Travel News

NCL America Partners with Hawaii on Education
Published on: March 9, 2007

NCL America and the State of Hawaii’s Department of Education signed an agreement to create an education program designed to expose Hawaii’s future workforce to career opportunities aboard cruise ships. The pilot education program with Maui public schools is called “Navigating Thcoarse a Sea of Opportunities.” Over the next two weeks, 400 eighth grade students from Maui Waena Intermediate School, Lahainaluna High School, Samual Enoka Kalama Intermediate School, Maui High School, and Maui Community College, will get a chance to tour one of NCL America’s three U.S.-flagged ships — Pride of Aloha, Pride of America and Pride of Hawaii — meet the crew, and learn about the jobs available in the cruise industry. Crew members from the front desk, shore excursion, hotel management, the galley, food and beverage, wait staff, housekeeping, deck, engine and environmental departments will meet with the students and give them a first-hand look at what it’s like to work and live on a cruise ship.

The program kicked off last August when 16 teachers from Maui public schools were invited over three Saturdays for a series of workshops aboard Pride of Aloha. The goal was to educate and train participating teachers about the cruise ship business. They, in turn, went back to their classrooms to develop and deliver the career education programs. The teacher sessions were led by NCL America crew and included such topics such as company overview, safety and environmental procedures, ship operations and testimony from crew members about life onboard.

Assistant Superintendent Kathy Kawaguchi says the Department of Education is thrilled to partner with NCL America on what is the first career education program of its kind in the cruise industry. “The Department of Education now requires middle school teachers to provide students with the knowledge to begin developing a career plan,” she said. “This program will expose students to exciting career options and encourage some to select high school or collage curriculum that will educate them in their chosen field, whether it be in the cruise indusattempt or other profession.”