KölnTourist Personenschifffahrt supports the next generation in inland navigation with their education in nautical workshops
Once again this year, future inland skippers from all over Germany are coming to Cologne. The family-owned company KölnTourist Personenschiffahrt am Dom GmbH, is now hosting the so-called Nautical Workshop for the second time on its passenger ships based in Cologne. The nautical workshop is aimed at all trainees in inland navigation and prepares them for the block instruction at the Schiffer-Berufskolleg Rhein in Duisburg.
The format was successfully tested last year with eight participants and attracted the interest of other training companies throughout Germany. As a result, a total of 55 ship girls and boys from all 3 apprenticeship years signed up for 2021.
"We are very pleased with the popularity our offer has met with," says Angelika Schmitz, Managing Director of KölnTourist, adding: "In fact, this year we are welcoming young men and women from the Rhine, Moselle, Saar, Main, Neckar, Danube and Lake Constance on board. For us, training young people is a matter close to our hearts. We ourselves have been actively training young people for years in the fields of nautical science, gastronomy and, since this year, event management. So it is a matter of course for us to actively support other trainers in this task."
In the first three weeks of November, the trainees are intensively prepared for their future vocational school stay and upcoming examinations; each week, these are participants of an apprenticeship year.
Equipment for inland navigation
In addition to the classic craft of knotting, splicing and the handling of rope and wire, topics of waterway science, traffic theory in inland navigation, mathematics, nautical science, nautical charts, as well as the handling of life jackets and the dinghy in Niehler Harbor will be practiced. Köln Düsseldorfer Rheinschiffahrt GmbH is also supporting the workshop with one of three instructors as well as the use of the dinghies.
The traditional craft of inland navigation is a three-year apprenticeship and takes place in the dual system. As a rule, the apprentices learn the practical part of the profession on the ships of their training companies.
During the annual three-month block instruction at the Schiffer-Berufskolleg Rhein in Duisburg-Homberg, subject-related instruction takes place in theory and practice. During this time, the prospective inland waterway skippers are accommodated in the training ship Rhine in the Homberg city harbor.
With the final examination, the prospective inland waterway skippers become boatswains and boatswomen and are thus an integral and important part of the crew in inland navigation. Many of them then go on to further training to become skippers.
Transport mode with a future
Inland navigation is an important economic and ecological mode of transport throughout Europe and provides logistical access to the domestic market from and to the seaports. In addition to classic bulk goods via containers and liquid goods, heavy goods are also transported throughout Europe without traffic restrictions. But also on passenger ships, ferries, authority vehicles and river cruise ships the prospective boatmen and -women find their employment.
A container ship on the Rhine replaces about 180 trucks on the road. The constant further development of existing drives and also new developments such as gas engines and diesel-electric drives contribute to low-emission transport.
KölnTourist offers boat trips and boat charters at the most important junctions on the Rhine in the Cologne/Bonn area, unforgettable and exclusive variety of experiences for a real change of perspective, plenty of deceleration and lots of good humor on one of the most beautiful rivers in Europe. A personal and individual service, delicious food from selected partners and a very
good price/performance ratio round off the offer.
KölnTourist is a privately run shipping company with decades of tradition and shipping expertise. The fleet is technically up to date, because the safety of the passengers is always the focus. The interior of the fleet is always well maintained. With an eye on the environment and future generations, the company embarked on a journey to greater sustainability in passenger shipping some time ago. KölnTourist sees itself as a true friend and partner of its guests and lives cosmopolitanism. The employees are authentic and love what they do - with regard to their fleet, their offers, their guests and the team.