Goa: India accounts for 30% of the global recruitment for the international cruise sector, while 40% of the Indian crew hail from the coastal state of Goa. Recruitments from Goa contribute to the largest chunk of the workforce on board cruise liners.
Working on-board a luxury cruise liner is a dream that many harbour. Helping Goans make this dream a reality is Margao based American College of Culinary & Language Arts (ACCLA), a culinary academy, which specializes in professional culinary education and training, specialising in the field of cruise line culinary programmes. The course content is aimed at training students in acquiring specific skill sets which are necessary for the cruise line industry and get them job ready.
ACCLA is presently offering the Integrated Cruise Culinary Program (ICCP), a 3-months intensive course followed by 6 months of Industrial Training. The program trains and prepares the student to take on the role of an Assistant Cook position on a luxury cruise liner or a position in a luxury five-star hotel. Eligibility for admission to the programs is 10th standard and above, Basic English skills and a positive attitude.
Unlike other institutes, ACCLA trains students for a specific job profile, as opposed to an all-round course offering the basics. This ensures that the student walks out of the institute ready to be employed in the position he/she has been trained for.
ACCLA believes that education should lead to employment and not just a certificate, diploma or degree. Says Madhav S. Punekar, Principal, ACCLA, “At ACCLA we have designed a unique curriculum with a focus on training to prepare a student for the needs of the global cruise line industry. We maintain the highest standards of quality and hygiene in our skill based programs. At ACCLA, we focus on training employable students. Students passing our program are placed on luxury cruise ships – Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises, MSC, Norwegian, Carnival Cruise Lines and Thomson Cruises.”
The program provides participants, an in-depth exposure to various facets of the industry. Course curriculum includes academic learning, practical sessions and professional internship. The internship component, apart from serving as an effective training element, is also the key factor for the eventual placement of the student.
The program curriculum has been designed by the cruise liners along the lines of the best culinary cruise liner management programs in the world, under the guidance of senior industry and academic experts with experience in the cruise line industry. Chef Seby Fernandes and Chef Paul Fernandes who are the faculty at ACCLA have worked onboard luxury cruise lines in the capacity of Executive Chef and bring with them a wealth of practical experience.
The campus has a state-of-the-art kitchen, which is designed like the galley (kitchens onboard cruise liners), equipped with latest equipment so that the students get a complete experience and feel of working in a galley on-board a cruise liner.