Aquila pushes cruise training into classrooms

Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence is expanding a workforce model that blends classroom learning with cruise-industry credentials, aiming to prepare more students for tourism jobs. The approach is already being tested in Saint John and at Holland College, with plans to adapt it across the Caribbean, Central America and beyond.

Why it matters: - Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence is trying to close the gap between tourism education and cruise-industry hiring needs. - The model aims to give students academic knowledge, practical skills and recognized credentials before they enter the workforce. - The approach could help destinations build a stronger pipeline of local cruise and tourism professionals.

What happened: - Aquila said it is advancing a workforce development model that brings cruise industry standards, practical skills and professional credentials into tourism education. - The program is built on Aquila’s Living Lab in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where the operation welcomes more than 178,000 cruise guests each season. - Aquila is the exclusive training partner of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA). - Beth Hatt, president of Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence, said industry-recognized training in the classroom can build confidence and show students a pathway into cruise and tourism jobs. - Aquila worked with Holland College in Canada on a hybrid pilot program for tourism students. - Students completed the internationally recognized Tour Guide Excellence Certification while continuing their academic studies.

The details: - The Holland College pilot combined classroom instruction with online learning, standard-driven written exams and video assessments. - The program gave students an industry-recognized professional credential. - The training also focused on practical storytelling skills aligned with global guest expectations. - Aquila said the integrated model is designed to be adapted across tourism colleges in the Caribbean, Central America and other regions. - Aquila said its own people-first philosophy is based on decades of operating experience. - Guides have built careers with the organization spanning 10, 20 and more than 25 years. - Aquila says investment in people should continue beyond initial training and include ongoing learning, professional growth and meaningful opportunities. - Aquila’s core training and development programs serve destinations, tour companies, tour guides and front-line operators. - The company says its Saint John Living Lab is where guest experiences are designed, tested and refined daily.

Between the lines: - The effort is not just about training more students. It is also about standardizing expectations across schools, destinations and cruise operators. - Aquila is positioning destinations, ports, tour operators, cruise lines and educators as shared owners of workforce development. - The emphasis on local professional pipelines suggests a broader push to improve service quality while keeping tourism talent in destination communities.

What’s next: - Aquila is looking to expand industry-aligned training programs and partnerships with schools and tourism stakeholders. - The company wants more colleges and destinations to adopt the integrated model. - Aquila directs interested partners to cruiseexcellence.com for more information.

The bottom line: - Aquila is betting that cruise tourism grows stronger when students can graduate with both credentials and real-world industry skills.**