Twenty-eight-year-old South African Tobela Gqabu has become Lawhill Maritime Centre’s first internationally qualified Master Mariner, having obtained his Master’s Certificate of Competency or Class 1 maritime qualification.

In 1999, when Gqabu was just 16 years’ old, he applied for a Safmarine bursary to complete his schooling at the Lawhill Maritime Centre, which prepares young South Africans for employment by providing them with maritime-related skills and knowledge while they are still at school. At the time, he had never seen a ship, nor had he heard of the shipping line Safmarine or the subjects maritime economics and nautical science.

Safmarine CEO, Grant Daly, says: “Gqabu’s qualification as a Master Mariner represents a very proud moment in the history of Safmarine.

“Seventeen years ago, Safmarine decided to partner with the South African Department of Education and the school in Simon’s Town  in establishing the Lawhill Maritime Studies programme at the Centre, and Tobela’s achievement is an example of how mutually beneficial this partnership between business and education has been.”

Brian Ingpen, head of the Lawhill Maritime Centre, says: “Throughout his school career, Gqabu showed a strong determination and commitment to succeed, and the fact that he has achieved his Master’s Ticket 10 years after matriculating is further proof of that determination.”

Gqabu is currently working ashore as a ship’s surveyor for the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), yet is striving to return to sea to take command of a product tanker.

“I aspired to command a ship for so many years and now that I have my Master’s Ticket, it’s important that I turn that aspiration into reality,” he says.

With more than half of South Africa’s population under the age of 25, Ingpen feels Gqabu’s achievement and the success of the Lawhill partnership with Safmarine should inspire other companies to collaborate with educational bodies to address skills development and unemployment in South Africa.

Safmarine will continue to fund the Lawhill programme in 2013, its 18th year of support.