Cruise Career Springboard ‘next priority’ to find jobs in sector

The Cruise Career Springboard, a programme to encourage greater social mobility, diversity and inclusivity in the cruise industry, has concluded its third year with 36 students from three colleges.

The programme was founded three years ago by Mundy Cruising owners Edwina and Matthew Lonsdale and has introduced opportunities across the sector to year 12 students from St John Bosco College in Battersea, Itchen College in Southampton and, as of this year, North East Surrey College of Technology (Nescot).

The finale took place at Nescot in Epsom where students presented to industry professionals, followed by a lunch with teaching staff, representatives from Clia, cruise line partners and the Department for Transport.

Speaking about the future of the programme, Edwina Lonsdale said: “We need to bed it in and so rather than expanding into new colleges, the next priority is to focus on getting these enthusiastic students from the springboard into a job after their final year next year.

“We have seen comprehensively that that is what they want.”

Jo Rzymowska, who acted as a mentor on the programme alongside Graham Sadler, added: “At the beginning of this course, there were one or two hands up [in the class] about joining the cruise industry, but now it is 100%.

 “This is about paying it forward as we have been in the industry for many years.

“Having the opportunity to get students to think about cruise as a career is very special.”

Lonsdale discussed a plan to bring in another mentor to help with the programme for next year, and to set up a higher-level apprenticeship scheme which would offer students the chance to work at a cruise line and continue their education.

Along with cruise line executives in attendance, Lonsdale discussed the potential benefits and drawbacks of a year-long placement or three-month rotations with future students.

Lonsdale added this year’s programme had had more than 100 people from the cruise industry involved, with students visiting a range of ships including MSC Preziosa, Silver Spirit, Norwegian Pearl, Seven Seas Grandeur, Regal Princess and Independence of the Seas, plus cruise company head offices and the Clia Conference in Southampton.

Speaking at the finale event, Nescot principal and chief executive Julie Kapsalis, said: “This has been one of the most incredible programmes I have ever worked on in the education sector because of the passion for cruising and travel, but also teaching and learning and the moments in our career when people have opened a door for us and given us an opportunity.”

Jennifer Fasad, travel & tourism teacher at Nescot, said the programme had “really opened the students’ eyes”.  

“Students in Itchen had a good idea of the industry as they were already in Southampton, but for Nescot you have opened eyes to a sector they had not known about before,” she said.

“Before this, many would have said they wanted to join an airline, but you have encouraged a huge enthusiasm and there are head offices and businesses nearby they can learn about.”

Clia UK and Ireland managing director Andy Harmer added: “This programme makes the point that cruise is a great employer, which is what we always say to government.

“It is not necessarily just in communities you think of but head offices and businesses offshore and not in the ports.”