Local high school students are heaving the anchor and casting off as they undertake training with Marine Rescue Port Macquarie.
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Ten local students are taking part in the four week youth engagement strategy run by TAFE NSW and secondary schools in Port Macquarie.
Local schools taking part include Hastings Secondary College Westport and Port Macquarie, Wauchope High School, St Joseph's Regional College and MacKillop College.
The partnership is being rolled out across the Mid North Coast with 160 children undertaking Marine, Fire and Rescue, child services, barista and cooking, building, animal studies or metals training in Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Wauchope and Taree.
TAFE NSW program coordinator and Marine Rescue PM rosters officer Merryn Farrell said the program could provide insight into possible career pathways in future.
"TAFE NSW program is running the youth engagement strategy which is a partnership between secondary schools and TAFE NSW," she said.
"The aim of program is to give students an experience in an adult learning environment over six weeks.
"This training provides an overall perspective of local emergency services.
"It's something none of them would have experienced, and they may find they have an interest in the career path."
In their time with the Marine Rescue, students will have to properly birth the boat, run a man overboard drill and set up a tow with another vessel.
Georgie Monckton, 15, from MacKillop College said she was looking forward to getting out on the water in Port Macquarie.
"I'm excited about it, just being out on the boat and developing skills is pretty cool," she said.
"It's a good thing to do (rescuing people) and I do like the ocean."
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