Students from Burton College have been getting a taste of life in the Royal Navy, when they spent a week at HMS Raleigh, the Navy’s major training establishment in Torpoint, Cornwall.

The students, who are on the Pre-Emergency and Combined Services courses, were offered the rare opportunity to take part in a five-day Personal Development Course designed to provide young people with a sample of Naval training to develop leadership, decision making and communication skills.

As part of the course, the students visited the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) at Lympstone in Devon, for a day’s activities with the Marines Visibility team.

The students took part in the infamous Endurance Course on Woodbury Common, which involves a four-mile run in combat clothing plus the notorious Sheep Dip, where commandos are dragged and pushed through a six-foot pipe, submerged in muddy water.

In addition, the group spent time at the Damage Control and Fire Fighting Training School where they undertook a practical exercise in a purpose-built simulator, designed to replicate a flooded, sinking and fire-damaged ship.

Training was also received from the Sea Survival Training School, which showed the students how to launch a liferaft and simulate abandoning ship by jumping overboard.

They also took part in a high-intensity fitness circuit, visited the Submarine Training School and spent time at Devonport Naval Base, where they had the opportunity to go on board the Royal Navy’s new ocean survey vessels HMS Enterprise and HMS Echo.

Commenting on the visit, Course Leader Malcolm Goode said: “We were very lucky to be able to have the opportunity to take part in this programme.

“The week was excellent, and as always the Navy looked after the students brilliantly.

“The course was very physically demanding – the instructors really worked the students hard, but despite this it was a lot of fun and extremely interesting.

“The students have been able to see first-hand how the Royal Navy actively promotes the development of everyone’s potential within the service, with a strong commitment to leadership and teamwork.

“In addition, they have also had the unique opportunity of taking part in aspects of the Navy’s training – obviously something you can’t replicate.

“The students won praise from everyone at HMS Raleigh, including the base Commanding Officer Commodore David Pond, who was impressed by the students’ appearance, professionalism and self discipline, saying they were a credit both to themselves and Burton College and exactly the kind of individuals the Navy would be keen to offer rewarding careers to.”

Burton College, in Staffordshire, runs a variety of courses for people who would like to be a police officer, firefighter or ambulance paramedic, or would like to join the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force.

The courses provide an insight into and preparation for such a career in public service. For more information, contact the School of Leisure and Hospitality on 01283 494400 or see the website at www.burton-college.ac.uk