It has helped inspire him to a career in the maritime industry.

And now a Southampton man has repaid the favour by appearing at the launch of a UK charity’s latest strategy.

Aaron Ramsey was one of six young ambassadors who were the focus of an event held by the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA) to unveil its three-year strategy in London.

The 24-year-old, of Sholing, was at Portcullis House to answer questions from a 100-strong audience made up of leading figures and supporters from the corporate, local government, charity and yachting sectors on how Isle of Wight-based UKSA’s youth development programmes helped him. Aaron was long-term unemployed and joined UKSA’s first Change Direction programme.

The four-week course is designed to help 16 to 24-year-olds off benefits and into employment.

It involves a two-week placement at UKSA’s Cowes headquarters, which includes marine industry workshops, followed by two weeks of work experience. From work placements in Southampton, Aaron secured a week’s paid work experience on a luxury 31-metre yacht, helping at the start of the refit.

He also secured further longer-term work on local boats, carrying out maintenance work and preparing yachts for the Clipper Round the World Race while on the programme.

He is now looking to pursue a career in the maritime industry in an electro-engineering role. The charity’s Back to Work programme has been rolled out to the Solent area, Kent and Greater London. But UKSA is also looking to increase the number of schoolchildren coming through its doors by a further 1,500 a year and increase its training places.

It needs to raise an additional £3m a year to fund this.