A team of 17 young apprentices from Peel Ports Group will be challenged to find their sea legs later this month (June) as they take part in the inaugural Apprentice Ship Cup challenge, sailing from Liverpool to Whitehaven and back again.

Organised by the Merseyside Adventure Sailing Trust (MAST) the event will see 173 apprentices, aged between 16 and 25, put their sailing and team working skills to the test on board one of four specially commissioned tall ships.

Peel Ports Group has committed its support to the event, which is also backed by some of the largest businesses in the North West, including BAE Systems, Sellafield Limited and Cammel Laird.

Peel Ports believes that the competition will help apprentices develop their skills and the teams taking part consists of apprentices from across the group. They will be joined by mentors and Peel Ports employees John Chapman and Lee McFadden

The Apprentice Ship Cup is scheduled to run from June 07 – 28, 2014, during the International Festival of Business in Liverpool as part of the Mersey International River Festival. The race will sail to Whitehaven via Belfast, timed for its Maritime Festival, and return to Liverpool, with different sets of crews on each of the five day north and southbound legs.

Dave McEwan, Engineering Manager and apprenticeships co-ordinator at Peel Ports, said:

“Our apprentices are really important to us at Peel Ports and we have an extensive apprenticeship programme in place across all of our terminals.

“It is important to us that we help each and every one of them develop their career within the industry. We also encourage them to develop themselves as individuals, helping build their confidence, communication and team working skills, which are just as important as the technical skills.”

Peel Ports operates a successful and expanding apprenticeship programme employing over 40 apprentices across the Group, developing their skills in a range of mechanical and electrical engineering skills.

The group is currently engaged in a significant national investment programme, exemplified by its £300m Liverpool2 development, but also featuring significant capital expenditure across its various ports and shipping interests. Peel Ports believes that new investment in plant and facilities, along with an increasingly skilled workforce will enable them to deliver improved services for customers. Providing more and improved apprenticeships is key to business development.

Peel Ports training programmes are extremely effective, with apprentices going on to positive destinations upon completion, either with permanent roles within Peel Ports Group, or other positions within the industry.

Dave McEwan believes that the MAST Apprentice Ship Cup challenge, fits perfectly with the Group’s commitment to developing young talent.

He added:

“Events like this are a great way of helping us help our young apprentices, as it really does challenge them and encourage them to push themselves that little bit further – developing new skills they probably didn’t even know they had!

“They all seem very excited, and recognise the challenge ahead, but I have every faith that our apprentices will do us proud during the cup. Hopefully they will then become ambassadors for the Group and share their experience with other apprentice who can learn from them as well.”

Each of the teams will spend six nights and seven days on their designated tall ship. Under the watchful guidance and training of an experienced crew, they will work together in shifts to man all aspects of the ship from cleaning the deck to keeping watch, as well as some of the more physical tasks such as steering the sails and climbing the rigging.

The final ship will arrive into Liverpool on June 27 with a parade of Sail at the Pier Head Landing Stage at 11am before arriving at the Albert Dock.

Jim Graves, MAST chair said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get a taste of what this is all about and build up their character strengths. Besides the physical challenge, the crews will also develop skills in teamwork, leadership, communication and self-confidence.

“Peel Ports has offered extensive support to our work as a charity over the past few years and we value their continued support through the Apprentice Ship Cup.

“Thanks to the commitment of Peel Ports and the other sponsors, we will be able to move closer towards our goal of making Liverpool the tall ships capital of the north – making it an attractive business prospect.”

To take part each apprentice needs to raise £400 and Peel Ports has set up a dedicated JustGiving page to help raise the required funds: http://www.justgiving.com/john-chapman1972