The Impact of GUEST
It is the first time that Interior Yacht crew has had an opportunity to follow a defined and formal progressive career path. The benefits of bespoke training make onboard duties and hospitality service easier to deliver due to increased practical knowledge and greater confidence. This training will produce a more professional crew member who is better equipped to meet the expectations and demands of the owners – on any yacht. This training is not mandatory, yet by introducing an “Industry Standard” for training providers to use as a common base line, it will better serve the needs of the owner’s expectations onboard.
For those pursuing a career as Interior Yacht Crew, the GUEST structure provides a balance of work experience with formal training; Time spent with guests onboard combined with qualifications achieved at Introductory level and Advanced level, leading on to a Managerial level; establishing a comprehensive industry standard for Professional Interior Crew. Interior crew can now benefit from a clearly defined training route, leading to an industry recognised PYA Certificate of Competence.
Consultation & Development
PYA's Continuous Professional Development Workgroup teamed up with a large international group of industry professionals to create these guidelines. The workgroup included Owners Representatives, Captains, Chief Stewardesses and Stewards, Sommeliers, Charter Agents, and Training Providers. It is this team who identified and developed a comprehensive, unified and bespoke career structure for training and certification for those working in Superyacht interior departments.
GUEST Training Standards
The GUEST certification system is modular in structure. Training objectives with syllabus outlines for each individual module are defined in the Guidelines. These Guidelines are just a benchmark allowing each Training Provider to adapt their own courses to include the minimum standards of training expected by the yachting industry. This ensures a unified, comprehensive & bespoke training for each student. Individual Training Providers retain the right and freedom to design and deliver their own style and brand courses that include these minimum standards. Any Training Provider that meets the requirements will be able to apply for accreditation to issue PYA GUEST endorsed certificates. Through audits, PYA monitor the training standards being delivered to ensure that what is being taught follows the standards in the GUEST Guidelines.
Continuous Development
To ensure that GUEST reflects what happens in practice and most importantly maintains its focus on what owners and guests expect, PYA is committed to continuously developing this scheme. The GUEST Guidelines will therefore be under constant review, and will inevitably change and evolve to suit the needs of the sector as demands and trends change.