Shetland and Aberdeen-based company Ocean Kinetics are sponsoring The Tall Ships Races visit to Lerwick. While providing sponsorship, the company is also supplying their survey vessel the RubyMay, as a press boat, and supporting three of their employees to participate in The Tall Ships Races - by funding them to sail on a leg of the voyage.
Ocean Kinetics was established in Lerwick in 1992 to specialise in marine engineering solutions and serves clients across the UK and overseas - with a strategic base in Aberdeen. The company has expanded significantly over the years, now specialising in marine works; metal works and fabrication; welding; pipework; repair and corrosion prevention; project management and design in the oil and gas sector; renewables; fishing; aquaculture; marine; decommission and power and utility sectors - an incredible range of services to offer. The business has grown from strength to strength over the years and now has a young, dynamic, and highly skilled team. In 2012 their custom-built premise opened and is equipped with cutting-edge technology as well as a well-stocked specialist shop.
Ocean Kinetics have always been eager to be involved in the Shetland community - doing so by supporting local events and businesses. Having previously sponsored The Swan Trust, Shetland Football Association, Spurs Hockey, Shetland’s Strongest Man and Dogs Against Drugs. The company even sponsored The Tall Ships visit to Lerwick back in 1999 and in 2011 and want to continue this tradition. Another reason for sponsoring the event was due to the fact Ocean Kinetics and The Tall Ships Races values align so strongly. The Tall Ships Races focuses on providing sail training opportunities to young people around the world, hoping to inspire them to live fulfilling lives. Ocean Kinetics also strongly focuses on developing the company’s young workforce. The company recently launched a new campaign called ‘Futures’ - which aims to celebrate the many young people who play such an important role in Ocean Kinetics.
Through this campaign, they have given two students scholarships to go to University. Supplying them with an annual bursary of £3000, personal mentoring, paid summer work experience at Ocean Kinetics, and the possibility of a graduate engineering position at the company. The aim of offering these scholarships is to diversify the Ocean Kinetics team and to create and provide more opportunities for young graduates in Shetland. The company has also recruited a university graduate trainee to join its engineering team as part of the campaign. Ealasaid Nicleòid, a first-class honours graduate from the University of the Highlands and Islands, is the first female graduate to work in the Ocean Kinetics’ mechanical and structural engineering department.
Ocean Kinetics are an integral part of the Shetland community, with the services they offer and the 77 jobs they currently provide. They continue to strive for ways to develop the company whilst also benefiting the community.