South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith has visited Princess Yachts at its Langage site to meet employees and hear about skills, apprenticeships and some of the challenges facing the Plymouth manufacturer.
During the visit, the MP toured the production line, where Princess Yachts builds four different models ranging from 55ft to 65ft.
According to the company, a completed yacht currently comes off the production line approximately every eight days.
Rebecca Smith met employees from across the business, including long-serving members of staff, apprentices and workers who developed their skills elsewhere before joining Princess Yachts.
She also met third-year apprentice Leo and heard about the company’s four-year apprenticeship programme, which is used to train people in skills including carpentry and engineering.
The visit included discussions about recruitment, rising operating costs and employment legislation.
Princess Yachts raised concerns about how changes to employment rights could affect the amount of time available to train and assess new employees, particularly in highly skilled roles where training can take several months.
Following the visit, Rebecca Smith said: “It was fantastic to visit Princess Yachts and meet the team behind such an important Plymouth business.
“There is so much skill and experience at Princess, with people who have spent years developing their craft alongside the next generation coming through.
“Time and again, businesses are telling me about their concerns over the Employment Rights Act and the impact it could have on recruitment and training. The Government needs to start listening to employers and understand the practical impact these changes will have.
“Princess is a brilliant example of the skilled manufacturing we have here in Plymouth, and it is great to see the expertise behind every yacht.”
Adrian Bratt, Chief People Officer at Princess Yachts, said the company’s manufacturing processes continue to rely heavily on the skills and craftsmanship of its workforce.
He said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Rebecca to Langage, where she could see first-hand what manufacturing truly means at Princess.
“Unlike automated production, our processes are built on the dedication and craftsmanship of our people, who in many cases have spent decades developing their expertise with us.
“That is why we are committed to developing the next generation of boatbuilders through initiatives such as our apprenticeship programme, but this does not come without its challenges.
“Like many businesses, we are navigating rising operating costs and the ongoing difficulty of attracting new talent.”
Princess Yachts is one of Plymouth’s best-known manufacturing businesses and employs people across a range of skilled trades.
The visit formed part of Rebecca Smith’s work as MP for South West Devon.
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