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| Class
of March 2011
Student
Profiles & Boat Diaries
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Phillip Ambler |
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| Phillip visited the Academy five years ago with
his son, who was thinking of joining the 38 week course. His
son decided to go to university, but Phillip, a GP in Oxfordshire
for 27 years, felt that he had found something in which he could
engross himself on retirement that would be as fascinating as
medical school. Phillip has now retired, apart from trips to
help with cataract surgery for Burmese refugees, and would like
to work building and maintaining boats for people who have neither
the time nor the skills to do it themselves. |
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| Mark Ashman |
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| Mark worked in the pub industry for 13 years -
the last three as landlord of the Three Elms in Sherborne. Mark
sold the pub just before the course started in March, has relocated
to the area and is ready for a brand new start. We first met
Mark's partner, teacher Esther, when she visited one of her
students who was on work experience at the Academy. |
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| Ken Bromage |
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Having
served in the Royal Navy for 25 years, Ken decided it
was time for a complete change and believed the 38 week course
would be an excellent opportunity to take him in a new direction.
Ken
aspires to establish a co-operative to promote sustainable
fishing using traditionally designed fishing boats, employing
young ex service men and women.
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| Shane Butcher |
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Shane, a BEng (Hons)
in Civil Engineering, has worked in the construction industry
for over 18 years, predominantly within nuclear licensed sites,
but most recently gaining experience in the water sector whilst
working as a design liaison engineer for Black & Veatch.
With a keen passion for sailing, woodwork and D.I.Y., Shane
came to the Academy from Torpoint in Cornwall to bring all
of those interests together in learning the craft of boat
building.
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| David Campbell |
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| So far David has spent his working life in construction,
starting as a site engineer in the North East of England before
gaining a BSc in Civil Engineering from Salford. Last year he
retired from his job as Site Manager for Blenheim House Construction
and took a Lofting course with Jack Chippendale near his home
in Norfolk, having already decided to come down to Lyme Regis
to join the 38 week course. David will work in the marine industry
after he finishes the course. |
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| Ben Dixon |
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Ben travelled 431 miles from Glasgow
, Scotland to join us here at the Academy. Ben most
recently worked as an Endoscope Decontamination Technician
for NHS Scotland but has always dreamed of working in the
marine industry. His newly found skills at the Academy will
help turn his aspirations into reality. He would love to buy
and live on his own boat one day.
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| Ryan Johnson |
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One
of the youngest members of the group, Ryan joined the Academy
from Leicester where he worked in the motor industry, most
recently as Apprentice Manager for a Vehicle Auction Group.
He has 'dabbled' a bit in woodworking but wants to take his
skills to another level. He enjoys Sailing and just about
anything to do with boats and water.
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| Jackson Pottle |
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| Jackson, the youngest member of the group, joined
the course from Cheshire where he recently finished his 'A'
Levels. He chose the course as an alternative to university
as he feels the practical nature of the course is appropriate
for him and the skills will give him a good future career. |
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| Christian Skeels |
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Christian
joined us from Harrogate Borough Council where he was part
of their Local Development Framework team. Christian's farther
was a joiner and some of Christian's earliest memories are
of being in his farther's workshop. Sailing was a childhood
passion but Christian suffered terrible sea sickness. Five
years ago he decided he would rather sail sick than not at
all and has now sailed in Scotland, Norway and on the East
coast where he is a member of the Humber Yawl Club. Christian
is also an enthusiastic canoeist (open and kayak) and was
an Instructor at the York Canoe Club.
Christian will sail
his yacht 'Athaena', a Maurice Griffiths designed Eventide
that he worked on every weekend for a year, down to Lyme Regis
where she will be moored while he is on the course. |
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| Rob Stewart |
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| Rob has worked as an Assistant Factory Manager
for Bennett Surfboards in Australia, a beach Lifeguard in Devon,
a self-employed Handyman, A full-time athlete at the University
of London Rowing Club and most recently as a Geography teacher.
Very keen on water sports Rob has surfed and rowed for a number
of years. In July 2010 he took time out from teaching to cycle
4808 miles from New York to San Francisco via most of Southern
Canada. View his adventures here.
Rob has completed a City & Guilds Carpentry and Joinery
qualification and will make a new career out of the skills he
learns at the Academy.
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| Derek Thompson |
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| Originally
from Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness Derek lived in Australia
and the USA before settling down to work as an IT engineer
for many years and as a ski instructor at Hemel Hempstead
ski slope. On his retirement from Dacorum Borough Council
he and his wife decided they were too far from the sea and
moved to Seaton in Devon.
We first met Derek
when he and his brother walked past the Academy and asked
to have a look around the workshops. Derek originally intended
joining the West Greenland Kayak building course, but the
decided to bite the bullet and go the full 38 weeks.
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| Michael Tyler |
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| Michael lives in Sidmouth, just along the coast
from Lyme Regis. After travelling Australia and the Far East
in 2009 he returned and started a career in a high street bank
as a customer adviser, but his heart belonged to boat building
and the Boat Building Academy, where he has wanted to study
for years. His keen interest in boat building stems from his
time studying sculpture at Art College, where he made great
use of driftwood as a medium. He is now putting all his energies
into fulfilling his dream of becoming a boat builder. |
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| James Winterbourne |
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James,
one of the youngest of the group at 19, left school with 9
GCSE's and 3 A Levels and decided university just wasn't for
him. He started working as a Technical Support Assistant for
Calendar Club in Exeter , but had a change of heart and decided
to gain work experience at Cronite Casting Ltd. James assisted
in various departments including wax moulds, pattern fixing
and CAD. This is where he discovered he wanted to build boats
for a career. He hopes the skills learnt from the 38 week
course will help him fulfill this dream. |
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| Printable Documents |
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| Contact Us |
Telephone:
+44 (0) 1297 445545 |
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