International boatbuilding training college at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to close

Consultations regarding changes to the International Boatbuilding Training College, based at Boathouse 4 in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, ended on May 17.

Hannah Prowse, chief executive of Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust, said: ‘The college itself will be closing, but Boathouse 4 will not be.

Exact dates for the closure are due to be released in a statement on Thursday morning.

Information regarding potential redundancies are yet to be given.

Speaking to The News earlier this month, Ms Prowse said current students will complete their courses, discussions with students and staff were underway, and the college is looking at ‘a huge variety of options’.

She added: ‘We are going to refocus our effort on our historic boat collection, and our volunteer workforce who are utterly invaluable to us.

‘We are also looking to use this facility to offer greater opportunities for getting young people into career routes and employment.

‘For the students who are currently with us, there will be no change.

‘We will no longer be continuing to offer the courses we once were.

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‘We are in discussions with multiple bodies to look at how we can best deliver charitable purposes for the building.’

‘The demand for people who want to do a year long course in traditional wooden boat building just isn’t there at the moment.’

In 2020, the college received funding from the £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund.

It was one of 445 heritage organisations to receive the financial windfall in the UK.