The Lawhill Maritime Centre at Simon's Town School in South Africa is a school-based programme that supports job creation and youth employment by providing teenagers with maritime-related knowledge and skills while they are still at school, thereby increasing their prospects for after-school employment. Lawhill’s effectiveness in addressing youth unemployment and poverty in South Africa has been recognized both in South Africa and internationally. The ‘Lloyds List Salute to Youth and Training’ was Lawhill’s first award in 1999 and recent awards include the ‘Investment in Youth’ Award in 2012 and a Platinum Award from the Impumelelo Social Innovation Centre in 2013. Because Lawhill receives no state funding, its students – the majority of which come from financially-stressed homes - are reliant on bursaries provided by the maritime and other industries to fund their education and boarding from Grade 10 - 12. The aim of the programme – which was established in 1995 - is to attract young students to the shipping industry, stimulate maritime awareness among young people and provide the industry with motivated new entrants equipped with a range of maritime-related knowledge and skills. The Lawhill Maritime Centre currently provides instruction for approximately 70 day students and 67 boarders aged between 15 and 17/18 years. Upon finishing the maritime studies course at Lawhill and after a further year specialising in navigation or marine engineering, students can embark on a sea-going career as cadets or ratings aboard merchant vessels (such as containerships, tankers, bulk carriers or tugs). They are also have the foundation they need, upon completing Grade 12, to follow a career ashore in various fields such as liner operations, port operations, ship's agents, shipbrokers, the clearing and forwarding sector and bunkering, amongst others. See our Facebook and Twitter feeds for regular posts. Our newsletter is available on www.lawhill.org