Crew Training Payment: A Numbers Game

What types of crew training should yachts invest in and who should pay?

Behind every perfectly mixed cocktail, immaculate interior, and smooth yachting experience lies a team of professionals: the crew. But how do they reach the level where they can provide such a service? The answer lies in training — both mandatory and optional.   

The crew training landscape has undergone various developments, and today, the simultaneous rise of non-mandatory training options and crewmembers who want more professional development is reshaping the industry. Over the years, multiple issues have come to the fore, namely, a lack of good leadership and crew welfare issues resulting in higher crew turnover. Most industry experts attribute this to the pressing need for more training, but what should yachts invest in, and who foots the bill?

Varying Packages 

Recent surveys reveal a need for more consistency in crew training investments industry-wide. According to Quay Crew, while 65% of captains report that all crew receive some form of training budget, the amounts vary dramatically — from as little as €500 to unlimited per crewmember. This disparity underscores a fundamental issue: the absence of industry-wide standards for crew development. 

Emma Baggett, the founder of The OM, points out that while she has seen training budgets improve, they should be more standardized and balanced.

“There is a huge discrepancy between training budgets in deck and engineering and those in the interior,” Baggett said, highlighting a lower investment in the latter. 

The variety of training packages covers everything from full coverage and reimbursement plans to partial support and self-funding. 

“In 70% of cases, the crewmember pays upfront and is reimbursed after a certain length of service; in reality, there are also variations regarding whether the courses are taken during crew time or boat time,” adds Tim Clarke, director of Quay Crew. 

Factors influencing training budgets include the yacht size, owner attitude, overall budget, captain advocacy, and management company policies. Some yachts allocate specific budgets for training programs as part of employment contracts, while others, typically smaller, may offer additional time off for self-funded training. 

Beyond The Basics 

While mandatory safety and competency training keep yachts afloat, non-mandatory training further develops crew and sets them apart. However, the lack of consistency in investment and resource allocation can pose challenges for crew development.

The lack of leadership development has been a particular topic of discussion for training providers in recent years. Karl Santrian, director of BZ Maritime, focuses on developing maritime human capability. 

“Leadership is a fundamental building block that sits behind a lot of other issues within the industry,” Santrian said.

“Poor leadership and communication is a problem on board the vast majority of yachts, so this kind of professional development should be a priority,” Clarke added.

Similarly, investing in crew wellbeing should be addressed. 

“We should be giving all crew mental health awareness. Many management companies are realizing the [mental health] issues won’t go away, and we are experiencing systematic change, especially with the future revisions of the STCW to include mental health awareness,” said Emma Ross, founder of Seas The Mind.

Tailored Training  

Understanding what a yacht or crewmember should invest in is half the battle. 

“Training budgets should be about the training needed for that particular yacht or individual, whether non-mandatory or mandatory if a yacht requires a type of training, that is what they should invest in,” Baggett said. 

Like most issues in yachting, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each yacht and individual has specific needs and areas for development. 

“The bare minimum should be that each boat should have a training budget, and then each yacht should be dynamic about where they spend that allocation,” Ross said. 

“The key element is that a lot of budgets are being ill-spent; it isn’t just about the training budget but ensuring you are spending money on the right things at the right time,” Santrian added. 

While one-off courses have their place in the industry, Santrian suggests that yachts should focus on structured, long-term programs. 

“Investing in one-off courses doesn’t tend to have much impact; what you need to do is train and develop people over a longer period. The industry should also invest in crew at every level.”  

Measuring Development 

In an industry that relies heavily on skilled and knowledgeable crew to deliver safe and  exceptional experiences, why is the investment in crew development sometimes considered unnecessary? 

Like all issues, there is a counterargument to investment in training — the fear of unrewarded investment. What if an owner pays for crew development only for that crewmember to move on in a matter of months? How can the industry turn this around? One solution is to justify the return on investment.  

“When discussions of funding come in, I anticipate that owners, captains, and HODs want to see the metrics behind certain training, like mental health, for example. Will it reduce crew turnover, recruitment fees, etc.? We haven’t got a big enough sample yet to give metrics,” Ross said.  

Santrian explains that there is a lack of appreciation for the impact leadership has on yacht performance. 

“Unlike technical capability, human capability affects every area of the yacht. The benefits to yachts are considerable if this information is put across to owners in the correct way and captains understand the benefits. Generally, you can then get them to invest,” Santrian said.

 Strategic Shifts

As the industry evolves, it is increasingly evident that investing in crew development is necessary to maintain standards. Comparing the yachting sector to other industries is eye-opening, with most large organizations investing between 2% and 5% of their payroll in employee development. 

The costs associated with turnover, potential safety issues, and subpar guest experiences outweigh the training investment. The industry needs to recognize that effective training not only encompasses technical skills, but also soft skills, leadership development, and mental health awareness. It is also crucial to acknowledge that each yacht is unique and tailor training programs accordingly while developing better benchmarks for training budgets. 

The industry must shift from its short-sighted view and confront the significant costs associated with high crew turnover — a persistent issue that has been at the forefront of industry discussions for many years. Embracing a culture of continuous professional development offers benefits that extend beyond individual crewmembers and yachts to improve the overall sector.

Photos by Nicola Junior Belardo.

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