Recruiting Trainees - Maximise the numbers, not the cost

Recruiting a juggler may not be the first idea that springs to mind when thinking of ways to energize the training regime on a Tall Ship but it has certainly worked for the Szczecin team. A recruitment campaign for new trainees in 2006 also proved successful. Jerzy Raducha – Director, Maritime Office Szczecin, Poland, said: “The juggling was used as a proactive way to engage the youngsters and it worked instantly. This year we introduced 78 new people to sail training and we went on to win an award in the crew parades.”

The Russians created a special programme to introduce 250 new trainees into sail training, which also proved a huge success in this year’s Tall Ships Races in the Baltic. Thanks to funding by the City of St Petersburg and the event sponsors, Project Manager Zlata Bredova, was able to launch a recruitment campaign in 2008 aimed at inviting applications from youngsters between the ages of 15-25, and owners of vessels willing to participate in the scheme.

A total of 250 were chosen from more than 500 applicants, and over 20 vessels took part in the scheme. Bredova says the scheme was worth every bit of effort that was put in: “The reason for this is that we know the investment will go further than just this year’s race. We have now introduced 250 new people  to sail training and they all want to come back again, plus the social network is working because their friends all want to come too.”

Speakers
Zlata Bredova – Project Manager, Sea/Sail Training Projects, St Petersburg Russia

Jerzy Raducha – Director, Maritime Office Szczecin, Poland