CMI expands offerings to supply luxury yacht industry

Amidst thE global shortage of professionals in the shipping industry, specifically officers, the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) is seeking to expand its programme offerings to supply the industry with a diverse and qualified workforce. Guided by the national growth strategy - logistics and development - the institute is capitalising on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) previously signed with Luxury Yacht Group (LYG) - one of the largest yachting companies in the world. The MOU is geared towards providing critical training to fill vacancies within the yacht industry, as it remains an unexplored aspect of seafaring and provides an excellent career opportunity for many Jamaicans.

60-foot donated

To facilitate this training, the CMI has acquired a 60-foot hatteras yacht (MY Penney Reel) through the generous donation of Joe Matalon and his family, which was officially handed over to the institute in a commissioning ceremony on Wednesday, April 24. The event, which was attended by government officials, industry partners and other stakeholders, featured minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Dr Morais Guy, as keynote speaker and a special address from Rupert Connor, president of LYG. Guy noted that this contribution has enabled the institute "to realise the dream of owning a yacht which can now provide a training armamentarium to its multifaceted course offerings." Connor conveyed a similar sentiment and added that he looks forward to "seeing more CMI graduates enter the yachting industry".

The vessel which was acquired for training purposes can accommodate up to 30 persons and has a recreational area, bar, galley, three rooms, three bathrooms, and a dining area. Joseph M. Matalon spoke on behalf of the donor family and emphasised that he is thrilled to be in a position to support the educational efforts of the institute in the very promising areas of seamanship, and hopes very much that this vessel will be put to good use in training the many aspiring students of the CMI.

NEW MARKETS

According to Dr Fritz Pinnock, executive director of the CMI, the yachting industry is "a totally different market from commercial shipping. Yachts are getting bigger so there exists an expanding market and with stringent regulations from IMO. Many billionaire clientele are now forced to employ highly trained and certified officers in this specialised market. CMI seeks to penetrate this sector in a greater way by equipping our labour force with the necessary skill sets to earn in this field."

Upgrading of certification will also be provided to satisfy the current requirements associated with larger-sized vessels and emerging safety needs. This creates an opportunity for those already in the industry to gain advanced-level qualifications. Already the CMI, in partnership with Dynamic Yacht Management Company, provides training to experienced luxury yacht captains to upgrade their skills and certification. For this white-glove market, personalised and flexible tutoring will be provided - even at times onboard a vessel. The training to be delivered will be comprehensive and prepare graduates for the challenging industry. Areas of focus will include, among others, hospitality management, entertainment, interpersonal and communication skills, basic safety training, and etiquette.