From Training to Transformation
On November 1, 2024, the Building A Future Foundation (BAFF) Training Institute celebrated its 20th anniversary with a graduation ceremony at the Kabalana Hotel. This symbolic event marked a key moment in the history of BAFF, which for two decades has played a fundamental role in the training and professional integration of Sri Lanka’s youth. More than just a graduation ceremony, the event highlighted the very essence of BAFF: offering young people solid prospects for the future, from their first steps in the maritime world to access to stable, qualified employment.
Founded by Pierre Pringiers and Dr. Tissa Jinasena, BAFF has enabled thousands of young people from modest backgrounds to forge a future for themselves through a progressive, structured apprenticeship. From an early age, they are introduced to the sea by learning to swim and sail on Minibees, before moving on to specialized training in shipbuilding, sailmaking, marine maintenance and boat management. This pathway enables them to develop practical and technical skills that will accompany them throughout their lives.
A New Generation Setting Sail
The class of 2024, made up of 68 graduates, bears witness to this mission of transmission and support. This year, BAFF trained new talent in several strategic areas: technical versatility, shipbuilding, and skills development in Jaffna. These young people are not just students; they represent the future of the Sri Lankan marine industry, and the next generation of professionals who will ensure the sector’s longevity.
At the ceremony, Pierre Pringiers himself presented the students with their diplomas, underlining the importance of their careers and their central role in the SLYG ecosystem. For while BAFF was founded 20 years ago with the aim of training and nurturing a new generation of professionals, today it is thanks to these young people that the Sea Leisure Yachting Group (SLYG), Ocean Voyager and Sail Lanka exist and thrive.
BAFF: The Beating Heart of SLYG
This unique symbiosis between training and the nautical industry means that every BAFF graduate finds a secure, skilled job, directly with the companies that make up the SLYG ecosystem. Some become catamaran builders at Ocean Voyager, others join Sail Lanka to sail and operate the boats they have helped to build. Each stage of their apprenticeship is designed to ensure a stable career, guaranteeing continuity and sustainable growth for the whole group.
This anniversary and graduation are therefore of particular significance. BAFF is not just a foundation, it is the beating heart of everything SLYG stands for today. Through their successes, an entire ecosystem is growing and strengthening.
Shaping not only their future, but that of the entire Sri Lankan yachting industry.