Cruise Career Springboard concludes successful third year
A programme which aims to create greater social mobility, diversity, and inclusivity in the cruise and travel industry has completed its third year
The Cruise Career Springboard, formerly known as the Compass Project, was created and is run by Matthew and Edwina Lonsdale, owners of Mundy Cruising.
The project has been supported by Cruise Trade News parent company Real Response Media, CLIA, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, as well as Princess Cruises, P&O, and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Other partners include Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn and Cunard, AmaWaterways, HX Expeditions and Uniworld, along with VIVA Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Graham Sadler and Jo Rzymowska also support the programme, as well as training guru Debbee Dale.
This year’s course took nine weeks and saw sixth form students from St John Bosco College in Battersea, Itchen College in Southampton, and North East Surrey College of Technology learn the ropes of a career in cruise.
It aimed to introduce students to the range of shore-based opportunities in the cruise industry and included visits to a number of ships, offices, and the CLIA conference in May.
The students also completed classwork, visited cruise line headquarters, and made a presentation they pitched to industry professionals about potential careers in the sector.
Matthew Lonsdale said: “When we started the project in 2023 we were simply trying to open young peoples’ minds to the vast range of roles, disciplines and opportunities in the industry, even if you join straight from school.
“But the wonderful way the cruise lines have responded suggested to us that the project itself could provide a good pathway to working in cruise.”
Edwina Lonsdale added: “Many young people look at the cruise sector and simply don’t realise it could be a career option for them, so we set out to change that.
“What’s really blown me away has been the continued positive industry reaction with over one hundred individuals from various companies, from the most junior to the most senior levels, giving their time and expertise to help us. We’re incredibly grateful, as with their support the Springboard programme can launch more careers than ever.”
Andy Harmer, CLIA UK and Ireland managing director, said: “It’s heartening to see such a dynamic group looking to start their careers and contribute to the industry’s success. They are a talented pool of applicants who are now ready to take their first employment steps, whether via holiday jobs, apprenticeships or potentially a full-time position, into an industry which contributes £5.8 billion to the United Kingdom economy and supports more than 60,000 jobs.”
