Maritime jobs are usually well paid and allow you to travel the world, which is suitable for those who like to be away from home even for long periods of time. Seafarers and yacht skippers perform their jobs as crew members aboard a passenger ship, fishing vessel, yacht, etc.
If you are interested in this type of work and would like to know what qualifications are required to join the crew, you should contact the port authorities.
There are technical offices responsible for issuing work permits. Once the list of required papers is submitted, the port authority issues the necessary documents for working on board the ships. Those who aspire to a leadership position must attend the Nautical Academy, which offers the opportunity to obtain a degree as a naval officer.
In addition to sailors and officers, there are opportunities on ships for technical personnel (mechanics, engineers, electricians, etc.) and for service personnel (cooks, kitchen staff, etc.), and on yachts for waiters, hostesses, etc.
Working on ships brings you into contact with people from all over the world, so knowing English is very useful for communicating with others. English is an essential requirement if you want to work on a yacht.
According to the Navigation Act, seafaring personnel include:
- Seafarers
- Port service personnel
- Shipbuilding technical personnel
To work on ships, in any profession, you must:
- be registered in the seaman’s register, in one of the three categories
- be in possession of a seaman’s book
To obtain the seaman’s book, one must have completed the basic training, which includes four courses required by law:
The contract for seamen can be:
- for one voyage or for several voyages
- temporary
- permanent
The remuneration can be:
- a fixed amount for the entire duration of the trip
- a monthly payment
- a fixed and a variable part (participation in profit)
Now that you have all the papers, all you have to do is look for a job, and you have two choices:
- go to the ports and ask if they need personnel. This works for yachts or fishing boats; commercial ports are closed to the public.
- search the Internet. Below is a list of websites:
- Find a Crew, you can create your own profile
- Job Ships, job offers from all over the world
- Windrose, job offers sorted by category
- V Crew, numerous and constantly updated job offers
- Sea Fare Jobs, list of companies operating in the maritime sector
- Sea Job, many job offers and database of companies
- Fast Stream, job offers
- Sea Career, job offers especially in Europe
- Maritime-Union, job offers
Working on a yacht
Work on yachts includes cooks, waiters, hostesses, cleaners, etc., in addition to the positions of officers and sailors. Knowledge of the English language is essential. To acquire the skills necessary for working on a luxury yacht, you can take appropriate courses at various specialized schools.
Salaries for this type of work are very high, depending on the position, and start at $2,500 / $3,000 per month, including room and board. The advantages of this work are the opportunity to sail and enjoy the beauty of the enchanting seas: from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean. The disadvantages are the distance from home, long shifts and sharing a small space for a long time with other people.
Courses for yacht crews can be found here:
- Yacht Academy Genova, organizes courses for stewardesses and kitchen staff
- Barcelona Crew, organizes courses and training for crew members and personnel of luxury yachts
- The Crew Academy, training of yacht personnel
- Camper & Nicholsons, contains the list of training centers in Europe for yacht crew and job offers
Websites with job offers on yachts:
- Find a Crew, you can create your own profile
- Blu Water, job offers for luxury yacht staff
- Crew Network, recruitement agency
- Lux Yachts, job offers for luxury yacht staff
- Ypi Crew, job offers for yacht
- Quaycrew, job offers for marine staff
- Maritime Union, job offers for yacht staff
- J4crew, yacht staff website
- Ya Crew, job offrers for yacht and superyachts
