MARINE STUDIES CENTRE
This page is not the official site of Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor

The marine studies unit at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor's Hafan Site is fast becoming the premier marine engineering centre for North Wales. Links on this page allow you to find the correct course for your own requirements. Richard Bufton is National Diploma Course Coordinator on the Hafan Site, offering engineering skills to open up potential employment in the marine sector, while also providing University entrance requirements for those wishing to undertake further study to become professional engineers. Richard was a former North Sea diver, before gaining degrees in Science and Electronics after leaving the oil industry. Contact Richard Bufton for more information.

During 2009 the team was joined by Huw Brassington, a graduate mechanical engineer who is also National Diploma Course Coordinator on the Dolgellau Site.

The team on the Hafan Site, near to Pwllheli Marina, also includes well-known yachtsman Richard Tudor, who skippered 'Nuclear Electric' in her 'round the world' race and has twice circumnavigated the globe. Most members of staff are specialist marine engineers or experts in workshop machine shop practise and boat-fitting. Subjects taught include welding, machine shop operations, electronics, pneumatics, hydraulics, carpentry and engine maintenance. Thanks to the generous involvement of the Reardon-Smith Trust, students also have the opportunity to add numerous RYA courses to their studies if they so wish, including the VHF Short Range Certificate, RYA Powerboat Level II, First Aid and Basic Sea Survival.

Photo July 2009 - left to right: Richard Bufton, Hefin Williams, Huw Brassington, Richard Tudor.

City & Guilds of London courses managed by experienced toolmaker Hefin Williams, offer 'hands on' skills for those wishing to follow small boat-building careers. Hefin also delivers PEO machine shop courses in the use of lathes, millers and general engineering shop practice.

Images of the machine-shop and two of the student projects completed in the first year of operations at the new marine facility. The 'Workstar' (shown left ) was totally built from scratch by students, during 2005, as part of a support project for the local authority and can now be seen afloat at Pwllheli.

During November 2006, the team included Andrew Ferguson, a marine engineer, who gained his B.Sc. in Australia. Andrew was formerly Chief Engineer on fast ferries operating in European waters. Although Andrew has now returned to industry, while part of the Hafan team, Andrew introduced the college to new opportunities in the field of marine engineering. We wish him well in his new post.

Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor is keen to provide new courses to support local business and has active involvement with Welsh boatyards and other employers, in the tailoring of specialist courses to suit their requirements. A new welding shop has recently been added which is now being used for the teaching of Oxy-Acetylene, MIG and TIG welding on a variety of materials including stainless steel and aluminium. Fibre-glass repair and manufacturing terchniques are also taught and the college is soon to produce its own rigid hulled inflatable which will include laying up of the hull itself from a mould constructed at the college.

During the last three years, students of the marine centre have been accepted by several universities in England and Wales for their degree courses. This demonstrates that students who have not taken conventional A-levels can still enter higher enducation through following a National Diploma course. National Diploma, normally delivered on a full-time basis over two years , is considered equivalent to three A-levels, but has the advantage of comprising of 17 different units, including Business Studies, Electronics, Electrical principles, Computers and Mechanical Engineering. During the second year, students are expected to project manage an engineering design project, which they must develop and construct from first concepts to a prototype stage.

Resident courses are a future possibility, which may be offered to European companies, providing intensive short courses in some of the more specialised marine skills. If you have the need for short or full-time specialist courses for your staff or students, please use the email links below. We want to help you.

This page is being developed separately from the main college web-site to provide additional information on marine engineering courses. Last updated 30.08.2009.

National Diploma enquiries: richard.bufton@merion-dwyfor.ac.uk

NVQ Boat Repair enquiries: h.williams@meirion-dwyfor.ac.uk

General enquiries: richard.tudor@meirion-dwyfor.ac.uk