STCW Alumni Spotlight: From Whangārei to the World of Maritime Careers
Where could your STCW take you?
From superyachts cruising the Mediterranean to zodiacs in Antarctica, our Training 4 Safety alumni continue to remind us just how far one qualification — and a willingness to give something new a go — can take you.
For many of our learners, completing STCW Basic Training in Whangārei is the first step into an entirely new world.
This time, we’re catching up with Kate, Ellen, Taki and Trent, who have been putting their training to work in some pretty incredible places around the globe.
Kate – From STCW to the Superyacht Life
After completing her STCW with Training 4 Safety, Kate wasted no time turning her plans into reality.
She packed her bags and headed to Antibes, France, one of the major hubs of the international superyacht industry, to begin the hunt for her first role.
It paid off.
Kate landed a stewardess position aboard a 40-metre yacht, where she spent five months building experience before moving on to an impressive 81-metre superyacht.
And the travel hasn’t been too bad either.
Her first year in the industry has already taken her through France, Italy and Greece, with her current adventure bringing her to a shipyard in Turkey.
“It’s been an incredible year.”
One of the things we love most is hearing that the friendships formed during training have continued long after the course finished. Kate still keeps in touch with two of the girls she completed STCW alongside.
She also had some very kind words for the T4S crew:
“I had the best time at Training 4 Safety and have recommended people to do their STCW there. It was great and the instructors made it fun.”
From a classroom in Whangārei to life aboard an 81-metre superyacht - not a bad first year at sea! (Scroll pics below to see more)
Ellen – All the Way to Antarctica
Now this is one alumni update that had the T4S team reaching for the world map.
Ellen recently returned home to the warmth of Whangārei after a stint working in Antarctica - and sent us some incredible photos from the journey.
One of the highlights was reaching Point Wild on Elephant Island, along with getting out on the water and driving the zodiacs.
“Thanks again for running a great course.”
Seeing our learners put their skills into practice is always rewarding, but seeing them doing it somewhere as extraordinary as Antarctica is pretty special.
When we talk about STCW opening the door to opportunities around the world, Ellen has certainly taken that literally.
Whangārei to Antarctica - that’s going to be hard to beat! (Scroll pics below to see more)
Taki – Straight Into Life as a Deckhand
Taki completed his STCW with us last October and recently got back in touch with some very cool news.
He has landed himself a role as Deckhand aboard the 55-metre Benetti superyacht, Next Chapter.
At the time of his update, Taki and the crew were in the shipyard at West Palm Beach, Florida - and it sounds like he has certainly been getting the full introduction to deckhand life.
“Thought you’d want to know that I actually did something fairly quick with it!”
And then there are the glamorous parts of superyacht life…
“I’ve had some wonderful experiences with teak scrubbing… not.”
We appreciate the honesty, Taki!
Despite the teak scrubbing - and discovering just how hot Florida can get - he’s enjoying the experience and getting stuck into his new career.
It’s fantastic to see someone complete their STCW and then put it to work so quickly.
Trent – Miles, Places and Plenty of Adventure
Trent has also been making the most of life at sea.
His update to Mike summed up one of the biggest attractions of a maritime career perfectly:
“It’s been pretty wicked so far. Like any job, it has its days, but we’re covering a lot of miles and seeing a lot of places, which has been really cool.”
And sometimes, that’s exactly what it’s all about.
A maritime career still comes with long days, hard work and challenges - but it can also give you experiences, destinations and opportunities that are very difficult to find in an ordinary nine-to-five.
We reckon “covering a lot of miles and seeing a lot of places” sounds pretty good. (Scroll pics below to see more)
From Whangārei to Wherever Comes Next
Kate. Ellen. Taki. Trent.
Four different journeys, four very different experiences - all connected by taking that first step.
That’s what we love about hearing from our STCW alumni.
We can provide the training, equipment, instructors and foundation, but what happens after learners walk out our doors is entirely their own adventure.
You might end up aboard a superyacht in the Mediterranean.
You might find yourself driving a zodiac in Antarctica.
You might be working under the Florida sun.
Or you might simply find yourself covering thousands of miles and seeing parts of the world you never expected to visit.
Where could STCW take you?
If a career at sea is on your radar, STCW Basic Training is your starting point.
Train with the team at Training 4 Safety in Whangārei and start building the skills and confidence you need to take your next step into the maritime industry.
View our upcoming STCW courses, dates and registration options and start your own story.
And to Kate, Ellen, Taki and Trent - thanks for keeping in touch and letting us follow the adventure.
We absolutely love seeing where you end up.
Already part of the T4S STCW alumni?
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Know someone who’s keen to jump on board? Send them our way!
