Teach Maritime Skills From Second Form
At a July 30, 2026 workshop in Sea Cows Bay, marine industry leader Wintz urged the Virgin Islands to introduce structured, school-based marine training starting in second form so students build real experience before leaving school. He said workshops alone are insufficient and highlighted apprenticeship programmes like VIPCA’s Marine Apprenticeship as models to bridge the gap between education and charter-sector jobs.
At a workshop hosted by District Three and former House of Assembly speaker Julian Willock on Thursday, July 30, 2026, marine industry leader Wintz called for a formal, school-based pipeline into the Virgin Islands’ charter and marine sectors. Thomas Community Centre in Sea Cows Bay, Tortola, brought together industry practitioners, college representatives and shipping registry officials to discuss careers, scholarships, resume writing, professional dress and labour rights in the marine field.
Wintz presented on career pathways and argued that one-off workshops will “amount to much” only if paired with structured training inside schools. “We have to start this program in the schools. If you're in high school, they still start from second form on Fridays and Saturdays. They come into the marine industry,” Wintz said, urging that students begin engaging with hands-on marine work while still in school so they graduate with experience and a track record.
Wintz framed the approach as a realistic route for students who may not pursue university degrees in law or medicine but want a marketable skill they can earn from. He said employers in the territory’s charter sector want résumés backed by real, practical experience and that hiring managers prefer to assess trainees over two to three years rather than seeing empty résumés after graduation. “You can wait until you finish school, then come looking for a job.
Current job listings in the BVI for crew, captains, marine technicians and yacht services managers often list prior charter or marine-operations experience as a requirement. Wintz pointed to training pipelines such as the Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association’s (VIPCA) Marine Apprenticeship and other vocational initiatives as examples of how schools, industry and training institutions can work together to produce job-ready young people.
Local residents and business owners say a coordinated school-to-work programme could help reduce youth unemployment, fill persistent skills gaps in the yachting and tourism sectors, and keep more of the economic benefits of marine activity in the Territory. Wintz’s call underscores a broader push for education and industry collaboration so the BVI’s vital marine economy can continue to grow with a well-trained local workforce.
Primary source: VINO