Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, T.D. was at the Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club Marina, Ringsend on the River Liffey today, to present scholarship certificates to the first cohort of students completing the inaugural Irish Nautical Trust Marine Skills & Technology scholarship programme.
As Afloat previously reported, the scholarship was launched in October 2021 as part of the Google Employment Task Force. Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, provided €300,000 to the Irish Nautical Trust to develop a community-based environment maritime training programme aimed at educating local unemployed people and school leavers on the environment. The funding supports access for 30 students to obtain a certified level of maritime skills and enable them to gain sustainable employment in the marine industry. Today, nine students have been awarded certificates with four of the nine already having secured employment.
Speaking at today’s event, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, T.D. said,“I am delighted to be here today to recognise the Maritime Skills & Technology programmes’ early achievements. The employment opportunities this programme provides to the students will play a key role in building a brighter future not just for the students but also the wider community. Already four participants from the first cohort have been successful in achieving employment and I look forward to hearing more in the future on the progress of this important programme.”
Shane Nolan, Managing Director, New Business, Google Ireland, said, “Today is about recognising the importance of programmes like the Irish Nautical Trust, Maritime Skills & Technology programme in the community. At Google Ireland, we are committed to supporting our local community and working closely with them to address challenges they face. The Irish Nautical Trust is also an integral member of our Employment Task Force in the local community enabling us to share our digital expertise and experience with our neighbours and the wider Docklands community. We see the opportunity that embracing new skills provides for greater employment opportunities. I look forward to working with our partners, building new pilot projects such as this one and reaching more job seekers.”
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe T.D. (centre) today presented scholarship certificates to the first students to complete the inaugural Irish Nautical Trust Marine Skills & Technology scholarship programme, supported by Google.org at the Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club Ringsend, Dublin, alongside Shane Nolan (right), Director of New Business Sales at Google, Teresa Weafer (left), Head of Community Engagement at Google and Jimmy Murray, (far left) Course Director at the Irish Nautical Trust, with scholarship students & recipients Philip Murphy (left of centre), Frank Hopkins (right of centre) and Cathriona Walsh (far right). Photo: Naoise Culhane
Jimmy Murray, Course Director, said, “We need people with skills to maintain our state's investment in bridges, walls, rivers, canals and ports. The many contractors that will help expand our community and port environment and biosphere will require skilled people with the added richness of technology. This programme is designed to provide these very skills being taught through this pilot project. I would like to thank our main sponsor for the Maritime Skills Programme, Google .Org.
I also wish to acknowledge the support from Covanta Dublin and Dublin Port Company for their contributions, in giving their time, resources and knowledge and to commend them in recognising the value and opportunity this project will bring to the Docklands community. I would also like to congratulate our participants who received awards today.”
Students participating in the Marine Skills and Technology scholarship programme will receive:
- Maritime skills training
- Digital support programme focused on technology skills on the river
- Access to employment opportunities through dedicated maritime services
