Many training centres and clubs have struggled to attract and retain a reliable and talented workforce due to the seasonal nature of some of the work as well as a common misconception that there is a lack of career progression opportunities.

While some centres do face challenges, others excel at building loyal teams and have inspiring success stories to share. There are numerous practical ways to attract and retain good instructors. By building supportive workplaces, offering clear pathways for growth and planning ahead, clubs and centres can create a thriving community of instructors.

The strength of the RYA' s training schemes is dependent on the quality of its Recognised Training centres and the instructors who work or volunteer within them. Instructors are often widely experienced and from varied backgrounds. This fantastic variation in backgrounds can enrich a candidate's experience in different ways.

The RYA’s training network is also hugely diverse, but whatever your size or structure, there is a wealth of solutions to help you improve your instructor retention rate.

Understanding what motivates instructors

The process starts with understanding what motivates an instructor to work or volunteer for your organisation. Once you know this, you can shape a culture and offer a package that satisfy those needs.

Creating a supportive working environment helps to attract new instructors through word of mouth, it also helps build a sense of loyalty and trust amongst instructors, and should be a key component of club and training centre culture.

Successful strategies include in-house training, post-session debriefs, and staff incentives. These approaches help teams thrive season after season.

Instructors career lifecycles

Leaders within RYA Training Centres should be realistic about how long instructors are likely to stay at one centre, especially given the curious nature inherent in instructors who work afloat in particular.

Existing instructors should be encouraged to explore opportunities beyond their local training centre. If they have enjoyed their time with you, they’re more likely to return later, through a sense of loyalty, bringing valuable experience back with them.

For example, UKSA prepares instructors to work abroad, helping them to achieve qualifications. Here, management view retaining an instructor for two years as a success, and the organisation plans ahead with this life cycle in mind.

Read UKSA case study

Easing the burden: Workload management

By offering good working conditions, Training Centres can avoid burning instructors out. While competitive pay matters, so do other factors that contribute to wellbeing, such as balancing responsibilities within the role. One approach is combining on and off-water roles to create a varied workload. Incorporating shore-based duties like marketing, admin, or maintenance can provide valuable respite from delivering on-water training alone.

Energising the instructor development process

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The key is in finding an approach that suits your centre’s context and needs.

UKSA, on the Isle of Wight, has adopted a planned and structured approach to learning, helping instructors to improve their professional competence. Every staff member is assigned a mentor with scheduled monthly catchups. They’ve also introduced clear training agreements for well-structured formalised CPD arrangements, driving engagement in instructor development, and appointed one of their sailing instructors the Head of CPD.

Sharing lesson plans and teaching tips can improve the quality of instructors' work, as well as engagement. Don’t underestimate the value of giving instructors time to share and exchange ideas, it keeps them inspired and motivated.

Restructuring the workforce and succession planning

Planning ahead as to who might take on senior roles in the future is essential. For example, one of our east coast training centres has instructors who work exclusively for them because they feel valued and know they have opportunities to progress, gain new experience, and achieve further qualifications. Centre Principals who champion succession planning build strong, loyal teams and benefit from stability and continuity as a result.

The Sail Squad previously relied on freelancers who worked flat out during the season, which ultimately affected the quality of their work. They transformed their approach by creating full-time roles, offering living allowances for onboard accommodation, and ensuring no one worked more than ten days consecutively.

Read the Sail Squad case study

Spinnaker sailing club also restructured their team after finding that lots of tasks were slipping between the cracks. By broadening employees’ roles, instructors gained new skills and they stayed longer in the industry.

In addition to delivering on-water training, they now get involved in race management, water quality monitoring, administration, and boat maintenance. This variety has greatly increased job satisfaction for the instructors.

Read the Spinnaker Sailing Club case study

Attracting and shaping new talent

Actively recruiting and training the next generation before you need them is key to ensuring there are no gaps in your instructor pool. Spotting good candidates through training schemes has helped retain talented individuals. UKSA, for example, runs secondary school programmes where graduates with the right qualifications can join the team as employees.

Training centre Prometheus works with Yachtmaster candidates, recruiting and mentoring younger instructors, and spotting talent in university sailing teams. Newcomers who want to turn their passion into a career on the water can be nurtured and supported as they grow into their roles as instructors.

Read Prometheus case study