Case studies
Sophie Wilmot
From Dinghy sailing to Deckhand
Sophie came to UKSA at 7 now at 23 she is working in the superyacht industry
Since first coming to us at the age of 7 with a love for dinghy sailing, Sophie Wilmot has cleverly used her experiences and qualifications gained with UKSA to pursue a career path into the superyacht industry. After spending most of her childhood summers doing courses with us, she decided that she loved on-the-water activities and realised it was possible to achieve her dream job. Now 23, she is about to begin working as a deck/stew on a 35m superyacht in the Mediterranean. Sophie shares her story:
“At university, I was studying Motorsport Technology as a foundation degree but had always had a passion for the sea since my early experiences in dinghy sailing. I had been taking courses with UKSA since I was 7 years old when I started my journey by taking multiple Dinghy courses. It was great fun and helped to build my water confidence.
“UKSA has had a huge influence on my choice of career; without them, I wouldn’t be starting my job on the superyacht in the Med!”
How has UKSA had an influence on my choice of career?
When I was serious about following a career at sea I took the RYA Competent Crew course, Watersports Instructor Training (WIT) and then progressed onto Superyacht Crew Training. UKSA has had a huge influence on my choice of career; without them, I wouldn’t be starting my job on the superyacht in the Med!
I have loved training here and my favourite memory is probably of when I finally grasped windsurfing. It took a while to pick up even though I have been sailing for most of my life, but now I love it.
If I was asked to advise someone thinking about taking the same courses that I have done, I would tell them to stick to the training as the instructors really do know what they’re talking about.”
To find out more about the courses that lead Sophie towards a deckhand in the superyacht industry please visit:
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