Could university status elevate superyacht cadetship reputation?
The UKSA has had its superyacht cadetship programme accredited by UCAS as a foundation degree in the UK. Future aspiring crewmembers will be able to study for a degree in operational yacht science.…
Charity and training provider, UKSA has become the first organisation of its kind to have a professional maritime course accredited by UCAS, the body responsible for higher education applications in the UK.
UKSA’s Superyacht Cadetship course will now be offered as a foundation degree in operational yacht science, run in conjunction with the University of Plymouth and Falmouth Marine School.
This endorsement is a significant coup in raising the status of crew training and superyacht crewing as a viable career. It also helps to answer the superyacht industry’s own calls for a new generation of more professional crewmembers as director of London-based superyacht consultancy MGMT, Mark Upton acknowledged:
“This is fantastic news for the luxury yacht industry. Young crew who are looking for a professional career path will now have an outstanding opportunity to gain an internationally recognised qualification that will not only reinforce their career path but also offer a transferable qualification for later life. We strongly support this initiative from UKSA.”
Following the introduction of the Maritime Labour Convention in August 2013 there is a tangible sense of crew empowerment within the industry, but there is also an expectation that this historic convention will trigger greater professionalism. A structured degree programme such as this will see future crewmembers investing in their future, with access to the financial support options afforded to existing students in Britain, and it is hoped that this will induce a level of commitment absent for too long among the superyacht community.
Emma Baggett, Cadetship Manager at UKSA, said “This is the first time a yacht training establishment has been able to provide crew with a UCAS accredited degree qualification to back-up traditional maritime tickets. Our aim is not only to equip yacht crew with the skills and knowledge required to work on a superyacht, but also to provide them with the academic foundations for a life outside of yachting.”
UKSA’s Superyacht Cadetship course will now be offered as a foundation degree in operational yacht science, run in conjunction with the University of Plymouth and Falmouth Marine School.
This endorsement is a significant coup in raising the status of crew training and superyacht crewing as a viable career. It also helps to answer the superyacht industry’s own calls for a new generation of more professional crewmembers as director of London-based superyacht consultancy MGMT, Mark Upton acknowledged:
“This is fantastic news for the luxury yacht industry. Young crew who are looking for a professional career path will now have an outstanding opportunity to gain an internationally recognised qualification that will not only reinforce their career path but also offer a transferable qualification for later life. We strongly support this initiative from UKSA.”
Following the introduction of the Maritime Labour Convention in August 2013 there is a tangible sense of crew empowerment within the industry, but there is also an expectation that this historic convention will trigger greater professionalism. A structured degree programme such as this will see future crewmembers investing in their future, with access to the financial support options afforded to existing students in Britain, and it is hoped that this will induce a level of commitment absent for too long among the superyacht community.
Emma Baggett, Cadetship Manager at UKSA, said “This is the first time a yacht training establishment has been able to provide crew with a UCAS accredited degree qualification to back-up traditional maritime tickets. Our aim is not only to equip yacht crew with the skills and knowledge required to work on a superyacht, but also to provide them with the academic foundations for a life outside of yachting.”
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