Career opportunities can be found in many surprising places, even on a yacht. About 30 DBG middle school students learned that firsthand recently when they climbed aboard the 138-foot Ovation yacht and headed out onto Lake St. Clair. The scenic boat ride was also an immersive journey into the world of maritime careers.
The adventure began with a grand tour of the yacht, where students were awed by the sheer size and luxury of the vessel. As they relaxed with beverages and cookies, cruising around the lake, they were also treated to some breathtaking views.
Sixth-grader Joya was fascinated by the boat’s ability to house 300 people and expressed her newfound interest in becoming a captain. Eighth-grader Analiese was shocked when she learned that the boat weighed more than 700,000 pounds and held 16,000 gallons of fuel which, according to the captain, costs the charter around $9,000 a week! She was also intrigued by the event planning side of things and said she was inspired to potentially pursue that type of career.
“It’s really great to showcase all that goes into such a unique operation here on the Great Lakes,” said Steven Rybicki, president of Infinity Ovation Yacht Charters. “We hire based on personality in addition to skill sets. We know that we can get people to where they need to be as long as they have the passion and work ethic. We want to show the kids that this is potentially a strong career path that they can consider.”
The excitement continued as students met various crew members, each sharing their unique career paths and responsibilities. From event management to the technical operations that keep the yacht running smoothly, the students learned that a career on the water is as diverse as it is thrilling.
Mackenzie Schall, the banquet events manager, shared her journey of starting as a server at age 17 and working her way up to managing events on the yacht.
“The main focus of my job is ensuring that every event aboard the yacht is memorable,” she explained. Click the video player below for a peek at what our students experienced.
Many DBG students opt into our culinary arts program, so it came as no surprise that executive chef Kennedy’s story captivated them. Originally on the path to becoming a writer, she discovered a deep love for cooking that steered her career in a completely different direction. She shared that her role involves not only creating exquisite dishes, but orchestrating the entire dining experience, from planning the menu to overseeing her team.
“There’s nothing like the challenge of turning fresh ingredients into a memorable meal on the open water,” she shared.
Senior first mate RJ also gave the students a behind-the-scenes look at his role. As third in command, RJ is responsible for ensuring everything on the boat runs smoothly and is up to safety standards. His journey began as a deckhand after participating in Detroit’s Midnight Golf Program, and he quickly fell in love with life on the water. “There’s no better way to travel than by boat,” RJ said with a smile.
Finally, the students met Captain Bryan, who has been navigating boats since he was 12 years old. With a career spanning 30 years and experience from Florida to Nova Scotia, Captain Bryan emphasized the importance of safety on the water.
“The boat is worth 10 million dollars,” he said. “But nothing is more valuable than human life.”
Tia Talton, apprentice to DBG’s CEO Khali Sweeney, explained the value of field trip adventures like these.
“One of the most important things we do at DBG is provide students with real world experience,” she said. “Kids getting the opportunity to experience things they wouldn’t normally experience in their everyday lives helps open their eyes to potential career pathways in the future.”
We are incredibly grateful to Infinity Ovation Yacht Charters for providing this unique opportunity to our students. Who knows? The next generation of maritime professionals might just be at the Downtown Boxing Gym.