BULAWAYO – Zimbabweans are leaving the country in their droves to secure vast employment opportunities that have emerged on cruise ships in the United Kingdom, America and the Caribbean, among other places.
According to Lungelo Siziba, director with Team Cruise Limited, a local company that has been assisting Zimbabweans secure jobs on cruise ships, an average of 100 locals are being recruited on a monthly basis.
“We get enquiries mostly from young people across the country, especially those that graduated but are failing to get employed.
“We have managed to create relationships with various cruise ship management who alert us when there are vacancies.
“We simply direct those interested to the sites and individuals then apply for the vacancies.
“In a month, at least 100 people manage to get jobs on cruise ships,” said Siziba.
Among those flocking to cruise ships are the unemployed and employed locals hungry for better paying opportunities.
Cruise ship jobs require minimal qualifications.
“The advantage with cruise ship jobs is that no high qualifications are required. You can get employed on the low-level jobs such as housekeeping, laundry attendant, rooms division attendant, waitressing, bartender, and suite attendant amongst others.
“For these jobs, one may earn from US$800 to US$1,500 depending on the ship that recruits you,” he said.
While the wages may seem average by world standards, they are a windfall nonetheless when compared to those being earned by workers within Zimbabwe’s troubled public and private sectors.
Similarly, cruise ships have also become a God-given employment hub for qualified personnel such as nurses, doctors and dieticians whose services are in high demand on United Kingdom cruise ships.
Cruise ships that are on a recruitment drive include the Royal Caribbean Cruises, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line.
Early this month, thousands of unemployed youths thronged the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) offices in Harare where there were interviews with high hopes of securing the dream jobs.
The company pays US$1,500 to US$2,500 per month.
Zimbabwe is in the throes of a recurrent economic crises that has seen a lot of locals leave the country to secure jobs abroad. – ZimLive
