The Purser role is a complex and diverse role, bringing in skills from every department, and there truly is no ‘one path’ to becoming one.
We recently caught up with Victoria Gladkikh (Vicka), a graduate of The Crew Academy’s Purser program, who told us more about her unconventional yachting journey and the steps she took to get to where she is today.
We are extremely proud of Vicka who has just landed her first full-time Purser role on board, putting into practise everything she learned in our program. Vicka’s story is a real tribute to women in the industry who are breaking the mould and thriving in their chosen career paths, no matter the department.
Vicka’s Journey
“My yachting journey has definitely been more unconventional than most,” Vicka stated.
Vicka landed her first role as a yacht Stewardess back in 2015. At the time she wasn’t aware that women could work within the Deck department as it wasn’t as common as it is nowadays.
She felt as though the Deckhand role was more in line with her interest and skills and within a year she decided to make the switch. “I really wanted to learn something new, and I loved having that deep learning curve and it’s what really motivated me throughout my career”.
From there she worked her way up from Deckhand, all the way up to Chief Officer, where inevitably her role involved a lot of Bridge administration. As she was on a 55 metre vessel, this meant the Captain relied on her a lot more to help with administrative tasks.
Her inspiration
“I absolutely loved the challenge of doing my role but also having all of the administrative tasks put on me by the Captain, and he really encouraged me to do more when he saw that I was capable”.
These extra responsibilities gave Vicka the confidence she needed to take the next step within her career. “I wanted to do The Crew Academy Purser course so that I could explore doing every aspect of the role”.
Vicka finally felt like she had found a niche in yachting that she really enjoyed doing and she found pride and joy whilst swimming against the current of the traditional path to take after getting your OOW. When people asked her why she wanted to change to a Purser role she stated, “The Purser’s role will give me skills that I can take away with me when I eventually would like to transition ashore. It can really help open doors for me later on, and I’m always thinking four steps ahead into my future”.
Vicka left her last permanent role whilst she was finishing off her Chief Mate 3000, at the same time she decided to enrol within the Private Tuition Purser Program. This meant she had private 1 to 1 sessions with our Head of Training Julia.
“This course was so flexible as I was able to arrange times that best suited my schedule and my other obligations at the time. It worked really well as I was having to juggle two big qualifications at once”.
What was your favourite part of the course?
“I think what really stood out for me was the module we did on itinerary planning and presentation, I feel that during this module I was really able to play to my strengths, skills and interests and I was able to present all of these skills in a creative way”.
She was able to draw on her experience as a Deck Officer within the practical side of passage planning, navigation, conditions of the vessel, setting realistic expectations whilst also drawing from her personal interests of travelling and setting up her dream 10 day charter.
“I also loved researching and pulling in the authentic side of travel, I wanted to plan an itinerary where the guests could immerse themselves into the different cultures, way of life, and traditional food within the regions they were travelling to”.
How did it impact your career?
“I think the course gave me a great overview of all aspects of the role and it gave me a real understanding of the minimum requirements for a Purser across the board.”
Vicka graduated from the Purser Program a year ago, and has since been working her way towards her first Purser position. After a year of searching within an extremely competitive climate, Vicka managed to get her foot in the door and has now landed her first official Purser role, and has now started her new role this October!
She landed this new role when discussing her career aspirations with a former Purser who she was doing temp work with. She put forward Vicka’s CV to her old boat who just so happened to be looking for a Purser, and the Captain contacted her shortly after. This just shows how important networking is within the yachting industry. Vicka said:
“After you meet someone it’s so important to keep in touch, I know it can seem like a lot of work but after 9 years in yachting I now have a really strong network, and having these connections really pays off in the future.”
What would you recommend to other aspiring Pursers?
“I would definitely recommend The Crew Academy course for any aspiring Pursers. I think whatever direction you’re coming from, this course is applicable to anyone”.
“This course was quite daunting at first coming from my background, but it was a really great course, I think the materials online are excellent and everything is so easily accessible, you must do it!”
Vicka also loved learning through our state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Platform (VLE), she was really pleased to hear that graduates receive Lifetime Access to the platform, so they can revisit information and resources whenever they need a refresher. Choosing the private tuition option meant that Vicka could tailor the timetable to fit around her schedule.
“The Crew academy also has an amazing group chat as well where you can ask questions and share information with fellow Purser Alumni”.
Feeling inspired?
Are you inspired by Vicka’s story and want to learn more about whether the role is right for you?
Join our free webinar, on November 6, 4pm UK time to learn more about our GUEST-accredited Purser program and the role of a Purser. Register at yachtcrew.uk/webinars.
For any questions or to discuss an application for The Crew Academy Purser program, contact info@yachtcrew.uk.
