By Kenicia Francis
A local maritime school is offering packages with special rates for the country’s fisherfolk to get certified.
“We see that there is a lack of certification and training amongst a lot of persons in Antigua who operate vessels,” said Attie Desouza, an intern at the Second Star Sailing told Observer.
“What we decided to do this year was to create special packages for fisherfolks, the fishermen and women in Antigua, because to operate a vessel you’re supposed to have the proper certification and stuff like that. So, we saw the need for it and created a package to offer to them locally. It includes the Royal Yachting Academy (RYA) VHF course, a first aid course, and also the boat master course.”
She also explained the internship she’s currently a part of with the school, saying: “It’s something they do each year. They offer a Woman at the Helm internship programme where they choose two women and basically provide comprehensive knowledge of sailing in the industry. They also offer the two interns a spot to do certain courses to get their certification, and involve them in the day-to-day operation of the school. Whether it be in maintenance of the boats, or just practical sailing. They also allow the interns to participate in races. This year, myself and the other intern were involved in Sailing Week.”
Second Star is also interested in partnering with schools across the island to provide students with the opportunity to see how a vessel works.
“Recently, we were involved in the Maritime Showcase in December, where schools came and we were able to basically showcase what else the school does. A lot of the kids were like ‘oh you’re showing us this, but can this be done in Antigua?’ So, we’re really trying to highlight the different jobs that are available locally,” Desouza said.
“From that Showcase, we also had Saint Mary’s [secondary school]. Actually, for their career day, a group of students and teachers came to the base. They were able to go on the boat, see how the it operates. They were able to tie knots with us and ask certain questions. We’re really just trying to sensitise the public that there are other options in terms of jobs in Antigua and Barbuda.”
The Second Star Sailing school is located in Jolly Harbour, and typically offers RYA certifications and a wide range of sailing courses, for example, skipper competent crew and coastal skipper.
