Careers and training
A world of possibilities for working on water
Are you keen to turn your passion into a profession? Or chart a new course in your career? Explore opportunities across the marine and watersports industry and discover the RYA training that can help you get started or progress to the next level. If you’re curious about career opportunities in the sector or want to build on your existing qualifications and experience, our careers hub is here to help you.
Discover a wealth of exciting pathways both on and around the water, whether you’re interested in becoming an instructor or skipper, superyacht crew, boat builder or broker, engineer or manager. There's something for everyone:
- Gain practical and internationally recognised qualifications
- Access a career that leads to travel and adventure
- Progress your expertise into management roles
- Be a part of the watersports and marine community
- Develop transferable skills and enjoy lifelong learning
Where could a career on water take you? Your journey starts here!
Instructor roles
Working as an instructor is not just a job, it’s a way of life with the reward of sharing the activities we love. Find out more about instructor and training centre roles.
Commercial skipper and crew
The small commercial vessel sector offers worldwide opportunities for those wanting to work afloat.
Want a Career on the Water? Start your adventure with RYA Training
Unlock your future
RYA qualifications enable you to gain the skills, experience and confidence you need to open doors across the marine and watersports sector, with certificates that are recognised across the industry and widely around the world.
Be inspired
Not everyone's career starts with a plan. For some, it begins with a leap — a decision to swap the predictable for the possible. Catch up with our Incredible Careers podcasts episode to hear first-person stories that have seen time on the water open doors to extraordinary opportunities:
- From the Pacific to the Poles – For Emily Penn, what started as a sailing adventure led to small island beaches and into global policy rooms, with a pioneering all-women sailing project tackling ocean plastic while empowering others to take action.
- From superyachts to super starts - From the luxury decks of superyachts to forging dynamic new careers, and from beach club instructing to high performance Olympic coaching, Dee Caffari meets three people whose working lives were transformed by the sea.
- Building Futures: Developing people, passion and possibility – What if a summer job by the water or sailing as a child could spark a lifelong career or a chance to travel the world? Three people share their experiences and the pathways that connect passion and profession to create exciting futures on the water and beyond.
Love watersports? Carve out a career
Sarah Bagley, Director of Windswept Watersports in Pembrokeshire, found her passion for watersports when her family lived on a boat in France and the Mediterranean, and then in Devon, where she learned how to sail and windsurf.
She says: “I realised there was an opportunity to earn money and travel at the same time. I wasn’t particularly an A* student and I got through school but it didn’t do much for me, so I did a windsurf instructor qualification and I’ve worked in watersports ever since.”
With a raft of RYA instructor qualifications, Sarah also benefited from additional training with the Trinity House RYA Yachtmaster Scholarship, and in 2020 founded Windswept, an RYA Recognised Training Centre. Sarah has been on a mission ever since to provide affordable opportunities for everyone to enjoy watersports,.
“I enjoy teaching on the water and seeing people smiling and having a good time, including children who might be excited, or may be a bit scared or thinking they’re not good at anything, then realising they can do it! To see young people change and become more independent and confident is really rewarding.”
Career case studies
Find out what it takes to make it and what to expect from a career afloat
Superyacht captain
RYA Yachtmaster Examiner, Mike Harris has worked on superyachts all over the world
Useful resources
- Maritime UK - Careers advice
- British Marine: Careers in the Marine Industry - Where do you fit in?