The value of IAMI GUEST training
I recently heard a captain tell a stewardess that there was no point in taking an interior stewardess course as “these training companies don’t teach you much and are just out to take your money.” I am sure you have all heard something similar or perhaps have even had the same thoughts yourselves at some point. Sadly, this if often the viewpoint in this industry when it comes to interior training and quite honestly it makes us sad and a little angry.
he most common argument I hear for interior to not do any courses is “how hard can it be to serve some food and make a bed?” Of course, housekeeping and food service is something we do in our normal every-day lives at home, but there is a vast difference between our family’s expectations and the expectations of our guests aboard a superyacht. As stewardesses we are expected to offer the highest standard of service at all times, striving for perfection in everything we do. With this pressure on us, does it not make sense to turn to professionals who have been in the industry for years, to teach you best practices, and tips and tricks to perform your job to the best of your ability?
We know how confusing it can be choosing a training provider and a course to complete. You want value for money but also want a course that is really going to help you get ahead in this industry. That is why it was so important for us at Trilogy Luxury Training to ensure that our courses are fully internationally accredited and that what we teach holds a lot of value for our students. Our aim is to empower our students with all the tools to be the very best stewardess possible, and to have a comprehensive understanding of all the processes necessary to be able to provide a seamless service to guests.
Although much has been done within the maritime industry to certify and standardize the training for the deck and engineering departments, the interior department has sadly been lagging behind in this regard. There are however some people working very hard to rectify this and we are proud to be a part of this drive to raise the standards of the industry to ensure that our guests experience only the very best service. The GUEST programme is the only internationally accredited maritime hospitality and service training programme for interior superyacht crew and we are proud to be fully accredited by them for all our courses. We are also the only South African training school to have this international accreditation.
The GUEST programme is in turn accredited by IAMI, the International Association of Maritime Institutions.
The International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI) is the network of colleges and universities which have worked together for over 100 years. Whilst originally a UK centric operation, IAMI have branched out worldwide over the last 10 years. IAMI operate four separate sub-groups, including the Deck/Navigational Training, Engineering Training, Small Craft Training and from January 2019, Marine Hospitality Training.
In order to become a GUEST training provider, we had to submit our course content to be approved and we uphold the standards of training and learning outcomes through student assessment. Our training providers are also monitored through IAMI audits and through student feedback. All of this helps us to ensure that Trilogy Luxury Training is continually striving to provide our students with the highest level of training at all times.
The GUEST programme follows a progressive training path from Introductory level through advanced and up to management level. At Trilogy Luxury Training we offer the introductory coursewhich is aimed at people looking to enter the industry. This course will give you a good foundation for your yachting career and give you the skills and confidence to make a success of your first job at sea.
We also offer a senior stewardess course for stews who have spent at least one year in the industry and who have completed 60 days of guest service onboard. This course is aimed at stews who are looking to progress in their yachting careers and who would like to know how to operate and manage a professional interior superyacht team. We are thrilled to be able to offer this course both in-class and online. We know how difficult it can be to find time to complete courses and how your holiday leave is usually filled with time spent with family and friends catching up and reconnecting with them. The online course can be completed at your own pace and works around your schedule. The senior stew course offers five IAMI GUEST module certificates – the food and beverage, cigar service, interior administration, advanced laundry and advanced housekeeping.
After students complete our courses, we offer ongoing support through various channels such as our Trilogy Whatsapp group where you will be able to communicate with your trainers as well as other students, which is all part of the networking that is so important to advance your career in the yachting industry. We also offer a mentoring programme to help you as you step into new roles.
We loved our time working on superyachts and really love sharing our combined 30 years of onboard experience with our students. Watching them grow and blossom and go on to lead successful, professional interior departments is something that keeps us motivated to ensure we continually strive to offer the best training and ensure that we help and nurture all our students.
If you would like to know anything more about our courses and about our accreditation with IAMI GUEST programme, please get in touch via mail at info@trilogyluxtraining.co.za