Developments in UK maritime hospitality management

Abstract

The Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) has recently completed a project to develop National Occupational Standards and a qualification structure for Maritime Hospitality Management. The work was undertaken in recognition of the importance in attracting and retaining people with hospitality skills at management levels for passenger shipping (to include the cruise, superyacht and ferry industries). This paper presents, for the first time, the newly designed qualification structure, charts the work that led to the inception of the project and provides commentary to show how progress was made. The Merchant Navy Training Board believes the new structure is important for passenger shipping companies because, as well as forming the basis for industry specific qualifications, the suite of national occupational standards can be used for a broad range of activities including: to inform training decisions; to draw up job descriptions; and to provide a framework for training and development.