MLA College Superyacht Crew Case Studies
INNOVATE |ADVOCATE | COLLABORATE | EDUCATE
One of a series of case studies of superyacht crew currently enrolled on the MSc and BSc Sustainable Maritime Operations (SMO) courses, how do they approach the tricky dilemma of balancing a very demanding working life, whilst studying a degree level course and what was their motivation to enrol on the program?
Matt: Chief Officer 80m motor yacht. My approach to studying whilst working on a busy vessel, has been to employ the idea of using good organisation and studying little and often, however this hasn’t always gone to plan. For anyone else thinking of doing this course, don’t do what I did initially after starting the BSc in January this year in the middle of a busy charter season, when I completed the first piece of coursework in five pretty intense days on charter … you don’t get much sleep!
I gained a foundation degree through my yacht cadetship but passing my Officer of the Watch 3000GT exam, was the easily the most focused I have ever been in terms of academic study, for around 2 years I was either at work or at maritime college doing my modules only seeing my family and friends in the scraps of time I had left. This major commitment did mean I passed it all first time and all of the knowledge has become quite firmly lodged in my brain and gave me real confidence in my ability. However when I passed the exam and calmed down after my 15min of joy, I was hit, quite firmly, with the simple question of “now what?”
“I passed my oral, after 15 minutes of joy, I was hit, with the question “now what”?”
Matt: Chief Officer 80m motor yacht.
Which leads on quite neatly to why I applied for the BSc Hons in Sustainable Maritime Operations, this course has given me options for a career after working at sea. I have made the decision to not pursue any higher qualification beyond my current Chief Mate 3000 CoC as I really enjoy the role of Chief Officer, in the long term I want to get a shore based job, especially if I ever have a family. I also am lucky enough to be in a position where I am able to find the extra time to learn about things that interest me and to focus on my personal development, which is what I believe to be one of the major advantages of this course.
My professional seafaring career has been a mixture of hard work, sheer effort and commitment, right time right place and a lot of luck. When I first started out you had to walk up and down docks all over the Riviera handing out CV’s and “dock walking”. I have come a long way since then and I see this next phase of study as my next big challenge, it definitely takes a bit of effort but the advantages it brings to me personally make it worth it.
