RYA Yachtmaster® Qualifications now STCW Compliant

by Susan Boyd on 9 May 2007 News of importance for boating professionals seeking international careers.

The RYA Yachtmaster® qualification is now STCW Compliant. The RYA has reinforced its standing as the leading provider of training for professional skippers by spelling out its compliance with STCW training on its Yachtmaster® certificates.

Under British Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) regulations, skippers holding an RYA Yachtmaster® Offshore or RYA Yachtmaster® Ocean Certificate of Competence with a commercial endorsement may be the master of yachts and pleasure vessels (both power and sail) up to 200gross tonnes.

However some non-UK Maritime administrations require professional skippers to have attended additional courses to comply with the international STCW ’95 standard (Standard of Training and Certification of Watchkeepers).

RYA Yachtmaster's who have taken these additional courses can now have their Yachtmaster® certificate endorsed to confirm their compliance with those STCW standards. This is major step forward in assisting international acceptance of RYA professional qualifications by boating authorities and prospective employers.

'We’ve been a little reluctant to change what is viewed worldwide as the definitive benchmark for a skipper’s skill, knowledge and experience,' says RYA Training Manager James Stevens. 'However, its success as the essential ticket for a professional career has meant that we have been getting more and more international enquiries about inclusion of STCW requirements.

Hopefully, the slight changes we are making will clarify for employers, national boating authorities and anyone else who needs to know that the commercial Yachtmaster® qualification meets and surpasses all of these.'

The RYA is a not for profit organisation offering training and qualifications for professional and recreational skippers worldwide. RYA qualifications are recognised and respected worldwide as a passport to employment aboard yachts of any type and in any location. Currently over 11,000 professionals are working on commercial vessels using RYA certificates of competence in areas including Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand and the Far East.

Amy Beavers, Principal of Maritime Professional Training (MPT) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida said 'I am very pleased that the MCA has authorised the RYA to endorse the Yachtmaster® as an STCW Compliant Certificate of Competency. This truly demonstrates that the RYA Yachtmaster® is the pinnacle of training for yachting professionals serving internationally, and the best choice for Masters and Mates of any nationality upgrading through the MCA Certification system.'

Penny Haire, Training and Development Manager for Australia and the Asia Pacific commented today. 'There are quite a large number of Australain, New Zealand and Asian professionals with RYA qualifications with well paid positions in the booing superyacht industry. This information re-inforces the value of the RYA qualifications.'

The RYA represents all forms of professional, recreational and competitive boating including dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sportsboats, powerboat racing, windsurfing, inland cruising and personal watercraft.

The RYA is a not for profit organisation, recognised by government offices as being the negotiating body for the activities it represents. It continually fights for the rights and freedoms of its personal members and certificate holders.

The RYA also sets and maintains a world-renowned recognised standard for boat training through a network of 2,220 RYA Recognised Training Centres in 20 countries. On average 185,000 people per year complete RYA training courses. Over 11,000 professional skippers and crew are working on commercial vessels using RYA certificates.

The RYA is committed to promoting all forms of boating and making them accessible to everyone. For more information please refer to our web site www.rya.org.uk

For further information please contact Penny Haire, Training and Development Manager, Australia / Asia Pacific, phone (07) 3358 4104 or 0437 633 748.