30th April 2019
South Devon Marine Academy (SDMA) is continuing to build connections with corporations around the world, by signing a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ with WaterwayPlus, the National Utility Company providing water services for South Korea. Jung Tae Seo, CEO, signed the agreement alongside Ahn Hyun-Ju, Marina Business Manager and Professor Jeong Uh-Cheul, INHA Technical College.
The new agreement will generate a partnership full of benefits. It will create collaborative project opportunities, with the main focus being on training staff from the South Korean marine sector to further improve their own teaching and training practice, which in turn will benefit their students’ experience, developing the knowledge of them and their tutors. This initiative with South Korea builds on the international programme being developed at South Devon College which will ultimately develop a stronger staff and student cultural exchange programme.
At their base in Gimpo, South Korea, WaterwayPlus Corporation specialises in the management of marine facilities, marina, tourism, and leisure and river cultural centre. WaterwayPlus Corporation operates as a subsidiary of Korea Water Resources Corporation, and is owner and manager of the Ara Marina which is an 18km canal connecting the Han River to the Yellow Sea at Incheon.
The signing of this agreement took place on Tuesday 30th April at the Paignton Campus, South Devon College. This initial agreement will see the College welcome an increased number of international students from further afield that will enjoy the benefit of learning from the College’s dedicated and passionate staff.
“We are delighted to now be delivering the second wave of teacher training which focuses on the new principles in Hull Repair course developed for South Korea” said Paul Singer, Business and Qualification Developer. “This builds on the existing marine engineering course development and training that has already been successfully delivered.”
Steve Caunter, Assistant Principal leading Hi-Tech and Digital at South Devon College, says “It is an honour to continue building our partnership with WaterwayPlus. We are excited for the opportunities this will bring to both the College and our students whilst studying and developing essential skills, with this partnership presenting direct links to employment where there are currently skill gaps in the Marine industry in South Korea which will hugely benefit both current and future students in both countries.”
South Devon Marine Academy is recognised as a centre of excellence for both on and off the water marine training with a wide breadth of vocational and higher education courses for the marine sector; including marine engineering, boatbuilding and marina and boat yard operations, together with sailing and powerboat licence courses.
For more information on South Devon Marine Academy email [email protected] or call 08000 380 123