Glasgow cadet in running for top maritime award

City of Glasgow College marine engineering graduate is a finalist in the Maritime UK Awards 2022.

Andrew Robertson has been shortlisted for the Bevis Minter Award which honours officer trainees who show great determination and overcome significant challenges in pursuit of a maritime career.

The 32-year-old joined the college without the required qualifications for a cadetship. He enrolled on an access NC course and graduated in 2021 with an SPD in Marine Engineering.

Mark Stagg, Dean for the Faculty of Nautical and STEM at City of Glasgow College, said:

“Andrew is a real success story and testament to all that there are alternative routes to a life in the Merchant Navy for those who left school education without the necessary subjects. He was nominated for the Bevis Minter award because of his hard work ethic, and his passion and creativity for marine engineering. He was a dedicated student who performed to an excellent standard throughout his cadetship, and was able to adapt as required during the global pandemic to achieve success.”

Thrilled to have been nominated and shortlisted, Andrew, who is now serving as an engineer with Shell Ship Management Ltd, said:

“City of Glasgow College gave me a focus for my ambitions and goals, and the tools to make it happen. Specifically, the pre-cadetship meant that I was learning tough subjects but with a vision of how I would go on in my career and use them. My lecturers engaged me and on track.

“I found a real purpose to my learning and, through my access course, gained my cadetship and never looked back. All in all the best four years of my life. I will be back for my next Certificates of Competency.”

Julie Arnold, Cadet Training Manager, Shell Ship Management Limited has said

“Andrew Robertson was an excellent cadet from the very start. Coming into the industry as a mature student, he embraced his studies and worked very hard to achieve an excellent outcome. He impressed officers and technical shore staff alike and is a worthy recipient of this award. I was happy to be his training manager as he made it very easy for me to mentor him.”

The Maritime UK Awards celebrate a thriving sector that is worth £46.1bn to the UK economy. The awards ceremony will be held at the Glasgow Science Centre on 10 March. The city has been chosen as the host for the 2022 awards to build on the sector's activity at COP26, providing an opportunity to showcase the growing number of world-leading projects helping to ensure the UK's position as the most innovative, competitive and sustainable maritime centre by the middle of this century.