The specific qualifications required for the yachting industry will depend on whether you are looking for a career in the deck, interior or engineering department.

The common certificate required in all fields is the Basic STCW 95, which is comprised of four modules certificate. Unfortunately, Superyacht recruitment agencies are not able to employ crew members that do not possess this basic certificate. Commercial yachts (500 ft. long or more) also require all crew members to have done a Security Awareness Training for which a certificate is delivered.

Once you are working on board the yacht, in whichever capacity, your captain and or Head of department will be able to advise and further guide you on certificates available to improve your career.

All mariners who apply for an original US Merchant Mariner’s Document (MMD) or currently hold an “entry level” MMD without an endorsed qualified rating (ordinary seaman/wiper/steward), comply with STCW by completing the four Basic Training (BT) courses, which are: Basic Firefighting; Personal Survival Techniques; Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities; and Elementary First Aid. Upon completion, the MMD holder applies for an STCW certificate from the Coast Guard.

For mariners and crew members applying for an original license, or presently hold a Coast Guard license for vessels of not more than 200 GRT, Near Coastal, may also comply with STCW by simply completing Basic Training (BT), and then applying for the STCW certificate from the Coast Guard.

The cost for the full five-day STCW Basic Safety Training (BST) modular course, consisting of the four independent modules, ranges between US$900–$1,000 if taken in the United States. In Europe and Australia, the average cost of STCW Basic Training courses varies anywhere between US$900–$1,880.

These figures will also vary depending on the school attended. Most institutions offer each separate STCW module à la carte, so you can take them one at a time if you’d like, rather than the five (or in some cases six) straight days in a row.

All crewmembers working aboard commercial vessels (all charter yachts) are required to have what is called an STCW Basic Safety Training International Certificate of Competency, referred to generally as basic safety training.

STCW 95 stands for: Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, it was ratified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1995. Generally speaking, within the industry, the basic entry level certification is abbreviated to Basic STCW 95 and comprises five modules:

• Personal Survival
• Fire Fighting
• First Aid & CPR
• Personal Safety & Social Responsibility
• Proficiency in Security Awareness (PSA)

The course will take five days to complete and is available in all major yachting centers. All modules must be completed to obtain the license.

By obtaining this basic certificate, entry level crew will achieve two things: You will you be abler and knowledgeable candidate and you will also confirm to potential employers that you are serious about this industry.