Riviera making significant investment in future of young Australians by opening The Riviera Academy of Excellence.
Australia’s premium luxury motor yacht builder Riviera is making a significant investment in the future of young Australians seeking a career in the marine industry by opening its own state-of-the-art training centre, The Riviera Academy of Excellence.
The Academy, based within Riviera’s 16.8-hectare Gold Coast facility will allow the motor yacht builder to train, in partnership with Major Training Group, their 150 apprentices onsite across 10 individual trades, including composite technology, marine craft construction, diesel fitting and cabinetmaking. The centre was officially opened on January 12 to coincide with the company’s 2024 apprentice sign on day, which saw 52 bright new apprentices welcomed – 27 school based and 25 full time apprentices – for what is the biggest training intake in the company’s history clock on for their first week as aspiring boat builders.
“It’s always an exciting day for these young apprentices and their proud families,” said Keira Badke, Riviera Apprentice and Training Manager. Our holistic training program offers strong support for our apprentices where we teach their chosen trade skills alongside coaching life skills to help nurture world class people that will help build our world class motor yachts.
The Academy was officially opened by Senior Training Instructor Darren Kearns and Instructor Justin Leigh-Smith who both completed their apprenticeships in 1996 in marine craft construction with Justin serving his apprenticeship with Riviera. Both also have had esteemed careers with Riviera with Darren serving over 18 years and Justin 30 years.
Riviera is responsible for training over 400 tradespeople through its award-winning apprenticeship program over the past 30 years, which involves partnerships with 37 schools in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales. Rodney Longhurst, Riviera’s owner and a former carpenter and joinery apprentice himself, is extremely passionate about supporting the growth opportunities of his team. “I’m exceptionally proud that our Riviera team will be mentoring these talented new apprentices and giving them such a great opportunity – it’s immensely rewarding for me, personally, to see our apprentices develop into such accomplished mature adults and great Australians, all with world leading boat building skills,” he says.
