Are you thinking about setting up an RYA Training Centre?
Having run a centre for almost 25 years and undertaken many RYA Centre Inspections we have a really clear insight into the issues that affect training centres and therefore are in a great position to give advice and guidance to those seeking to set up their own centre.
You may be an individual keen to set up a centre in the UK, you may be a company seeking to broaden your offering as an overseas business into delivering RYA training or you may be an agency such as a Fire & Rescue Service that needs input with running your existing centre. Whichever you are we can provide input and assistance, add value, upskill or qualify your instructors and ensure your procedures completely adhere to RYA requirements and reflect the best of what is out there.
So how can we assist your centre?
Application for recognition
Many of those seeking to run a RYA Training Centre already have other business interests so here we can step in to assist with the application process and make your life easier. We’ll ensure that you are applying for the right courses (it may be that you can seek recognition straight away for more courses than you think you can) and we’ll ensure that the forms you submit are correctly completed, you have the right instructors in place etc. We’ll then work alongside you as you proceed through the various steps of the process to give input and guidance as necessary.
Safety Management Systems
Various incidents and a much greater focus on a robust approach to health and safety generally has created a real focus on a company’s Safety Management Systems, Standard Operating Procedures and Risk Assessments. Our significant experience acting as expert witnesses after fatal and non-fatal incidents coupled to undertaking literally hundreds of RYA Training Centre inspections and running our own centre for so long gives us a unique insight into what’s needed in these SMS/SOPs and RAs.
Most of the time we get asked to write centre specific SOPs/RAs and we’ll do this for you in company format and provide in electronic form to your and your allocated inspector. No centres that we have done this for have ever received any ‘Action Plan’ points at their initial inspection so potentially speeding up the recognition process. If you are already set up as a centre then we can review existing SOPs/RAs in detail and give you guidance on where they need developing or re-write them for you.
Instructor training and development
Having assisted with the application process and written the SMS for you the next stage is often to visit your centre to undertake instructor training – after gaining RYA approval to do so. We arrange the instructor course and ensure the Trainer and Moderator have expertise relevant to your sort of operation. We’ll arrange flights and accomodation as necessary and tie in the instructor course with the visit by the RYA Centre Inspector. We’re usually able to ensure that by the end of the visit you have had a session with the Trainer to further develop your understanding of running a RYA TC and have completed your inspection so the Inspector can recommend to the RYA that you become a centre.
Since starting our service providing consultancy services back in 2007 we’ve assisted in the set up of almost 100 RYA Training Centres. Centres that we have assisted include:
- Superyachts setting up to run the RYA Introduction to Personal Watercraft Safety course
- Powerboat Schools in the UK, Europe and Caribbean
- Motor cruising schools
- Personal watercraft centres
- Fire & Rescue Units setting up training centres
- Law enforcement and Military Units setting up training centres
- Compoanies operating in construction and renewables sector that have their own training centres/li>
We’re always happy to have an initial chat through you becoming a centre and are more than happy to share our ideas and thoughts as the more great and enthusiastic RYA Training Centres that exist the better.
Please contact us via office@powerboattraininguk.co.uk or +44 (0)1202 686666 to discuss further.
