The MV Cape Don is a former lighthouse tender vessel now permanently berthed as a training ship at Balls Head in Waverton, NSW.
Serco is proud to support the Sea Heritage Foundation who have been working with the Prince's Trust and TAFE NSW (Technical and Further Education New South Wales, Australia's largest vocational education and training provider) to establish a training programme for First Nations students onboard the MV (motor vessel) Cape Don.
The course being delivered on board the MV Cape Don enables students to obtain a Certificate 1 in Maritime Operations. Serco’s Defence team has worked with the Sea Heritage Foundation to provide an opportunity for course graduates to undertake a traineeship within our Defence Marine Support Services (DMSS) contract.
As part of the DMSS program, Serco delivers essential marine support services in naval and non-naval ports across Australia, as well as crewing, maintenance, and upkeep of asset bases. Serco has successfully provided in-port services to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) across Australia for around 25 years and it is our strong partnership with the RAN that has enabled this opportunity for the trainees.
Serco is a Registered Training Organisation with the national regulator, Australian Skills Quality Authority and is committed to delivering quality vocational education and training programs that provide our students, who are Serco employees, with the opportunity to learn new skills, upgrade existing skills and obtain nationally recognised qualifications.
Through our work with Sea Heritage Foundation, we established new two-year traineeships for First Nations people in 2023, to provide further training, skills and qualifications to become professional Masters and Engineers in the maritime sector.