25 October, 2017

Imagine this…it’s winter time but you are sailing south to Fort Lauderdale, Miami and later to West Palm. From there you’ll sail to the Bahamas, and in the Caribbean head to St Martin or Antigua. In the summer, you’ll journey North up the US coast to Boston, Maine and Newport or across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.

This might sound like the lifestyle of the rich and famous but it may also be the ideal career if working on board a luxury superyacht appeals to you. The National Maritime College of Ireland (a constituent college of Cork Institute of Technology) has created the NMCI Superyacht Division and is now offering Professional Yachting Association (PYA) courses for the delivery of seven-star standard service for super yacht sector. 

The courses are offered under the Guidelines for Unified Excellence in Service Training (GUEST) in conjunction with CIT’s Department of Tourism & Hospitality Studies. NMCI is the only GUEST approved training centre in Ireland. The seven star standard of training teaches how to deliver exceptional service and the ever expanding industry is experiencing a shortage of available skilled crew. NMCI and CIT staff responsible for the programme have extensive yachting and high end hospitality backgrounds and are all GUEST approved.

The training undertaken will give the confidence and skills to enhance individual careers as well as bringing value to the interior departments on board. Jim O’Byrne, head of NMCI Services said: ’Working on board a superyacht offers you a unique lifestyle and the opportunity to travel the world. These courses will give students all the theoretical and practical skills necessary to be an active crew member on board a superyacht ensuring that every yacht owner receives the highest levels of service and presentation.” A world of unique experiences, voyages to exotic locations and amazing stories awaits…

For more information on the National Maritime College of Ireland’s Superyacht Division email superyachts@nmci.ie or contact Melissa Lynch – Superyacht Co-Coordinator Melissa.lynch@nmci.ie

More generally, to explore how CIT can collaborate with you and your company, email us today extendedcampus@cit.ie or call us on 021 4335302