The RYA courses have gained significant popularity in recent years, thanks to the RYA Powerboat Level 2 being a mandatory entry requirement to enter the superyacht industry. Being an RYA instructor in South Africa means having a busy schedule, a great source of income, and a chance to influence the next generations. In this article, let’s see how to become an RYA Instructor in South Africa and the different instructor certificates.
How do I become an RYA Instructor in South Africa?
Whether an industry veteran or a confident powerboat novice, you stand a chance to become an RYA instructor as long as you are 16 years old or above and fulfil the following requirements.
You must have the RYA Powerboat Level 2 certificate as a minimum. You will also require a First Aid Course certification. Apart from that, a VHF certification is recommended. And of course, last but not least, your theory knowledge and boat handling skills must be impeccable.
Note that an RYA trainer will assess whether you are a qualified trainer material before you attend the course. If all is well, you will get a green light to attend the course.
This 3-day course trains you in various teaching methods and techniques that come in handy when teaching the RYA Level 1 and 2 syllabi. As an RYA Powerboat Instructor, you are responsible for planning and running a number of classrooms and practical sessions under the supervision of an experienced RYA Advanced Powerboat Trainer.
What are the different RYA Instructor Courses in South Africa?
The RYA Powerboat Instructor
The RYA Powerboat Instructor course is the entry-level instructor course. Any aspiring instructor would begin their instructing career with this course in South Africa.
The information presented in the previous section of the article points the way to becoming an RYA Powerboat instructor in South Africa; all the need-to-know information has been provided in the section above.
As an RYA Powerboat Instructor, you will be mainly training the candidates for the RYA Powerboat Level 1 and Level 2 certifications. Despite being the entry-level instructor, this is probably the most in-demand instructor in the industry right now.
Why?
As stated previously, the RYA Powerboat Level 2 certification is one of the most important certificates if you are to work on a superyacht or similar luxury boats. Many South Africans aspire to work in such a luxurious, income-rich environment. Hence, the demand.
As an instructor, you will be responsible for lesson planning, practical demonstrations and instructing, and assessing the candidate and ironing out their weak points.
RYA Advanced Instructor
Your hands are going to be packed with a schedule once you become an RYA Powerboat Instructor. However, for many, that is simply not enough. If you are looking for a further challenge, the RYA Advanced Instructor qualification awaits you.
As an RYA Advanced Instructor, you will be teaching the advanced courses (obviously!) such as the RYA Powerboat Advanced. The deal is the same as above: lesson planning and delivery, practical demonstrations, and strengthening their weak points.
However, to become an RYA Advanced Instructor, you must fulfil a few requirements. The most important thing? You need at least a 100-hour teaching experience as an RYA Powerboat Instructor.
Besides that, you will also require the RYA Advanced Powerboat certification; you cannot teach advanced courses if you have not lived through the experience. And lastly, your theoretical knowledge must be on par with the Yachtmaster Coastal Theory syllabus.
You must be at least 18 years old at the time of taking the course. This instructor course will also include night training. This course will run for 2 days.
The RYA PWC Instructor Course
Jet Skis, also known as Personal Watercrafts (PWCs), are very popular amongst South Africans. Which means there is also a demand for PWC instructors.
If you have the RYA PWC Proficiency certificate, you can focus on becoming an RYA PWC Instructor in South Africa. This 3-day instructor course focuses on a curriculum for teaching the necessary skill sets to jet ski enthusiasts. You must be 16 years old or above at the time of taking the course, and have a minimum of two years of experience in driving a jet ski.
Upon successful assessment and completion of the course, you will receive the instructor qualification. With this, you can either teach the RYA PWC Proficiency course or the RYA Introduction to PW Safety Course.
Thanks to its flexibility, this course is often sought out by seafarers working on a superyacht. You’d be missing out if you do not have the RYA PWC Instructor course in your bag.
Conclusion
Becoming an RYA Instructor in South Africa not only provides you with opportunities to pass on your knowledge but also helps consolidate your skills and knowledge. As more and more South Africans are considering working on a superyacht, these instructors will continue to stay in high demand at least for a long while.
If you are looking for any RYA Instructor courses, feel free to connect with us today for more information.