Training partnership reaps rewards for Sailfish
Sailfish Catamarans is the north coast's largest and most successful boat building business, and all of its tradesmen and apprentices have studied with TAFE NSW - North Coast Institute.

The company has secured a NSW government supply contract, an arrangement which sees Coastguards, Waterways, National Parks and Wildlife, and the Fire Brigade all using Sailfish motor craft.

Sailfish Catamarans is the only aluminium trailer boat builder in Australia whose staff are qualified to meet the high standards set by Lloyds Register of Shipping, Bureau Veritas and the American Bureau of Shipping. These qualifications are a direct result of their apprentices having completed the Institute's pressure welding course through Wollongbar campus.

In accepting its recent Manufacturer of the Year award at the Ballina Shire Business Awards, Sailfish's owner Darren Foster thanked the Institute for a successful training partnership.

Head Teacher of Metal Fabrication and Welding at Lismore Campus, Geoff Parry congratulated Sailfish on the award: 'It's great to see the practical skills we're teaching in Metal Fabrication and Welding really being of benefit to the company. We've seen an increased number of students in this course, and with success like this job prospects will only increase.'

Having taken on its first apprentice some eight years ago, Sailfish has since employed five apprentices (three of whom still work for the company) and has one trainee on board. The other three tradesmen working there also came through TAFE NSW.

'I'm a great believer in the TAFE NSW system,' Mr Foster said. 'No matter what the industry is, it's important that we get well trained employees.

They learn the fundamentals at TAFE one day a week, then have four days a week on-the-job training at Sailfish. The Lismore campus has a great team of tradespeople, led by Geoff Parry, who is very proactive, speaks with a passion about the industry, and always follows through on what he says.

'The other teachers are very good as well, and it's great having access to their expertise, particularly in aluminium. When I went through my course in Sydney many years ago, we hardly worked in aluminium at all. It shows they are keeping up to speed with industry needs.'

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS STORY
CONTACT: CAROLYN BAX
TAFE NSW – NORTH COAST INSTITUTE
TEL: (02) 6588 2177

OR TO FIND OUT HOW TAFE PLUS CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS
CONTACT: THE TAFE PLUS ENQUIRY SERVICE

Return to PARTNERSHIPS page >