The Importance of Training for Yacht Crew

Abi Smith  |  6th March 2019

Yacht owners and captains are looking for well trained and qualified, professional crew to work on their yachts.

Yacht crew are expected to take several courses - some certificates are mandatory for everyone and others are mandatory for certain positions or may improve your chance of getting hired.

Firstly, every crew member wanting to work on a commercial yacht must have completed their STCW Basic Safety Training. You cannot apply for any jobs on board a yacht until you have this certificate. The five-day STCW course focuses on basic safety skills, emergency procedures and teamwork within the maritime environment and includes firefighting, sea survival, personal safety, social responsibility, first aid and proficiency in security awareness.

Visit STCW Direct to find STCW courses available near you.

Next, you will need an ENG1 crew medical certificate to prove that you are fit to work at sea. Find out how and where to get your ENG1 here.

Finally, depending on the role/s that you are interested in, you can complete any other training specific to that role to help put you ahead of the competition. For example, if you are interested in an interior role such as a Steward or Stewardess, then the PYA GUEST Program offers an industry recognised certificate, beauty therapists would usually be required to have an NVQ level 3, a personal trainer would need a recent level 3 in PT certification, etc.

Remember that any training you undertake is an investment in your future career so any courses you can afford to take will be worth it. Bear in mind that qualified staff will always have the edge over unqualified staff and help you to stand out from the very large crowd looking for jobs on yachts and superyachts.

  • Getting some initial training shows a certain level of competence to future employees
  • Completing a training course should help you get a job faster
  • Make sure you keep your CV up to date with all your latest courses and training

Find list of training centres for super yacht crew on yaCrew.