We travel the entire world with our ships; our crew is made up of people from 25 nations from all around the world – and now our training is becoming even more global as well. In 2011 we opened four new training centers, and in the Asia-Pacific region, around 1,000 new employees took part in 76 training courses.
We are constantly growing – and so too is our need for well trained and dedicated employees. As a globally active company we also engage in securing up-and-coming talent on an international level. We operate training centers in the Philippines, India and Indonesia. In 2011 we opened further centers in Goa (India), Yalta and Kiev (both in Ukraine) and in Bali (Indonesia).
We are expanding the range of training and continuing education options in all locations and are making them as relevant to our ships as possible. In 2012, for example, we will be fitting out the training centers in Bali and Goa with an AIDA-specific mock-up cabin or a galley.
The one to three-week training courses are structured as workshops and contain both theory and practical modules. The courses range from the basic AIDA Orientation program, through AIDA Trainee, to advanced, specialist training such as AIDA Advanced Housekeeping, AIDA Advanced Bar, AIDA Advanced Restaurant or AIDA Laundry. Comprehensive modules on the HESS subjects (Health, Environment, Safety and Security) are integrated into all training programs which are run by specially qualified lecturers. On completion of each course, all attendees take a test. If they pass, they receive a certificate which is the official confirmation that they can join us on board.
We continually work on developing our training methods, and design them to be as demanding and practice-driven as possible. To do so, we collaborate with local recruitment agencies and, in 2011, we also set up an AIDA trainer team in Asia. As part of training and regular exchange of experience, we provide our AIDA instructors with the best preparation for their duties – both on board and at Train the Trainer programs.
In 2011 we created AIDA Leaders, a training program for international managers in Manila (Philippines). Communication, intercultural competence and personnel management are key elements of the courses. In conjunction with the Goethe Institute, we are also providing managers and junior management staff with the means to learn German. For 2012, we will be introducing AIDA Leaders in Jakarta (Indonesia).
AIDA sets out to discover local talent with its annual Career Caravan roadshow. In 2011, we and our crewing agencies held interviews with around 1,600 candidates in various cities in the Philippines, Indonesia and India during our recruitment open days. Each candidate attended three interviews, giving them the chance to persuade us of their personal and professional aptitude. We then prepared the best 300 candidates for their duties on board at our training centers.
