Trinity House MN Scholarship Scheme celebrates 20 years

The Corporation of Trinity House became involved in the training of young people for careers at sea as far back as1673, with the foundation of a Mathematical School at Christ’s Hospital in Newgate in the City of London for the instruction of 40 boys in navigation to “form a nursery for the sea and provide masters for the fleet”.

These boys were very much the concern of Trinity House, in that the Brethren of Trinity House were required to examine them at the end of their course, and “were accustomed also to make official visits from time to time to see how they were getting on”.

In 1685, the Royal Charter of Confirmation granted by King James II to Trinity House charged the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Brethren of the Corporation to “have, take, and keep one or more Apprentice or Apprentices to be brought up in the Trade of Mariners or Sea-faring Men, and to make and set down Orders and Pains for the Masters and Governors of such Apprentice and Apprentices, well training and breeding them up in their Trade of Navigation and Sailing”.
 
It also charged the Corporation “to examine into and certify the abilities and fitness of such children of the New Royal Foundation in Christ’s Hospital who are admitted to and initiated in the practice of the Art of Navigation, and to be bound forth apprentices, and to take care that their indentures be executed by the respective masters to whom they shall be bound, in the presence of the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Elder Brethren…”.
 
In keeping with this tradition of maritime education the Trinity House Merchant Navy Scholarship Scheme was launched in 1989, albeit then known as the Trinity House Scholarship Cadet Training Scheme (SCTS), to provide young people with the opportunity to train for a career in the Merchant Navy, with a variety of Red Ensign-flagged shipping companies, and in different trades.
 
Today, we offer scholarships to some 30 men and women annually to train as deck, engineer or electro-technical officers, in a diverse range of ship types, trading anywhere in the world. This enables them to gain a broad overview of the shipping industry before they commit themselves to one particular company or type of ship on completion of that training.
 
The cadets can gain experience in cruise ships, Antarctic survey vessels, VLCCs, Ro-Ros, general cargo ships, container ships, dredgers, Trinity House vessels, as well as the vessels of the Northern Lighthouse Board and of the Commissioner of Irish Lights.
 
Now celebrating its 20th year, the Trinity House Merchant Navy Scholarship Scheme has provided training for some 300 men and women for the “Trade of Mariners or Sea-faring Men”.
 
Twenty years on since its launch, it is pleasing to report the continuing success of the Scheme with the recruitment of 25 cadets for the academic year 2008/2009, and a further intake of 30 cadets, well on track for 2009/2010.
 
Once a cadet has obtained the Officer of the Watch Certificate, he/she can register as a Trinity Yeoman, and will receive a Certificate of Recognition from the Corporation of Trinity House, together with a unique Trinity Yeomen roundel – with the entitlement to wear it on the right sleeve of the uniform jacket. The roundel signifies that each is a former Trinity House Cadet and that they maintain an ongoing connection with the Corporation of Trinity House.
 
It was the then Deputy Master, Captain Sir Malcolm Edge, who devised the Scheme. He recently said of the 20th anniversary, “At the time we thought that the Corporation had an embarrassment of riches brought on by the contracted re-development of the land behind the House and this seemed a good way of doing good and of spending our surplus money...To me, it seems more than 20 years as a great deal of white water has run under the bridge since then. It is hugely satisfactory that the Scheme has survived so well and even had other organisations paying us the ultimate compliment - copying it”.
 
There have only been three Directors of the SCTS/MNSS over the last 20 years and much credit for its success lies with my two predecessors, Captain Peter Mason and Captain Colin Stewart, both of whom have driven it through some difficult times.

 
When the SCTS was launched on 18th April 1989 by Lord Brabazon, the then Shipping Minister, he said, “I think it is now generally accepted that the number of trainees coming into the Merchant Navy had fallen to a dangerously low level both in terms of commercial needs and the fleet’s ability to perform its vital defence role in times of emergency…The demand for trainees has picked up again and I am happy to say that the latest figure for cadets starting training at nautical colleges this academic year is now over 270…”.
 
It is perhaps encouraging to note that during the 2008/2009 academic year, 960 UK officer cadets commenced training - very different from 20years ago. It is the cadets and Trinity Yeomen who are the real ambassadors for the Trinity House Merchant Navy Scholarship Scheme.
 
It is largely through their successes and their enthusiasm for the scheme that we continue to recruit high calibre and committed trainee officers for the Merchant Navy. I have no doubt that it will not be long before we see our first Trinity Yeoman being elected as a Younger Brother.
 
The Merchant Navy Scholarship Scheme has become highly regarded across the industry, such that our graduates have little difficulty in finding jobs once they have qualified. Indeed, we are now beginning to see a number of them emerging in senior management positions both afloat and ashore; and, through the scheme, a number of good quality officers have been recruited into the Trinity House Support Vessel Service.
 
There is no doubt that, through the Merchant Navy Scholarship Scheme, Trinity House is making a worthwhile contribution to the Merchant Navy and the shipping industry in general, and all those involved look forward to another successful twenty years.