Its a new adventure! You have decided the yachting industry is where you want to be. You are excited and eager to get a job and climb aboard a beautiful yacht you have only ever seen in movies.
It sounds wonderful and glamourous but soon you find out it’s a lot of hard work and can be very dangerous if you aren’t properly prepared. A yacht is a large machine that can cause harm and the maritime academies in Fort Lauderdale provide basic training to ensure that at the very least you can protect yourself and your guests.
When you arrive in Fort Lauderdale before you choose your school, you need to arrange your accommodation. Smart Move has a wide variety of apartments and hosues Smart Move Houses.
When selecting your accommodation make sure you pick housing that will give you the privacy, so you can study. Ask Smart Move Accommodations for a list of the available options. They offer shared crew houses if you are on a very tight budget as well as large private apartments and houses.
Now, its time to select your school. There are some great maritime schools to choose from:
- Maritime Professional Training http://www.mptusa.com/
- Professional Yacht Training https://professionalyachtmastertraining.com/
- Blue Water Training https://www.bluewateryachting.com/
- Resolve Maritime Academy https://resolveacademy.com/
Each school, offers somethings a little different but what they all have in common is the STCW course. Read reviews written by past students, those are very helpful!
It’s a 5-6-day mandatory course that covers basic safety training. It’s a combination of practical and written exams to ensure you are prepared for anything that may come your way.
Its broken down into categories so you can focus on each and give each adequate attention. Each maritime academy run their program differently so when selecting a school take a look at the schedule and breakdown.
You will cover
- First Aid/CPR
- Personal Survival Techniques
- Personal Safety Techniques and Social responsibility
- Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (2-day training offered at some schools)
- Competence in Security Awareness (offered at some schools)
The STCW runs monthly throughout the year for your total convenience. Depending which school you decide on, the course ranges from $860-$900
It’s an overall great and very comprehensive course required if you are new to the industry.
Good Luck!!