Unfortunately, like any industry, yachting has its share of people trying to exploit job seekers. Scammers may try to steal your personal information, request money, or worse. As you embark on your yachting career, it’s essential to stay informed, alert, and, most importantly, safe. Here are Yotspots Top Tips to help you avoid yachting job scams: 1.Meet in Public Places If you’ve agreed to meet a yacht captain , owner, or recruiter, ensure the meeting takes place in a public locat... More
The tech platform and job board Yotspot, which is headquartered in Southampton and has a global reach, provides everything from deckhands to captains. It has seen huge growth in the last year, cementing its place as the market leader in providing crew on the world’s biggest private yachts. Founded in 2010, Steve Crawford and his business partner, Daryl Bradley, have spent the last 13 years helping people find work below deck. Last year Danielle McLaren was appointed managing directo... More
With boats of all sizes taking to the seas, are we seeing more accidents in yachting or is this just an artefact of increased yacht numbers? Let’s take a look at the questions around yachting safety. What factors contribute to high accident rates in yachting? The answer may not be as simple as ‘more boats on the water equals more accidents’. There could be other factors at play that are contributing to higher accident rates. For example, inexperienced boaters may have less knowledge abo... More
Sustainability in the superyacht industry extends beyond hardware and materials. Industry professionals and seafarers alike are taking an active interest in living and maintaining sustainable lifestyles aboard super yachts. Sustainable living is the new buzzword in the world of yachting, and for good reason. With the increasing concern over climate change and the need to reduce our carbon footprint, industry professionals and seafarers alike are growing ever aware of their impact on planet ea... More
It’s no secret that staying safe while navigating the seas can be a perilous endeavor. But what is the yachting industry doing to battle cyber security for yachts? As with any online activities, there are measures that yacht owners and crew must take to ensure their data is secure and their vessels remain protected. Let’s take a look at some of these steps and explore how they help protect yacht owners and crew members alike. It is essential that yacht owners and crew take measures to protect... More
Welcome to the annual Superyacht Survey (2022) brought to you by Yotspot - The leading jobs board in the yachting industry.. and Faststream Recruitment Group . A total of 556 Superyacht Crew took part in this survey. It hasn’t been business as usual in the superyacht industry. In 2020 and the first half of 2021 yachts and crew were heavily impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Many yacht itineraries were put on hold and some Captains and their crew found themselves facing period... More
In the ever changing circumstances following the outbreak of COVID-19, just to let you know, that HRCrew is very much operational, fully functional and working remotely with great resources, such as our database, video interviewing and team connection tools. The first quarter of 2020 was our busiest ever! We’ve made plenty of placements, from Captains to Interior crew, with many further placements in the pipeline. We are still servicing our own fleet yachts, as well as our additional lo... More
If you are a seafarer wishing to buy in the UK why won’t banks consider you for a mortgage? More
A collection of tips, tricks and hacks to help you find solutions to problems, and maybe be a little inspired to try different things too More
The Med season is almost upon us, and the marinas will soon start filling up with boats returning from the Caribbean, or further afield. The end of a season for many is a time of upheaval and change – leaving a current yacht to move to another, or ashore. The beginning of the new season is a time when current and new crew are searching for their next position and the next adventure. Consequently, the docks can be flooded with hopeful crew, and you can quickly be lost in a sea of faces all wan... More
The Maritime Skills Academy is happy to announce it will be running the Approved Engine Course, starting April 2018. More
Global specialists in Maritime recruitment, Faststream, welcome Nic Jones as new Group Marketing Manager to their UK headquarters. Nic will be responsible for shaping the global recruitment group’s marketing strategy, particularly online with the imminent launch of three new job and industry insight websites for candidates and clients alike. Commenting on the new appointment of Nic, CEO Mark Charman said: “Nic brings a wealth of marketing experience and expertise from outside the... More
Thank you to everyone that made it to the Viking Maritime Skills Academy (MSA) stand during The Monaco Yacht Show. It is always a pleasure to meet new and current clients, candidates and crew we speak too regularly and ones that want to meet for the first time. The overall atmosphere of the show was very positive, with a great deal of optimism about the future. It proved to be another fantastic and very busy show. An exciting element of this year’s show was the airing of our new promo... More
The Great Britain Sailing team flew to Sheboygan on the 9th September 2017 to the Blind Sailing World Championships. Over the 5 racing days, the 4 teams came together to win an overall Gold and defended their world title. Here at the MSA and Viking, we have been keeping up to date with the day by day bulletins and couldn’t be prouder of all 4 teams. They truly deserve this after all the hard work and effort they put into training. Chairman Founder, Dieter Jaenicke said, “It has been a... More
Housekeeping on yachts and superyachts is a fantastic role to enter into whether you have lots, little or no experience. We have seen many successful candidates enter this role and work their way up to head of house or simply use the role as an entry position into the industry who have then gone onto becoming a Chief Stewardess for example. If you are looking at entering this career pathway, read on to discover what experience is beneficial and the requirements needed to be successful. ... More
