masters' degree at UCT.
* Craig Pillay - Third Mate, Safmarine/Maersk Line, currently studying for this Chief Mate and Masters ticket, CPUT.
* Craig Scholtz - is an Engineering Cadet at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and a Safmarine bursar.
* Emildene Michaels - Second Mate, Safmarine/Maersk Line.
* Gerald Bradbury - Oiler, Safmarine/Maersk Line.
* James Germishuys - Engineering cadet on Maersk/Safmarine ships.
* Jason Ebing - Rig Mechanic at Saipem.
* Johannes Delport - Second Year, Electronics Engineering, University of Stellenbosch.
* Londokuhle Mvakade - about to complete engineer cadetship with Safmarine - to qualify as Watcheeping Engineer.
* Lourens Delport - Final year, Mechanical Engineering, University of Stellenbosch.
* Lungelo Hopa - SMC Assistant at SAMSA (mrcc).
* Masilakha Tshangana - Obtained B Comm - Auditing - Nelson Mandela University.
* Shuneen Van Niekerk - Deck Cadet, TNPA.
* Sizwe Mavundla - Third Mate, Stena Tankers.
* Snikiwe Msezane - Navigating Cadet at CPUT - Smit Amandla Marine bursary.
* Thando Mkwanazi - Completing B Comm (Hons) - Finance - University of Johannesburg.
* Tseko Mashifane is a highy successful architect. Tseko is a former Safmarine bursar.
* Tylen February - Career in logistics.
* Wahseem Vincent - Deck Cadet at Klaveness Ship Management AS.
* Yonda Ndiki is a procurement and logistics coordinator at Weatherford (for the Sub-Sahara region in Africa oil industry).
* .. and many others in interesting, worthwhile careers in the shipping industry, ashore and at sea.
More about Lawhill's two study streams: *
Maritime Economics includes maritime geography, ship operations, port studies, maritime trade patterns, the bunker trade, ships' agency procedures, ship-broking, cargo clearing, and maritime ecology; and
Nautical Science prepares students for sea-going careers and covers seamanship, coastal and astro-navigation, ship construction, cargo stowage, ship stability, maritime meteorology and various other aspects of marine science.
ends
Spokesperson/s: Brian Ingpen - head of the Lawhill Maritime Centre - Tel + 27 21 786 2106 Mobile 0762239418. Safmarine's Grant Daly/Jonathan Horn (contactable via Media Manager, Debbie Owen + 27 21 788 9962).
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