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Graduate Case Studies

WHAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE GONE ON TO ACHIEVE

The student case studies show what a representative sample of people have gone on to do after longer courses and how they have used their skills after the course. Graduates of the 40-week Boat Building and 12-week Furniture Making courses have gone on to work in all aspects of boat building and woodworking industries.

Some have gone to work for industry leaders and prestigous yards in the UK and beyond, whilst others have chosen to set up businesses of their own. Others have utilised the transferrable skills of the course to embark on careers in woodworking and furniture making.

Graduates are working at, to name a few, Spirit Yachts, Elephant Boatyard, Cockwells, Sunseeker and T. Nielsen and Co. and Douglas Marine.

Boat Building
Ben C

Ben Tcharny is a bespoke furniture maker and joiner, based in South London. Creating and making furniture is a passion that can be judged from both the originality of the design and the quality of the finished article…

Boat Building
Lee U

Lee says ‘The course was a great foundation for working at Douglas Marine, but it is hard work being thrown in at the deep end.  There are so many boats that you need years of experience to be fully rounded.  But the BBA course is very well regarded and my boss is keen to get other Boat Building Academy graduates on board.’

Boat Building
Geoff B

He found the course to be an extraordinary experience and really did not want to leave. Since graduating from the Academy, Geoff has secured a workshop (easily accommodating a couple of 18-foot boats) near Dorchester and set up ‘Bowker Marine Services’.

Boat Building
Keith M

Following the course Keith established his own business, Daydream Boats, just to the south of Bristol. His first project was the major restoration of a 1920 International Twelve dinghy ‘Waterfly’, built in North Wales. On completion ‘Waterfly’ and her restoration were featured in both ‘Watercraft’ and ‘Classic Boat’ magazines.

Laure M

Before joining the 12-week Woodworking Skills course, Laure worked as an oilfield engineer on rigs and platforms before she worked her way

Furniture Making
Alex C

Alex Cunningham gave up the city and his job as an Architectural Engineering Consultant to develop his woodworking from a hobby to

Boat Building
Tom O

Tom joined the Weymouth Canoe Lifeguards at 13 and went on to work as a lifeguard and activity instructor for PGL in

Furniture Making
Tom Z

Before joining the Academy Tom worked in a variety of roles in the TV and film industry, although he had always been

Boat Building
Brian R

Brian started rebuilding Land Rovers at 13.  At 16 his school arranged a week’s work experience at Henwood and Dean and Brian’s ambition

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