A lecturer who retrained after completing 22 years of service in the military is highlighting to others the massive amount of retraining options available.

Study programme manager for boatbuilding at Falmouth Marine School, Chris Bosanko – Green, spent nine years in the Royal Air Force and 13 years in the Army before he had to consider his options for resettlement.

For Chris’ final posting he returned to Cornwall where he met CEO of the forces sail training charity Turn To Starboard, Shaun Pascoe.

Chris was offered a place on their Yacht master programme for ex-servicemen. He completed a number of RYA qualifications with Turn to Starboard. He also completed RYA powerboat courses and a marine diesel engine course, all in preparation for his transition to Boatbuilding.

After completing his final day in uniform, Chris finished his boatbuilding training at Falmouth Marine School.

“Skills taught during this course included basic joinery, marine specific joinery, traditional wooden boat building techniques, modern wooden boatbuilding techniques and skills required for the fabrication and repair of composite constructed boats,” Chris explained.

“The best part of the course was being able to practice and develop these skills on live boat projects, in-line with industry standards.”

Chris registered his own company and started to undertake some small paid jobs.

“On successful completion of the course I continued with my business venture, with a view to making it as successful a company as I possibly could,” he continued.

“In 2018 I became a boatbuilding instructor at Falmouth Marine School.”

This year Falmouth Marine School is celebrating 100 years of teaching boatbuilding skills to the marine industry.

Head of Falmouth Marine School, Steve Taylor, said Chris has “become a great asset to the boatbuilding department at Falmouth Marine School.”

“His transferable skills learnt in the forces have been very useful in his teaching career, they have allowed him to develop himself into the role and his thirst for self-development and knowledge really show.”

“I’m very proud to be a part of this College in such a monumental year and I look forward to teaching the boat builders of the future for many more years to come,”