On the 29th April, IBTC Portsmouth held our long-delayed (by Covid) Graduation Ceremony. Four cohorts of students gathered to receive their formal graduation certificates. It was a superb event, and great to meet up with those we had come to know well. In her speech, the CEO of Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust (PNBPT) and Heritage Skills Ambassador, highlighted the importance of, and value in maintaining, training in traditional heritage skills.

Four days later, the College staff were informed that PNBPT has decided to close the College, with the BB19 cohort completing their 1yr boatbuilding course in July, but BB20 having to leave at the end of their initial 12-week joinery (which they had only started at the beginning of March) and thus not completing their year’s course.

The Trust deserve much credit for taking over the College in 2017, when its future was in jeopardy. Thanks to the Trust’s intervention, and with its support, the College has trained many students in traditional heritage boatbuilding skills. Graduates have gone on to work internationally: three have gone to Costa Rica, to work on the Sail Cargo build, and others have worked in Venice and other parts of Europe. Closer to home, graduates have gone on to restore National Trust craft, work in the NMRN (National Museum of the Royal Navy) on HMS Warrior and HMS Victory, and one is currently working on Golden Hind in London.  One graduate is leading the restoration of ‘Falmouth,’ which is part of PNBPT’s Historic Boats Collection, and other recent graduates are doing superb work with him on a voluntary basis.  College students and at least one graduate have contributed to the Trust’s CMB (Coastal Motor Boat) replica project. Others have worked for the College, and many are working in the Marine Industry, which is crying out for people with the very skills that the College teaches.

Unfortunately, despite the Trust’s hard work and its best efforts, the College has continued to run at a significant annual loss. These financial difficulties have been well known, as have the efforts of the Trust to mitigate the deficit. Nevertheless, the news came as a shock for both staff and students. The Trust had painted a very positive picture of the College in their last accounts at Companies House, noting that the number of students was at an all-time high; and that the planned strategic review was not expected to move the Trust away from any of its activities.

I have written to the Trust’s CEO and Trustees, asking them to reconsider this decision. Not only because of my passion for the College and my fellow feeling for the staff and current students, but also because of IBTC Portsmouth’s valuable role in maintaining the heritage skills of traditional boat building. Sadly, their decision was final and irreversible, and my efforts were to no avail. Thankfully, pleas for BB20 to finish their year’s course have been heeded. The fact that they had made huge commitments and change of life decisions to do the 1 year course were highlighted. Indeed, three of that group are international students, and another is from Scotland.

I have been assured that every effort was made to find a way to make the College viable. I have been told that the Trust intends for Boathouse 4 to remain a thriving hub for volunteers and for trainees working on the historic collection; and that the Trust will look to support training opportunities for young people, in partnership with industry.

Nevertheless, I remain saddened and disappointed that the College is to close, and how this was handled. At least the current students can now finish their course. It is a great shame that a way could not be found for the College to continue. As I acknowledged when I wrote to the Trust’s CEO, the harsh realities of limited student numbers are a very real constraint on the success of the UK’s boatbuilding institutions, but I think it is important to say that the College’s year-long course cannot be replaced by short courses and secondments.  

Let’s hope that the remaining colleges are able to continue – for the sake of the maintenance of traditional heritage boatbuilding skills, the industry, and future students.