STCW and ENG1: what you need first, and what can wait

The two things every route into yachting starts with, and the two people most often get confused about. STCW BASIC SAFETY TRAINING Five modules — personal survival, fire prevention and firefighting, elementary first aid, personal safety and social responsibility, and proficiency in security awareness. Roughly a week. You cannot work on a commercially registered yacht without it. Refresher requirements apply to some modules after five years; check yours rather than assuming. ENG1 (OR EQUIVALENT) A seafarer medical fitness certificate, done by an approved doctor — not your GP. Vision, hearing, general fitness. Usually valid two years. Book it early: the bottleneck is appointment availability, not cost. If you have a condition you're worried about, talk to an approved examiner before you spend money on courses. Better to know. WHAT CAN WAIT Almost everything else. Powerboat Level 2 is genuinely useful for deck. Food hygiene if you're interior or galley. Beyond that, let a boat tell you what it needs — plenty will fund a ticket for crew who've proved themselves. THE SCAM SHAPED LIKE A COURSE Be wary of anyone selling a "guaranteed placement" package alongside training. Training providers train. Nobody legitimate charges you to be given a job. Keep the certificates in your document vault here with expiry dates and you'll get reminders before they lapse. Questions about a specific module or an ENG1 concern — ask below.