Leading superyacht recruitment agency, Quay Crew, has teamed up with Greig City Academy (GCA) in an industry-first partnership aimed at providing employment opportunities to young people from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. Greig City Academy is a school in Hornsey, North London where over 73% of students are deemed disadvantaged and 62% are considered to have English as an additional language.

The partnership between Quay Crew and Greig City Academy (GCA) represents an important step towards greater diversity and inclusivity in the yachting industry. By funding the required minimum qualifications for young people from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds, Quay Crew is breaking down the financial barriers that have historically prevented many from accessing opportunities in the superyacht sector. This initiative not only benefits the young people themselves but also the yachting industry as a whole, by providing a fresh pool of motivated and capable crew members.

Furthermore, the partnership between Quay Crew and GCA is a great example of how philanthropic efforts can make a real difference in the lives of young people, and in turn, the industry they enter. By supporting the Scaramouche Sailing Trust, Quay Crew and GCA are not only providing tangible opportunities for students to succeed but are also demonstrating their commitment to creating a more equitable and diverse industry. With more owners and management companies recognizing the value of diverse backgrounds and experiences among crew members, this partnership serves as a promising model for future initiatives aimed at improving access and promoting diversity within the yachting sector.

To break down financial barriers related to the minimum qualifications required to become a superyacht crew, Quay Crew announced that they will fund 100% of the STCW, PBL2, and ENG1 Medical Certificates for suitable candidates from the sailing school programme.

Director of Quay Crew, Tim Clarke, will also offer interview coaching and mentoring to young people while actively promoting diversity to superyacht clients. The Greig City Academy sailing programme has created exceptional opportunities for young people from inner-city Haringey in London. 

Since its inception in 2014, over 1,000 students from ethnic minority groups and often disadvantaged backgrounds have been through the programme, achieving sporting excellence while also improving academic performance and building valuable skills for life.

Following an inspiring story on ITV’s This Morning about how founder and head of sixth form at GCA, Jon Holt, sold his house to ensure the sailing school initiative could continue to operate, Clarke reached out. Despite being in its infancy, the partnership between the sailing programme and Quay Crew has already resulted in the placement of a candidate in a deckhand position on board a 60-metre world cruising yacht. The philanthropic owners were actively wanting to see more diversity among the crew and have also expressed an interest in supporting the initiative with charitable donations.

To raise the £200,000 (c. €225,524) per year needed to run the sailing programme, the Scaramouche Sailing Trust was set up. As part of the partnership, Quay Crew is assisting with fundraising in the form of referrals and presentations to captains and yacht owners who are enthusiastic about getting involved. 

Furthermore, 100% of any recruitment fees generated from the placement of crew from GCA will be donated directly back to the Scaramouche Sailing Trust.

Founder of the GCA sailing programme, Jon Holt, said, “I’m thrilled that Quay Crew are supporting us by opening up a new career path for our students. Whilst we are great at helping students thrive and excel at sailing, we also want to also be able to offer tangible opportunities in the wider sector and many of our students would be well suited to the superyacht sector.” With Quay Crew funding these minimum qualifications, students from the GCA sailing programme can now start promoting themselves as valuable crew candidates.

If you would like to support Greig City Academy click here.

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