UKSA is a truly exceptional place to train, learn, grow and even make lifelong friendships. Our students join us from every corner of the globe with all levels of experience and varying goals, but they all leave with one thing in common – they are part of the UKSA family!
We are passionate about UKSA; the students, the thousands of children that visit us each year, the team and our awesome waterfront base in Cowes, on the beautiful Isle of Wight. But what makes UKSA so special and why do people come back here year after year? We would love to share more with you about UKSA, so please get in touch with our team.
Ben Willows, UKSA CEO
We have built up a superb team who have years of relevant experience and longstanding links with the maritime industry. We have experts in all disciplines, so whether you are considering watersports, yachting, hospitality or superyacht crew training we can offer you the career pathway that is right for you.
Plus, we have an enviable reputation for our pastoral support work and mentoring with students. We guarantee that after just a few days at UKSA, you’ll be on first name terms with most of us!
We take a unique approach to learning at UKSA and believe that your time spent with us is as much about learning skills and gaining qualifications as it is about honing your interpersonal skills and developing confidence.
Our holistic approach to learning gives you the real skills you need to enter the workplace, and the confidence you will need to continue developing your career in the future. You will have access to our specialist careers advisors, maritime industry experts and our dedicated welfare officer both during your time at UKSA and with continued access after you leave and start work.
We have spent over 30 years building and nurturing links with the maritime industry and all of our instructors have experience of working in their respective industries. We will share our insight with you during one-to-one sessions, plus every student has exclusive access to our Yacht Careers website and our careers days, giving you the opportunity to meet with potential employees and network in a professional environment. In addition, every careers student receives one year’s FREE Nautilus International membership when they join one of our programmes.
We are based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, giving you access to train in arguably the best training waters in the world – the Solent. With complex tides and winds, this ensures an enhanced and robust learning experience, equipping you with the skills to work anywhere in the world.
UKSA’s purpose-built waterfront facility has everything you need in one place with all training, instruction, accommodation, food and career guidance included. We even have a swimming pool, gym and bar to relax and network in with fellow students.
The all-inclusive nature of our courses means our students become fully immersed in their training, as they learn to live and breathe the marine world with us. You can relax knowing that everything is taken care of and you are free to focus on your training.
UKSA is a registered charity that aims to enable school children and young people from any background to enjoy taking part in fun activities on the water. Our charitable programmes encourage, support and inspire young people of ages, abilities and social and ethnic backgrounds.
By training at UKSA, our careers students are actively contributing to enhancing the lives of the children and young people who visit us. We believe that the power of the sea can be harnessed to transform lives for the better and we see the impact it has every day.
There is an ever-growing network of students across the globe who have trained at UKSA. Our team are always in touch with graduates – whether they have just started out in the industry or have been working for 20 years plus!
When you train at UKSA you become part of something bigger – you become part of the UKSA family, with support for life.