[ccbeachlife]

Hello,

I have been researching the megayacht industry for the past year now as a potential career path. I just graduated college with a BS in Industrial Technology and am ready to make the move from California to Fort Lauderdale to get a job as a deckhand on a megayacht. My plan is to move to Fort Lauderdale sometime during September to get all of the necessary certifications (STCW 95 and tender operator). Currently I do not have any megayacht experience.

I have been looking at the International Yacht Training school and the Maritime Professional Training school. Both offer similar courses that are priced relatively the same.

My question is, what school should I go with and what courses besides the necessary STCW 95 BST course will increase my chances of being hired? Should I also take the weeklong megayacht crew course that both schools offer?

I plan on getting the tender operator certification. I noticed in the MPT course curriculum that the tender operator certification is RYA accredited. Is it more advantageous to have a RYA accredited certification?

Does one school have better career placement services over the other? Does one school have a better reputation in industry for the quality of student that they graduate?

I should probably note that I have grown up on small boats in the San Francisco Bay Area, raced powerboats with the APBA for 4 years, certified in seamanship, engine maintenance and piloting with the United States Power Squadron, SCUBA rescue diver certified, and I just got back from 2 months studying abroad with the California Maritime Academy living on their training ship Golden Bear in the South Pacific. Although I am new to the megayacht industry I am not new to boating.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Ken Bracewell]

My 2 cents is that MPT is predominantly attended by US yacht crew and the other school is primarily foreign crew. This isn't an endorsement or a recommendation in any way, but I (and all of my present and previous crew) have attended courses at MPT.
As for the Megayacht (I hate that word) crew course- if the curriculum has anything you don't already know, then take it if you have the time and the $$. Anything that can help build your resume would be a bonus. If I were looking at a deckies resume and he had a course like that listed, I would probably respect the commitment to the industry shown by taking the course.
All in all, it sounds like you have a good background with which to hit the ground running. Mechanical skills are a definite plus.
My advice on your schedule would be to make sure that you've finished all your courses (and count on a week of partying upon reaching Ft. Lauderdale for the first time too) by the beginning of October. You should then be able to find work on boats preparing for the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show (maybe even mine).
Best of luck to you.
Ken