Brenden George, 35, from Toronto took the Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) visa route and trained at the Boat Building Academy (BBA) in Lyme Regis. Less than a year later he is working for one of the UK’s premier luxury yacht builders and owns and lives aboard his own sailboat.
Brenden said: “I had been working in banking since graduating with a business degree and reached a breaking point with corporate life. I wanted to leave that world completely. I wanted to go on an adventure, and I wanted my new life to involve sailing in some way.
“I had joined a sailing club which fuelled that passion and started to look at my options to train as a boatbuilder. A quick Google search brought me to the BBA in Lyme Regis, Dorset. Although there were other options in Canada and the United States, I was impressed with the BBA’s curriculum and the beauty of England’s South Coast.
“My searches also led me to Spirit Yachts in Suffolk on the east coast and I contacted them to see if they would be open to employing a BBA graduate from abroad. They gave me a resounding ‘yes!’, so long as I had the legal right to work in England. So early that year I spoke with the BBA’s Director Will Reed and was soon after offered a place on the upcoming September course.
“It wasn’t long before I learned about the YMS visa from a friend at work, and the application process was surprisingly seamless.”
The YMS visa – which was historically restricted to certain Commonwealth nationals – is now an attractive option for many young people from 13 specific countries, including Japan, South Korea and India. The requirements for the countries differ slightly, but it ordinarily allows individuals aged 18-30 to obtain (normally) a two-year visa, which permits employment in the UK. A new update to the law now means that nationals of Canada, Australia and New Zealand can (a) be aged up to 35 years and (b) reside in the UK on this visa for up to three years.
While the visas themselves are strictly temporary, the people arriving on them are not necessarily temporary migrants. People are allowed to switch to a visa route that offers long-term residence, such as a Skilled Worker visa, if they can find a sponsor during their two or three-year stay.
“I filled out some online forms and visited an application office to have my biometrics taken, which included fingerprints and a headshot. At the same time, I submitted my passport for processing,” explains Brenden.
“My application was effectively approved over the weekend, and I received my stamped passport back not long after that. Applying through an office outside of Toronto that was less busy seems to have made all the difference. With the help of Janine at the BBA I found the perfect flat in Lyme with the sweetest couple. At that point I was only a few months, a flight and a train ride away from starting my new life as a boatbuilder in training.”
The 40-week boatbuilding course incorporates the City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Boatbuilding (Advanced). However, it goes far beyond the requirements of this qualification, providing comprehensive practical instruction in traditional and contemporary boat building construction methods and related skills. At the start of the course, a series of boat commissions are discussed and agreed. Typically, around four or five boats are commissioned by students themselves, and these boats are theirs to take away upon successful completion of the course. The course is structured into two parts.
In the first half of the course, students develop dedicated boat building skills and knowledge through the highly structured training programme. In the second half, skills are further honed as students build boats from start to finish using both traditional and modern construction: gaining the skills that only hands-on experience will bring.
The highly practical environment enables students to take full advantage of the facilities and expertise of the tutors. The course is full-time, five days per week from 0830 to 1730. Each course has at least one dedicated tutor, with an aim of a minimum 40 hours of workshop time per week. All students are encouraged to work on several boats to give them a wide range of experience.
“Woodworking projects were something I had only really done on occasion with my dad, who often took the lead. But I wasn’t the only person joining the course with limited skills. It’s more about being practically minded and committed,” continues Brenden.
“It is intense, packing a full college curriculum into less than ten months, which is a huge undertaking for anyone. I probably made it harder than it needed to be in the beginning. I’m a perfectionist and spent many late nights in the workshop that perhaps could have been avoided. Moving downstairs, I was assigned to ‘Skylark,’ a fourteen-foot lug-rigged clinker dinghy designed by Paul Gartside and commissioned by Ariana Cottam. Skylark was later renamed ‘Lo Verily’ to honour our late tutor, Matthew Law.
