ADVANCED
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
|  | There
are few industries that offer the rewards and excitement so quickly for a young
person as does the megayacht industry. | In
some ways it is similar to the hotel industry, however it is much more exclusive
and private, with its 300 foot super yachts carrying celebrities and the mega
wealthy between exotic locations in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and is
highly regulated and respectable.
| Entry
level skills and qualifications can be gained in our 28 day course, making this
an ideal platform to quickly start earning good money. A first year deck crew
or stewardess can save up to $18 000 in year one. With ongoing advanced training
for a few weeks each year (in the pleasant subtropical climate of Durban, South
Africa), double this can be saved in year three.
| | The
recent growth of the industry has seen a shortage of crew at all levels and there
are opportunities for girls and guys, even though traditionally the career paths
are slightly different.
 | Both
start with the same 28 day course, except there is the choice of specialising
as a hostess or as a deck hand. After the first year, experience and advanced
training enhances your value in the industry. The first year is spent crewing
on charter or privately owned megayachts. The main seasons will see you based
in the Caribbean from October to May and in the Med from March to October.
|  | Routine
on board is typical hospitality industry and the hours can be irregular and demanding,
but the rewards are certainly worth it. Generally you'll work 12 - 14 hours a
day with breaks in between (eg. from 8am for six hours and then from 6pm 'til
midnight). During off duty time you do your own chores and laundry and when the
boat is moored you can get off and enjoy some land based recreation. (Find out
more by reading some of the experiences of crew in What past pupils say…
and by doing our Fun Quiz…)
|  | As
in any industry the "big fish in a small sea/small fish in a big sea"
rule applies. It is easier and quicker to gain senior positions on smaller craft
than large craft or cruise ships. On a large vessel, a high level of maturity
and sense of responsibility is required to be in charge of what is a major asset,
and you are expected to command respect and conduct yourself appropriately.
|
| | |  | Stewardess
career path
Typically
a stewardess would start as third or fourth
"stew" on a large boat (70 foot
plus), usually advancing without any further
training but using experience to rise
up the pecking order to the level of purser
- the person responsible for all the administration.
You would be one of a crew of 2 - 4 stewardesses
and the role is more specialised than
on a small boat. You would start with
cleaning and work your way up, with more
experience getting you better pay and
better shifts. You'll spend about a year
at each level as you progress up the ladder,
achieving chief stewardess on a big boat
in about the seventh year. On a small
boat your role is more charter oriented
as an all-rounder, doing the victualling,
cooking and housekeeping. |
|
 | Deck
officer career path The
path for a deck officer involves advanced training along the way. Although it
has traditionally been a role mostly for guys, more and more girls are now going
this route and you can expect to be fully qualified after about seven years. From
the second to fourth years a deck hand would build up experience and do an Offshore,
an Ocean and an OOW certificate, continuing with further training to Master level,
while someone more interested in the engineering side can do an Approved Engine
Course and progress to Chief engineer. |
For
someone with existing skills and experience in the hospitality industry, the potential
to progress rapidly up the ranks is excellent. Skills as diverse as scuba training,
sailboarding, waterskiing, childminding and cooking up culinary masterpieces as
a chef are all in demand. Even a background in nature conservation can add value
to a crew member.
Whether
it's for a handful of years or a lifetime career, the megayacht industry welcomes
ambitious, hard working young people and rewards them quickly and well with a
wide range of financial and stimulating recreational benefits. REGISTER
NOW |
|
|
| _______________________________________ Top |
|
Proud
to be an
SA World Class Academy
|
Welcome
to Professional Yachtmaster Training (PYT)
in Durban, South Africa - one of the world's
leading megayacht academies and the only
one in the Southern Hemisphere directly recognized
by the MCA. PYT provides MCA recognized
courses from beginner up to Master level,
and our graduates are in demand worldwide.
|
|
Register
for Email Updates
Please fill in your details below if
you wish to receive regular email
updates.
| |
| | South
Africans
Train, see the family
and save!
SIGN
UP NOW
and
go, go, go!
| | |
|
|
