The Awaygroup of companies, which includes Hotelboat, Restaurant and Trip Boats, are always keen to talk to people who are looking for a change in life style or having changed like to actually earn a living on the canals. We are pleased to announce that our current vacancies are listed here.

To apply for any of the positions listed please download (click here) and complete an application form (for couples one each please) and return. Please clearly state the positions of interest in a covering letter or e-mail.

Management Couple

Away2dine is actively seeking a professional chef management couple from the catering industry. A live in package on a purpose built boat to operate the luxury canal cruising restaurant, which has established the beginnings of a niche market on the Birmingham City Centre Canals. Located at The Mailbox where considerable development is planned for completion in 2010 the restaurant is in an ideal environment to live and work.

A unique opportunity awaits the right chef management couple looking for a complete lifestyle change. A 3-year old 25 cover restaurant boat offers diners a quality meal whilst serving an experience during a cruise. Customers have referred it to The Orient Express on Birmingham City Centre canals. Private and Corporate charters on a number of themes provide a balanced income to the business. The combination of an experienced qualified chef with a partner having front of house management skills would be offered an attractive salary including a modern live-in accommodation on a separate adjacent boat specially provided for the position. The couple would be responsible for all areas of the operation assisted by a kitchen porter/cleaner and part time/casual waiting staff. The business needs to be taken forward by a couple who are have a passion for food and capable of delivering excellent customer service. We are looking for candidates with previous catering experience and strong communication skills, eager to work on their own initiative and develop their potential by building a notable reputation.

Salary from £25000 per annum negotiable. Live in Accommodation is included for a couple

Hours of work are according to demand and are at a peak between Easter and end of September. Winter operation is rationalised providing considerable down time for holidays and days off.

Kitchen Porter/Cleaner/Catering Assistant

An unusual position is offered to a person capable of working in a canal boat environment based at The Mailbox in Birmingham city centre. Varied duties await the right applicant who had experience working in the catering industry or can adapt from a similar discipline. Daily routine is assisting a management couple with all catering aspects associated with a luxury restaurant boat including internal and external cleaning, maintaining a stores facility in the basement and ensuring that water and gas services are topped up.

Wages from £6.50 per hour with a flexible working week to cover evenings and weekends.

Training will be given to cover areas that need familiarisation. Local accommodation is essential and ability to reach workplace by public transport is necessary. Occasional night stopover accommodation is available.

Part time/casual waiting staff

Jobs are offered to applicants who can demonstrate good communication skills with customers and are of smart appearance with a proven record of reliability.

Wages are £5.95 per hour. Hours are according to demand

Relief Canal Boat Skipper

Seasonal position is offered to an applicant holding the appropriate Boatmaster qualification (Grade 3 or Tier 2) for UK Inland Waterways. Non qualified applicants who can pass the exam within a short period of induction would be considered.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to take responsibility for all aspects of steering a MCA licensed craft are necessary for an application to be considered. The need to work with catering staff at all levels is essential and assist in customer relations would be a requirement of the job.

Working Couple

Away4awhile is actively seeking a working couple to operate a Hotelboat on a seasonal or permanent basis. A live in package on the Hotelboat which specialises in 3, 4 & 7 day holiday cruises around Shakespeare Country and the Heart of England. A unique opportunity awaits the right couple looking for a complete lifestyle change. The combination of experience is a canalboat skipper and a cook/house keeper/crew person. The couple would be responsible for all areas of the operation during the season from mid March to early October. The established business needs to be taken forward by a couple who can demonstrate all the necessary skills and capable of delivering excellent customer service. We are looking for candidates with previous catering experience and strong communication skills, eager to work on their own initiative and develop their potential.

Boating skills are an integral part of the job; therefore the skipper is required to have a Boatmaster qualification (Boatmaster Grade 3 or Tier 2) for the UK Inland Waterways. Training for a non qualified applicant could be considered if they have the ability to pass the exam in a short period following the appointment. Training for crew aspects would be offered provided some experience has been gained in boating.

The transition to Commercial Boating is not necessarily an easy one. The basic skills are complimentary but the techniques are in some cases radically different. Applicants must be prepared to be trained in professional techniques that are essential to the job.

Cooking skills needed are the ability to provide a maximum of 6 guests all meals on a full board basis. Supplementary training would be available from our catering department who would have overall responsibility for the provision of the catering needs including menu design and stock control. Housekeeping is a shared responsibility between the couple, as daily routine involves the skipper servicing cabins during breakfast.

Salary from £15000 per annum negotiable. Live in Accommodation and food is included for a couple.

Hours of work are according to demand and are loosely based on cruise ships of 4 months on and 2 months off, however they are between Easter and end of September and at a peak between June and August inclusive. Alternative duties on our restaurant boat would be an option for a rest period for a proportion of the time. Winter operation for a permanent position is rationalised with Bed & Breakfast providing considerable down time for holidays and days off.

Readvertising for a operator to be responsible for a unusual retail situation where a mobile service is situated and operates on the Birmingham City centre canals specifically for canal boats.

Personal skills include communicating effectively with customers and an ability to operate fuel dispense and vacuum pumping equipment are essential. This has to be based on a reasonable knowledge of boats preferably canal based and an aptitude to handle them.

A mechanical aptitude would benefit the development of the business in carrying out minor electrical and mechanical repairs to canal boats. Training can be provided in making various courses available to the successful applicant. MCA/BW regulations now require the steerer to have an RYA qualification, training can be provided for a suitable applicant.

Salary from £16000 per annum negotiable. Live in Accommodation is optional on an occasional basis.

Hours of work are according to demand, however they are at a peak between between Easter and end of September. Winter operation for a permanent position is considerably rationalised and involves maintenance on Awaygroup boats.

Relief Service Boat Operator

Our Service Boat requires a relief operator to be responsible two days a week for an unusual retail situation where a mobile service is situated and operates on the Birmingham City centre canals specifically for canal boats.

Personal skills include communicating effectively with customers and an ability to operate fuel dispense and vacuum pumping equipment are essential. This has to be based on a reasonable knowledge of boats preferably canal based and an aptitude to handle them.

A mechanical aptitude would benefit the development of the business in carrying out minor electrical and mechanical repairs to canal boats. Training can be provided in making various courses available to the successful applicant. MCA/BW regulations now require the steerer to have an RYA qualification, training can be provided for a suitable applicant.

Hours of work are according to demand, however they are at a peak between Easter and end of September.