News & Events

The Thames Skills Academy exhibited at the London Youth Rowing’s National Junior Indoor Rowing Championships  (NJIRC) on 3rd March 2023 at the Copper Box Arena on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The Thames Skills Academy (TSA) would like to invite you to a River Thames Apprenticeship Open Day on Wednesday 8th February 2023 to learn about the Boatmaster Apprenticeship and the Marine Engineering Apprenticeships, both offered to employers on the River Thames. 

The Passenger Vessel Operations Code of Practice for the tidal Thames has been updated for the fourth time since it was first published a decade ago.

June’s Women on the Water meeting provided attendees with a truly superb hands-on experience with the Marine Policing Unit (MPU) on the River Thames.

TSA and Samaritans feature in this week's Tidal Thames News.

We were proud to host Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal for a visit along the River Thames.

Marine Engineering Apprenticeship Open Day for employers this week, Thames CPD funding for simulator training and Women on the Water

We are proud to announce that our networking event series "Women on the Water" is back in 2022. Find out more and see forthcoming dates for the 2022 series.

Princess Royal Award-winning training, Samaritans, Women on the Water, and Careers on the Cutty Sark!

We are proud to announce that our networking event series "Women on the Water" is back in 2021. Find out more about all 4 events in 2021 and forthcoming dates for the 2022 series.

Maritime UK will be hosting a Maritime Careers Fair as part of London International Shipping Week on Wednesday 15th September. 

Find out more about the "Women on the Water" initiative in the autumn issue of Thames Guardian.

As part of the Totally Thames Festival 2021, the TSA entered a collaboration with Royal Museums Greenwich to showcase Careers on the Thames that relate to jobs seafarers did aboard the Cutty Sark 150 years ago!

The TSA is delighted to have been recognised by the Princess Royal Training Awards standard in 2021 for its commitment to training and development.

Catch up with our July newsletter and find out more about the new Thames CPD scheme

Representatives and supporters of the tidal Thames’ LGBT+ community gathered on the river to celebrate the start of Pride month at Waterloo Bridge. The event, arranged by the Port of London Authority (PLA), was hosted by Woods Quay, the new home of Woods’ Silver Fleet. Together we celebrate the River of Opportunities and are glad to see businesses and communities along London's lifeline getting more diverse. 

23^rd March 2021 – National day of reflection

This truly is a difficult anniversary, one that we all would have loved to miss out on. While some businesses had to go through periods of lock-down, the construction industry continued during most of last year. One thing hasn't changed: the health and safety of employees working on the river are paramount.  

What would you do if you see someone in the river needing help?
A         Jump in and try to drag them out?
B         Call the emergency services and try not to loose sight?
C         Look for the next buoyance?

This is why this one-day Personal River Side Safety Course is beneficial to anyone who spends time on rivers, canals, docks, lakes or flowing water. Whether you kayak, canoe, row or paddle board this course will provide you with the skills to stay safe while you have fun.

Catch up with our January newsletter and find out more about Apprenticeships on the river. 

Catch up with our December newsletter and find out more about new courses and soft skill training offered in 2021. 

TSA is offering special deals for TSA members APD levy payers on Mental Health courses provided by Mental Health Awareness UK.  

Unfortunately we had to cancel the #CareersOnTheThames event in 2020 but are hoping to organise the next edition in September 2021.

Catch up with our November newsletter and share your opinion on CPD courses in our questionnaire. 

"Great webinar, very good advice! Andy was authentic and that's what counts when talking about this type of subject to people" Cameron Ternent, Livett’s Group.

We received a lot of positive feedback like Cameron's on our free webinar in cooperation with Mental Health Awareness UK.

The TSA, the Port of London Authority and the Company of Watermen & Lightermen are urging people to fill in a questionnaire about what to include in a Continuous Professional Development programme for the tidal Thames.

A new Riverside Personal Safety Refresher Course is now being offered for those who need to update their certificate.

The TSA is now offering free membership to all APD levy payers on the tidal Thames.

The TSA is launching an award to commemorate one of its apprentices, Artem Bondarenko

The TSA is delighted to announce that Fran Comerford-Cole has joined its Board as an Employer Representative.

South Essex College is calling out to maritime employers to consider taking on an apprentice and is also offering site visits to those that might be interested.

Here, Iain Mackinnon, from the Maritime Skills Alliance tells us the importance of working together especially during Covid-19.

The Company of Watermen & Lightermen and the Thames Skills Academy are working together to help with training during the Corona pandemic.

A new boost to help small and medium sized businesses recruit apprentices for the TSA's Boatmaster Apprenticeship has been announced by the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights.

The TSA supports Maritime UK as it launches its diversity in maritime programme.

Welcome to the Thames Skills Academy's February Newsletter. Here you will find a round-up of some of the events and training that the TSA has been involved with and details about what is coming up including information about our new apprenticeship.

The Thames Skills Academy, which promotes the inland waterways sector, and in particular the tidal Thames and other London inland waterways, is helping to boost online maritime courses during the Coronavirus lockdown.

We are pleased to announce that, by working closely with  one of our training delivery partners, South Essex College, the TSA has secured availability of a considerable number of short nationally accredited courses for Thames employers.  All of the courses are free*.

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak the Thames Skills Academy has closed its office for the time being but remains open for business. 

Last month TSA apprentices visited London Fire Brigade's river operation in a bid to understand more about what firefighters do to keep people safe on the Thames.

The TSA was at the National Junior Indoor Rowing Championships again this year to tell people about the huge range of careers on the Thames.

This month's Maritime Engineering Apprenticeship Open Day was hailed as a great success.

Look Beyond is the theme for the next National Apprenticeships Week which starts today.

The Thames Skills Academy (TSA) is delighted to announce the launch of a brand new Government-funded apprenticeship to train skippers across the UK.

The Thames Skills Academy has launched a new group to encourage more women to look for careers on the river and to support those who are already working on the water.

This year’s #Careers OnTheThames event was bigger and better than ever with around 150 people boarding Thames Luxury Charter’s Paddle Steamer Dixie Queen to take part in the Thames Skills Academy’s (TSA) annual floating careers fair.

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, took time to visit the Thames Skills Academy stall at a careers event which was part of the London International Shipping Week.

The Thames Skills Academy has teamed up with the London Regatta as a sponsor and is also offering a special deal of four places for the price of two on its Riverside Personal Safety Courses.

#CareersOnTheThames was organised for Careers Advisers and Teachers providing an opportunity to see first hand the river of opportunities of highly skilled, well paid careers on the doorstep of young people in London.