Yacht Crew Recruitment Seminar, by ESTELA Superyacht Agency

Recording of panel discussion hosted by ESTELA Superyacht Agency at the Palma Boat Show in April, 2024.

Guest moderated by Erica Lay, of El Crew Co in Mallorca, the panellists are:

Captain Carsten Franik
Captain Will Kaye
Christophe Bourillion, The PYA
Laura Molineux, Nautilus International
Karine Pouwels, Fraser Yachts

 

The panel highlighted the industry's need to modernise its approach to crew management while maintaining high professional standards.

These were some of the key points from the discussion:

Crew Expectations & Industry Image
- Industry struggles with perception vs reality gap
- Social media/TV shows like Below Deck create unrealistic expectations
- Need to accurately portray daily work requirements and challenges
- Many new crew unprepared for intensive service work environment
- Recruitment materials often showcase lifestyle over work aspects

Management & Leadership Development
- Yacht captains face unique challenges as combined CEO/HR manager/counselor 
- Limited formal leadership training available compared to corporate roles
- Growing need for soft skills training beyond technical certifications
- Mental health awareness becoming crucial for crew management
- Some vessels implementing mental health first aid training

Crew Retention Strategies
- Internal promotion pathways within managed fleet
- Cross-training opportunities between departments
- Investment in additional qualifications beyond mandatory certificates
- Challenge balancing training time with operational demands
- Owner buy-in needed for training budgets and time allocation

Professional Support
- PYA focusing on professional standards development
- Nautilus seeing significant membership growth post-pandemic
- Growing demand for legal/employment protection
- Need for collective bargaining development
- Industry maturing toward more structured employment framework

Recruitment & Background Checks
- No standardized system for sharing negative references
- MLC regulations limit formal blacklisting
- Reliance on informal networks for background verification
- Challenge balancing crew privacy with safety/security needs
- Need for more rigorous verification standards

Industry Modernisation Needs
- Better regulation of recruitment agencies
- Standardized training requirements beyond basic STCW
- Improved salary and benefits packages
- Work-life balance considerations for new generation
- Professional development pathways
- Mental health and welfare support systems

The discussion highlighted an industry in transition, trying to maintain high standards while adapting to modern workforce expectations and needs.

Should you have feedback or suggestions for future events, please contact James van Bregt at editor@estelayachting.com or WhatsApp +34 696 598403. If you are interested in participating in our next round of seminars, please get in touch.

For more information about ESTELA, our agency services, or our publications and events, visit https://linktr.ee/estela1850