Life as part of yacht crew certainly isn’t like any other so if you’re thinking about a career in the yachting industry, this is the blog post for you. From blissful morning coffees with a view to late night requests dragging you out of bed, yacht jobs certainly have their pros and cons. However all of this will give you an unforgettable experience like no other and is extremely rewarding. To really give insight into what its like to work as yacht crew, especially for anyone thinking about pu... More
On Monday 26 June Curriculum Leaders, Head of Year 12, Career Coordinators and Education Advisers from across the county of Kent attended an Open Day at Viking Recruitment’s Maritime Skills Academy (MSA) in Dover, supported by Kent County Council and the Careers and Enterprise Company. Taking place during Seafarers Awareness Week, the Open Day was an opportunity to showcase training and career opportunities within the Maritime Industry. Year 12 students from the Goodwin Academy in D... More
Whether it’s your first interview or fiftieth, it’s always a good idea turn up well rested and prepared. To help our crew candidates nail their next interview, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 most popular interview questions for working on yachts and superyachts with helpful tips on how to answer them.What about your current position do you dislike? With this question, it’s very important to remain professional but be honest. For example, a good answer would be “ I enjoy the yacht and... More
Last month Nikki travelled to Antibes to check out the awesome facilities at Secrets de Cuisine – a purpose built MCA-approved training centre offering career development and food safety courses to Superyacht Chefs. The centre also acts as a one stop shop for direct distribution of over 50,000 galley equipment items. Secrets de Cuisine is now offering a discount to all wilsonhalligan candidates looking to complete their Ships’ Cook Assessment and food safety courses. Read our latest blog ... More
Is any course enough on its own? Liz Baugh, Medical Training Consultant from Red Square Medical, gives her views... My answer would be probably not. STCW First Aid and Medical Care courses are actually really well designed with all the essential topics covered and provide a good solid foundation, but once you return back on board the skill fade has already begun. After 4 or 5 weeks you feel confident, you can remember that to do Basic Life Support you need to push hard on the c... More
Thinking about a career off-shore? Dreaming of living the high life working on a superyacht? There are a host of different paths you can take; from deckhands and watersport instructors to steward/ess’, engineers and beauticians. Whichever route you decide to take, wilsonhalligan can assist you in your job search at every stage of your career but here we’ve compiled the basics of what you need to know when first starting out.Basic requirements for working onboard a yacht/superyacht: A good... More
If you are looking for a career as a yacht engineer, we’ve compiled a breakdown of the qualifications and requirements needed to start out, insight into the job day-to-day and how to effectively land your dream position. What Does a Yacht Engineer do? Depending on type, size and usage of the yacht, the Engineering department (be that a Sole Engineer or a department of 6 or more Engineers) are responsible for the operation, maintenance and repair of all mechanical, electrical, electronic,... More
The information within this article has been provided by Tim Reedman, Chartered Financial Planner of St. James’s Place. This year’s ISA – capture the moment, before it’s gone! Are you making the most of yours? Before the end of this tax year, there is the opportunity to shelter up to £15,240 in an ISA, with no further tax to pay on income and growth, free from Capital Gains Tax. Yet the majority of ISA savers still fail to make the most of the opportunity. The government sent out ... More
As the yachts get bigger the demand for a vast skill set is increasing. One such skill set is that of a Nurse, but what does it take to be a Nurse on-board a Super Yacht and how do you apply? Read on to find out how to become a Nurse Stewardess on a private yacht. The general response from a variety of our candidates is that friends of friends, internet searches, knowledge of Cruise Ships needing nurses and general word of mouth pointed them in the direction of yachting. What qualifica... More
On the 1st July 2017, the new French Social Security laws will be implemented. This will impact yacht crew who spend over 183 days within a 365 day period in France, as long as they are not already paying social security to any EEA state or any state which has a bilateral social security treaty with France. While the USA and Canada do hold a bilateral social security treaty with France, it is worth noting that Australia and New Zealand do not.USA – Financial Tax information for US Yacht Cre... More
Candidates often ask me if they need a Ships Cook Certificate to work as a chef on super-yachts. The simple answer is yes IF it is a UK-registered commercial vessel, which operates more than 60 miles offshore, with 10 or more crew on board OR the yacht is under a different flag state but chooses to follow the above guidelines. Of course this should mean that for private yachts, or yachts with less than 10 crew it is not necessary, however we are starting to see more and more clients as... More
In recent years, the number of yacht recruitment agencies has increased substantially, so as a candidate or client, how do you decide which recruitment agency to use? As a candidate , your initial thoughts could be to register with every single one, thinking it would increase your chances of finding a job quicker. As a Captain or Head of Department , this option may also seem appealing in a bid to receive the greatest selection of candidates. However through experience, we know this isn... More
