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?
Poppy: Bosun. My time at MLA College started in May 2021 after deciding to begin the course when I quit my last seagoing position to have some time out, I aimed to take the summer off and enjoy some time with my partner whilst travelling around Europe in my self-converted van. I started my second module the same week that we left the UK and completed all of the coursework whilst living in the van. I found it rewarding to have something to focus on whilst I wasn’t working, and it kept my brain ticking along throughout this period. Studying in interesting places whilst travelling made the whole process much more enjoyable and in the end, the two coexisted with one another very successfully.
At first, I struggled to manage my time with the coursework, it was very easy to prioritise having a good time and enjoying my time off and forgetting about the latest essay. I had to set strict boundaries and expectations for myself, I focused on 1 hour of lectures and 1 hour of extra reading per day. Once I had finished my lectures I swapped that hour out for writing my assessments. this really helped me feel more in control of the workload. Simple solutions like instead of taking a book to the beach I would take a journal or report I found online. I also often read when I was a passenger during long drives, you forget you're actually working towards your coursework and therefore it becomes a lot more enjoyable.
“I achieved better grades and felt more confident as my modules went on.”
Poppy: Bosun
Throughout the past year, I have been working closely with a mentor, Emma from THE OM, to help me focus on where I want to take my career in the future. At the point of leaving my last position, I knew I wanted to stay in the industry but also knew I needed a break from seagoing positions. This degree helped me keep a foot in the door of the industry, whilst also learning and developing in a sector which I think is becoming ever more important. At the start of 2022 I started working for a crew agency based in the UK, this worked perfectly alongside my degree and allowed me to have evenings and weekends to complete my coursework. I believe the workload in the coursework is more than manageable, whether you are or aren’t working, nevertheless it requires pre-planning in order to not get behind. I found I was achieving better grades and feeling more confident as my modules went on, which I think has a lot to do with my personal management of time and priorities.
having completed the MLA College degree, I now have the confidence to start on my OOW modules and I am looking forward to my next steps back into the industry.
If you are interested in continuing to learn and the themes of this article resonate with you, Emma Baggett and her company, THE OM, have partnered with MLA College to promote an opportunity for superyacht crew to access a final year BSc or MSc In Sustainable Maritime Operations. This degree is delivered via online distance learning, designed to be accessible and completely flexible around working routines. If you don’t have previous academic qualifications, you can use your CoC’s to gain entry. With the opportunity for qualified OOW and Engineer Offices to gain direct entry to a final year BSc and Masters and Chief Engineers to jump straight to an MSc. Whether you want to build on your maritime qualifications or translate your experience and qualifications gained in the sector into a successful career ashore find out more http://the-om.co.uk/smo
