This year’s recipient of the Gwen Bush Memorial Scholarship is Christopher Delaney.
Christopher has been accepted at the International Yacht Restoration School in Rhode Island in the United States where he plans to focus on a Marine Systems Certification one-year programme.
The programme, which is partnered with the American Boat and Yacht Council, will teach him to install, trouble-shoot, maintain and repair major systems found in power and sail boats.
The Ministry of Education, Training and Employment, the Cayman Islands Seafarers Association and Cayman Maritime Heritage Foundation announced the 2012 recipient last week.
Minister for Education Rolston Anglin said he was delighted the scholarship provided such opportunities for young Caymanians interested in the maritime field. “I would like to congratulate Christopher in being awarded this very important scholarship and for pursuing a qualification in the maritime industry,” Mr. Anglin said.
“The maritime industry is a huge part of our country’s history and it is important that we celebrate and honour it and help in any way possible our young people who wish to continue on the tradition and have a career in this field. I wish Christopher all the best in his certification,” the minister added.
President of the Seafarers Association John Douglas also congratulated Christopher, saying: “We at the Cayman Islands Seafarers Association are thrilled to partner with the Ministry of Education to offer the Gwen Bush Scholarship to Christopher and wish him the very best in his studies.”
Christopher, who has been working at Compass Marine Ltd. from the time he was in high school repairing boats of all sizes, thanked all those involved in the scholarship and those who inspired him to become its 2012 recipient, including Mike Farrington, owner of Compass Marine, who guided him onto this career path.
“I am very thankful for this opportunity and would also like to thank Compass Marine for pushing me in the right direction,” Christopher said.
The Gwen Bush Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to deserving young Caymanians who wish to pursue studies in the boat building trade and other maritime careers. The successful recipient receives funding of up to $20,000 per annum under the scholarship.
The scholarship, now in its second year, is named in honour of Gwen Bush, who dedicated years of service to Caymanian seamen during the “Southwell” years of shipping in the Cayman Islands.
For more information on the scholarship, email the Scholarships Secretariat at [email protected].
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Congratulations Christopher, well done on the hard work.
‘Christopher, who has been working at Compass Marine Ltd. from the time he was in high school repairing boats of all sizes’
– Showing my age here, but we used to call that an apprenticeship.
This is a skilled trade that is in demand worldwide – so the question is why the government is not doing more to actively promote training like this for those Caymanians without a trade?
Mrs Gwen Bush still handing out those calls. Congratulations Christopher, good luck with your studies bring back that knowledge and spread it around..