A free online information resource is available to chefs, captains or anyone looking for the latest updates on the Ship's Cook Certificate (SCC), Marine Cookery Assessment or on updates to Food Hygiene/Safety for yacht chefs. The one-stop-shop of info is available at www.shipscookcertificate.com and lists: - who offers the Marine Cookery Assessment in England, France and Scotland - the latest Food Safety/Hygiene updates from the MCA - Questions Answers to help chefs bette... More
This month, the team here at wilsonhalligan are proud to be celebrating 10 years as the go-to yacht recruitment specialist on the South Coast! Read on to find out how it all started at wilsonhalligan, what we’ve achieved and what’s in-store for our 10th year in yacht recruitment.How we’ve grown… Starting out in 2007 as a small recruitment agency primarily aimed at large yachts, which grew through word of mouth, we are now proud to have grown substantially and have diversified to cater to ... More
In an effort to provide vital assistance to a growing issue around the world, The Maritime Skills Academy is proud to be able to offer Save the Children crew free STCW Marine Training. Crew members will be passing through the Maritime Skills Academy doors throughout the next month and undertaking the STCW 5 Part Basic Safety Training week to ensure safety and efficiency during all search and rescue procedures at sea. Save the Children’s search-and-rescue vessel saves lives at sea by resc... More
Maritime Skills Academy (MSA) brings Crew Security Training to Palma #POPUPPALMA Are you a Superyacht Crew Member? Are you in Palma? Do you need Designated Security Duties Course? If you answered YES to all these, then we can help you ... The Maritime Skills Academy will be showcasing its training courses in Palma. We are offering superyacht crew an exciting opportunity to update their portfolio of STCW courses with a complimentary one day MCA app... More
Viking is actively increasing our presence this winter along the Balearic coast with a Pop Up office based in Palma from 30 January to 10 March. For the week commencing Monday 6 February Rebecca Adams (Senior Yacht Recruitment Consultant), Katie Thornton (Yacht Recruitment Consultant) and Louise Hunter (Yacht Operations Coordinator) will be travelling from Palma to spend time visiting shipyards and yachts based in a number of key locations along the Balearic coast on the Spanish mainland. Vis... More
On Tuesday 15th November, The Maritime Skills Academy (MSA) proudly welcomed HRH Princess Royal to view the newly opened Marine Survival Complex and Fire Training Ground. On arrival HRH Princess Royal was welcomed by Dieter Jaenicke, Chairman Founder and his wife, Jill Jaenicke as well as the local civic dignitaries of Dover. She was then guided to the top floor of Viking Headquarters to meet Senior Management including Matthew Jaenicke, Managing Director, Mark Jaenicke, Recruitment HR... More
Nelson’s Dockyard Marina in English Harbour Falmouth Harbour will be hosting the 55th Antigua Charter Yacht Show. This years show has been extended to cover 6 days from Sunday 4th December to Saturday 10th December. This year all registered yachts will remain on the dock throughout the full 5 viewing days. The additional day is 'Day Sail' day, offering management companies an opportunity to invite visiting brokers to experience a 'micro-charter'. Viking Recruitment and The Maritime Skill... More
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the "Yachting Capital of the World" will host the 57th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) on Thursday 3rd November to Monday 7th November. The show exhibits ranges from yacht builders and designers to exotic cars and brokerage yachts. A wide variety of boats will be on display including runabouts, sportfishers, high performance boats, centre consoles, cabin cruisers, flats boats, skiffs, express cruisers, sailing yachts, motor yachts, bowriders, catam... More
Maritime Skills Academy is delighted to announce a partnership with MAST, combining their expertise to deliver a full suite of MCA accredited Helideck Safety Training courses. Specialists in global aviation, MAST provides aviation support and training services to clients across the Maritime industry. The exciting partnership welcomes the opportunity to provide a variety of brand new courses: MCA Helideck Procedures Emergency Response, MCA Helicopter Landing Officer (HLO), MCA Helicopt... More
Following a period of significant growth, Berkeley Scott, a leading supplier of chefs to the yachting community has announced an expansion of its specialist practice. Matt Turvill, manager of the yacht practice said “what sets us apart is that every recruitment consultant who works for us has experience working within kitchens of vessels and private households. Therefore we inherently understand what they are looking for.” With culinary knowledge and over 30 years’ experienc... More
Click here to understand what updating (refresher) training is needed depending on what CoC you hold. The IMO has mandated that Officers wishing to revalidate their STCW Certificate of Competency (CoC) after 1st January 2017 will need documentary evidence of completing the following STCW short courses within the previous FIVE years. Without these in-date certificates Officers will not be able to update their CoC. The courses are: Personal Survival Techniques (PST) Fire Pre... More
Progress People, the recently rebranded recruitment agency, is now actively pursuing superyacht industry partners. After working within the superyacht industry, both on board and shoreside, founding partners Tom Pugh-Jones and Joylon Ferrier witnessed a gap in the market, they believe that the opportunity to create an effective mid to senior-level executive search consultancy is yet to be realised. “Over the last twelve months we have learned an awful lot,” starts Joylon. “W... More
After the postponement of the much anticipated preview event in June, Maritime Skills Academy is excited to confirm the re-launch will now take place on September 8th 2016. Giving the maritime industry a view of what is on offer at the iconic, state-of-the-art training facility, the Academy, based at Whitfield, Dover, next to the Viking Headquarters, will bring a new high-tech Marine Survival Complex to the maritime sector. The new Complex, incorporating training and conference ... More
