Shipwright Apprentice

Summary

Join a skilled team restoring classic wooden boats in Chichester Harbour. Learn traditional shipwright skills like repairs, fittings, and varnish prep. Ideal for hands-on, enthusiastic individuals with a passion for boats.

Wage

£15,704 to £25,396.80, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Boatbuilder (level 3)

Hours

Monday - Friday, 8.00am - 4.30pm. Tea break at 10.00am and 30 minutes for lunch at 1.00pm.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 8 September 2025

Duration

3 years 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Using and maintaining hand tools
Assisting fellow Shipwrights
Repair activies such as cutting scarf joints, plank and timber frame repairs
Working on hull and skin fittings

Where you'll work

ATCOST 1
BIRDHAM SHIPYARD BIRDHAM
CHICHESTER
WEST SUSSEX
PO20 7BG

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

SOUTH HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE GROUP

Your training course

Boatbuilder (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Communicate verbally and non-verbally with others for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Apply customer service principles and techniques.
Apply health and safety procedures and safe systems of work.
Identify and document hazards and risks in the workplace. Apply control measures.
Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
Apply environmental and sustainability procedures for example, segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
Follow standard operational procedures when carrying out work processes.
Interpret information - paper based or electronic. For example, drawings and designs, formulae, risk assessments, manufacturers' documentation, and repair specifications.
Produce, prepare, label, use, maintain and store plugs and moulds.
Produce, prepare, label, use, maintain and store jigs and templates.
Apply manufacturing techniques to boats such as yachts, workboats or superyachts.
Apply repair techniques to existing boats such as yachts, workboats or superyachts.
Apply surface finishes such as varnishes, paints, and gel coats.
Select, use, and store materials and consumables.
Apply surface finishing methods and techniques such as polishing.
Select, use, and store equipment, hand tools and machinery.
Apply continuous improvement and problem solving techniques.
Conduct tests and checks when performing boatbuilding work operations.
Apply techniques and principles of maintaining the workplace environment to restore the work area.
Record and document information - paper based or electronic. For example, job sheets, risk assessments, process records, test results, handover documents and original equipment manufacturers' (OEM) documentation.
Apply routine maintenance and servicing techniques to equipment and tools.
Apply techniques and principles of protecting surfaces, components and structures during all stages of work operations.
Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
Apply team working principles.
Plan own work.
Communicate verbally and non-verbally with others for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Apply customer service principles and techniques.
Apply health and safety procedures and safe systems of work.
Identify and document hazards and risks in the workplace. Apply control measures.
Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
Apply environmental and sustainability procedures for example, segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
Follow standard operational procedures when carrying out work processes.
Interpret information - paper based or electronic. For example, drawings and designs, formulae, risk assessments, manufacturers' documentation, and repair specifications.
Produce, prepare, label, use, maintain and store plugs and moulds.
Produce, prepare, label, use, maintain and store jigs and templates.
Apply manufacturing techniques to boats such as yachts, workboats or superyachts.
Apply repair techniques to existing boats such as yachts, workboats or superyachts.
Apply surface finishes such as varnishes, paints, and gel coats.
Select, use, and store materials and consumables.
Apply surface finishing methods and techniques such as polishing.
Select, use, and store equipment, hand tools and machinery.
Apply continuous improvement and problem solving techniques.
Conduct tests and checks when performing boatbuilding work operations.
Apply techniques and principles of maintaining the workplace environment to restore the work area.
Record and document information - paper based or electronic. For example, job sheets, risk assessments, process records, test results, handover documents and original equipment manufacturers' (OEM) documentation.
Apply routine maintenance and servicing techniques to equipment and tools.
Apply techniques and principles of protecting surfaces, components and structures during all stages of work operations.
Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
Apply team working principles.
Plan own work.

Your training plan

Boatbuilder Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard:

Training will take place both on the job at Birdham Pool Marina and off the job at Southampton College, attending on either a block or day release model
You'll benefit from expert teaching and cutting-edge facilities at the College’s new Centre of Excellence for Maritime

More training information

Learn on the job and at college, gaining hands-on experience with:

Hulls, decks & framework construction
Carpentry, plumbing, welding & electrics
Using tools, jigs, templates & technical drawings
Working with wood, composites & metals
Safe practices & problem solving

You'll gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours to become a qualified Boat Builder, combining college learning with real-world experience.

Requirements

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Team working
Creative
Initiative
Physical fitness
Hand skills
Interest in Marine field
Enthusiasm
Punctual

Other requirements

You will have to commute daily to Chichester Harbour and attend college in Southampton.

About this company

Tim Gilmore first began restoring, repairing and maintaining wooden boats from Dolphin Quay in Emsworth, 1996. After much hard work and dedication, the level of business steadily increased until he was able to employ a small team of talented shipwrights on a full time basis. This eventually led to the business moving to its current location in Birdham Pool, where they are able to offer a large, well equipped shed with full in-house facilities, as well as use of the neighbouring marina’s boatyard capabilities. Over the years, as traditional shipwrights, they have worked on many fine wooden vessels of different types and class, for customers who recognise and appreciate that often a lot of work is necessary to look after them as ‘custodians’ for future generations.

https://www.timgilmore.co.uk/about/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

To be a permanent employee of the business, forging a long and successful career as a Shipwright

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