Dominic Bozianu

Inspired by the idea of travel & crewing? Start a fully-funded BTEC to escape school.

17-year-old Dominic Bozianu (Dom) came to UKSA direct from GCSEs under a bit of a dark cloud. School wasn’t going well, grades were suffering, and his mum feared he would drop out. After a visit to UKSA, Dom started his BTEC in Sport & Physical Activities Level 3 driven by the idea of travelling the world and working with a tight-knit team, crewing.

I felt motivated to sign up to the BTEC

Here’s Dom’s story: “I had never been on the water except on a kayak once or twice. At school I wasn’t doing well; I was backchatting the teachers all the time!  As mum was worried I had no plans for the future, when she saw the UKSA advert she jumped on it.  At the open day I realised that the BTEC was my top choice, it’s what I really felt motivated to do.

At UKSA I feel energised and positive about my future and am planning a career

Since I have been here at UKSA, I feel that my attitude has changed and I am feeling energised and positive about my future and am planning a career. What’s more, receiving an award for being an outstanding student in my first year of my BTEC here was amazing – it came as a complete surprise; I was ecstatic and excited.

“After working at UKSA to gain experience, I want to travel a bit and come back here to do some more courses to build my career in yachting.”

Teaching is really inspiring

I am here at UKSA working as an instructor over the summer earning money before I start the new term in September. It’s the first time I am putting my theory and practice during my BTEC into action. I  get a real kick out of teaching the children coming here in their school holidays for fun days. The first school group I taught were really lovely and had a great time. When they started chanting my name – Dom, Dom, Dom, during an activity – this made me light up.

Aspirations to work in the superyacht industry

As I’m interested in travelling and attracted by the superyacht industry.  I really like the idea of crewing, living and working with people on a superyacht. I have my next steps mapped out. I want to be an instructor after my BTEC finishes next year. And after working at UKSA to gain experience, I want to travel a bit and come back here to do some more courses to build my career in yachting. I will be counting on the specialised career’s support UKSA offers so I can plan my future and make sure I do the right training courses.

UKSA is a great place to be for education & to work

This is like a second home to me; everyone here is friendly – it’s a great place to be as a student and working here as an instructor. Although my first day here felt a bit scary and lonely, one of the other BTEC students on the course invited me to hang out and I’ve never looked back.  Everyone was so welcoming and generally being nice.

Dom’s advice when you are feeling stuck?

Don’t give up! Keep pushing through the boring stuff to get what you need to start you off and keep searching until eventually you find something that you enjoy. That’s what I did with a little help from my family and the tutors here who coached me”.

Click below to find out more:

• BTEC in sports and physical activities
• Further Education courses