“My team was excellent – full of fun, talented, and dedicated students who understood how important it was to stay on top of things. That’s why we were able to finish on time, without the need for any ‘all-nighters’ which are so commonplace on the course. During the course I’d spoken to Will about job prospects going forward, which included working for Spirit Yachts. He has a great relationship with the yard and its Managing Director Karen Underwood and encouraged me to reach out.
“Launch day was incredible. It is an occasion which is watched by hundreds of people, including the Town’s Mayor, and is followed by a whole day and night of celebrations. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate graduating than to launch our boats in the harbour by the Cobb. Taking a boat you have helped to build into the water for the first time is a thrill, knowing that only by the grace of the good lord will it float, and I’ll never forget looking back on Lyme from the middle of Lyme Bay; it was the perfect backdrop to our morning of sailing (and rowing – lots of rowing!).
“Having graduated in good academic standing, I revisited past conversations with Spirit and was offered a week’s trial. It was nerve-wracking to arrive at such a renowned yard, known for its stunning modern-classic sail and power yachts. I hadn’t slept a wink the night before but was confident that the skills I had gained on the course would carry me through.
“During that week I was given the opportunity to ask questions, and the autonomy to tackle work thrown my way. I made it clear early on that if I received an offer, I would accept it on the spot, and that offer came by Thursday. I was invited on a company cruise down the River Orwell which ended with a beach barbecue. I knew then that I was where I was supposed to be and was grateful for the opportunity to work with such a close-knit team.
“Looking back, so much seemed to just fall into place: from my visa to the lovely couple who offered me a place to stay, and the work opportunities that sprung from my training with the BBA – things couldn’t have gone better. I’m currently helping build the first Spirit P50, which has most recently involved installing subdecks and laminating glass and carbon throughout the vessel. It’s been an interesting compliment to the skills I’ve picked up at the BBA.
“Not long after joining Spirit I came across a little Hallberg-Rassy on the hard, for sale by the brokerage next door.”
The Hallberg-Rassy 26 is renowned for its classic lines, robust hull, and comfortable cruising interior, making it an ideal choice for both coastal and short offshore adventures.
“She needs some work, but she’s mine, and I’m now living aboard while I prepare her for the water. My parents, who have been so supportive, think I’ve lost my mind. But I’m as happy as I’ve ever been. I intend to stay at Spirit for as long as my visa allows. Although it expires this summer, being Canadian, I have the option to extend it for an additional year.
“I think the YMS is a great opportunity for young people looking to go on their own adventure, whatever that may be. It gives you a means to live, study and work abroad without having to worry about visit timeframes or excessive red tape. Although I’m not entirely sure where I’ll end up next, I know the skills that I’ve gained will serve me well wherever I go. I’m just going to take things one step at a time and take advantage of the next opportunity that comes my way.”
Karen Underwood, Managing Director at Spirit Yachts said: “The graduates from the BBA who join the Spirit team have always been valuable additions to our team and Brenden is no exception. His work ethic, friendly manner, and the skills he acquired during his training at the BBA have stood him in good stead and he is thriving on the build of our first P50 motor yacht.
“Whilst we have fantastic boatbuilders in the UK, the demand for trained, skilled woodworkers is high. The YMS scheme gives opportunities to talented people like Brenden and gives yards like ours the option to grow our team with the next generation of highly skilled craftsmen and women.”
Will Reed, Director of the BBA said: “Brenden was an excellent student. He had high standards, enthusiasm, and the determination to do the best he could in every area. As far as I’m aware Brenden is the first student who’s used the Youth Mobility Scheme to join a course at the BBA, and hopefully he’s the first of many. He tells a real success story – from Canada to a first-class education and into a fantastic job in one of the most prestigious boat building companies in the UK. I wish him every success and hope many more follow from across the globe using the YMS.”
The UK government is expected to announce a Youth Mobility Scheme between the EU and the UK sometime in 2026. Formal negotiations over the scheme started in September 2025. The scheme is expected to be modelled on the UK’s existing schemes with countries including Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan.
For more information on the YMS visit: Youth Mobility Scheme visa: Overview – GOV.UK
For more information on the BBA please visit: www.boatbuildingacademy.com
