A new computer-based training facility which saves on travel time and costs has been officially opened at Devonport by Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral James Burnell-Nugent.

The Waterfront Training and Education Centre (WTEC) is the first facility of its kind in the Navy, and as far as the Navy’s top personnel officer is concerned, it is “win, win, win”.

The WTEC, set up in a building on Weston Mill Lake Jetty which was formerly used to train laggers, offers training in a range of areas using computers and specialist instructors.

These training facilities are designed to meet the requirements of the Topmast squadding system, providing sailors with a ‘one-stop shop’ close by the ships at the waterfront.

It also contains an internet café, allowing sailors to use the internet for e-learning packages, research, or simply for leisure.

The big advantage to the Navy is that the provision of such training in Devonport means many sailors and officers will no longer have to travel to the Portsmouth area, with major savings in terms of travelling time and the cost of transport.

“As far as the Royal Navy is concerned, this really is win, win, win,” said Admiral Burnell-Nugent as he performed the official opening ceremony.

“This allows us to meet our commitment to through-life learning, to continue to train and develop our people – and in particular it allows them to get home in the evening if they live down here, or get back to their ships.

“It shows our commitment to the Navy personnel and to their families.”

The Admiral went on to explain that the WTEC was “trying to deliver as much as possible of the training in the West Country.

“Travelling time is wasted time for the people and for the taxpayer, so this is an ideal solution.

“People do a lot of separated time when at sea, so when in harbour we are able to deliver training here in the base port.”

Up to 60 people can use the facilities at any time, and initially courses will be offered to sailors of the warfare branch, and in particular for communications specialists – who have in the past had to train outside the Plymouth area.

To learn communications skills, students will use a computer programme to get the hang of visual signalling, and progress on to a simulation of their ship leaving the jetty just outside the WTEC, sailing down the Hamoaze and out to sea.

Other training will be available in soldering, simple hydraulic and pneumatic engineering, while some sonar training for Devonport sailors has been introduced at nearby HMS Raleigh, in Torpoint.

The WTEC building at Devonport, named Cambridge Building after the former gunnery school at Wembury, will blaze a trail for similar facilities which will be set up at Portsmouth and Faslane, in Scotland.

The opening of the WTEC also helps the Devonport Waterfront Manning Organisation (WMO), which books courses at the new facility – people are fresher when they take their courses as they will not have travelled nearly 200 miles beforehand.

WO Mark Mortimer, of the Devonport WMO, said the WTEC has already started to yield dividends in terms of man-hours saved, and is keen that everyone involved in training should know what is on offer at Cambridge Building.

So much so that WO Mortimer has invited all commanding officers, executive officers, divisional officer, executive warrant officers and anyone else involved in task-book training to visit the WTEC and familiarise themselves with what training opportunities it offers personnel in their unit.