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JOINING THE WORLD OF COSTA
Development of Costa Cruises’ human
capital depends on effective recruiting
and employer branding; this is done
in ways that also generate a positive
impact on a significant portion of the
Company’s relational capital. Given that
it is a global operator with an extremely
wide range of professions, particularly as
regards shipboard personnel, Costamakes
substantial use of web-based platforms
and professional social networking sites
(in particular LinkedIn and Monster) as
well as its own recruiting site* to search
for talent; these channels have proved
very effective in terms of applications and
headhunting.
The selection process is conducted in
partnership with schools for culinary
arts and hotel management as well as
secondary schools providing hospitality
and tourism training both in Italy and
abroad, partly so as to build dedicated
educational paths leading to jobs on
board. The idea ofworking on a cruise ship
appeals to many young people from all
over the world but not everyone is aware
of what the job actually entails in terms of
aptitude, skills and – above all – the ability
to adapt to life on board.
Costa Cruises
has set up
8 training schools
for new
hires in Italy, Brazil, China, the Philippines,
Indonesia, India, Vietnam and Peru. They
feature training laboratories simulating
core activities in fully functional facilities
with mock-up cabins, restaurants, galleys,
bars etc. Following hire, thanks to the
special mentoring program, each new
crew member is supervised and coached
by a more experienced colleague who
helps them settle in and adjust to their
new work environment.
Specific recruitment programs (run in
collaboration with the European Social
Fund as well as regional and provincial
public bodies) aimed at first job seekers
are held regularly and stepped up ahead
of the addition to the fleet of each new
ship.
Meanwhile, Costa’s partnership with the
Accademia della Marina Mercantile
(Merchant Marine Naval Academy) in
Genoa is very important in terms of
recruitment of Cadet Officers; seafarers
start work after undergoing basic training
consisting of four theory modules in the
academyandthreeperiodsof embarkation
totaling 12 months of seagoing service.
Thealliancewith theAcademy isbeneficial
not only for Costa Cruises but also for
seafaring generally insofar as trainees are
required to comply with the Company’s
very high standards and have the skills and
competency required to work on board
state-of-the-art cruise ships equipped with
the latest technology.
Costa Cruises firmly believes that its
ties with the academic world should
be aimed at sourcing talent and at the
professionalization of people entering the
labor market. To this end the Company
cooperates very actively with many
international universities and business
schools (inparticular theBocconi andESCP
Europe), participates in career days, job
fairs and workshops for young graduates,
provides assistance for students drafting
a degree thesis on relevant subjects, and
offers traineeships and work placements
to those who have recently graduated.
*www.career.costacrociere.it/en