Be part of it
THE PYA – Be part of it
Professional Yachtsmen‟s Association
The Professional Body for Yacht Crew
As the professional organisation for yacht crew, the PYA‟s mission is to represent the interests of Professional Yacht Captains and Crew and to encourage and maintain the highest professional standards. PYA, provides its members with the information necessary to progress in their chosen career.
The working environment of Seafaring is becoming more and more regulated. Therefore the PYA‟s services to crew and the work PYA does to champion the interests of yacht crew at national and international level have never been more pertinent. This not-for-profit association has become the prime platform for the exchange of information and experience. PYA offers its members a range of bespoke products and services and provides practical tools and up to date advice to today‟s professional yacht crew.
What are the Benefits of Membership?
Advice
PYA employs 3 full time staff; dedicated to helping its members. Their experience and their up to date knowledge of training and certification of deck, engineering and interior positions represent an invaluable resource for junior and senior crew. PYA provides straightforward, practical advice and guidance to its members when they have to deal with training and certification requirements of the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) . Any questions that PYA Head Quarters are unable to answer are referred to PYA‟s governing Council. This gives members an un paralleled resource. PYA is the only organisation of its kind that has staff focused on helping professional yacht crew in this way.
Representation
Since its inception in 1991, PYA has continuously consulted with policy makers who are tasked with writing legislation affecting the construction, operation and manning of large yachts. Over the years PYA has participated in numerous working groups and steering committees to ensure that the point of view of those that actually work on board is known and understood. The consultancy work puts PYA in a unique position because it is aware at an early stage of changes in regulations that will affect the yacht sector. Much of this information is not in the public domain. Yet it is the background of this awareness and knowledge that allows PYA to provide its members with up to date, accurate advice.
The expansion of yachting in recent years means that many international conventions written for the merchant marine now impact on yachts and those that work on board them. Very often, there is no easy fit for yachting. Therefore it is vitally important that the voice of the people actually manning yachts is heard by policy makers. As the professional body for yacht crew, PYA fulfills this roll.
Service Record Book
Verified „Yacht Sea Service‟ is the key to crew being able to progress their career. When trying to obtain a certificate of competency the biggest problem super yacht crew are confronted with today is to prove their time spent at sea.
The answer is the PYA Service Record Book (SRB).
Through the PYA’s ISO 9001 quality assurance procedure the PYA painstakingly verifies each entry of yacht sea service and enters it into the SRB. When applying for Notice of Eligibility (NOE) to the MCA this SRB can be submitted on it’s own without the original sea service testimonials. This means that PYA members safely retain all their original documents.
The SRB can be submitted in the same way for the renewal of a Certificate of Competence (CoC).
“Having the major representative body of yachting’s professional seafarers verify sea time on yachts helps assure the quality of certificates MCA issues to yacht crew” quote from Roger Towner, Registrar General Shipping and Seamen, Chief Examiner MCA.’
“I find it helpful when a candidate presents their PYA SRB at the Oral Exam. It quickly allows me to build up a picture of their experience” quote from David Carlisle, MCA Examiner, Principal Marine Surveyor, Belfast.
This recognition by MCA of the PYA SRB makes this document of immense value to crew serving on yachts.
Regional Offices
As PYA‟s SRB is reconised by MCA, PYA must sight original documents (passports, certificates and sea service testimonials etc) to carry out a valid verification. This means that crew have to send the original documents to PYA Headquarters in France. Sending in original documents to PYA HQ can be a daunting and expensive logistical challenge for crew in distant parts of the world. With the yachts itinerary subject to change without notice, the task of returning these documents from PYA HQ back to their owners can be even more of a challenge. PYA recognises this can be a real problem. In an effort to address this issue PYA is providing members with PYA Regional Office services. It has set up a number of agreements with existing companies of good standing within the yachting community. Under a PYA Regional Office agreement, one person from within the contracted company is authorised to sight original documents and to attest copies. This means that the PYA member can keep his or her originals and that attested copies are then forwarded to PYA HQ for verification. The Officers in the PYA RO‟s have been carefully selected and are committed to assisting PYA members and to assisting those who want to become PYA members.
PROJOBS
For years PYA has provided members with a job finding service. PYA has now brought this service into the digital age by developing its new web application: PROJOBS.
PROJOBS is a messaging system for members. It allows PYA members looking for crew positions to make other members aware of their availability.
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Course Accreditation
“Continuous Professional Development” is very important to all professional bodies. PYA has been approached by many training schools to provide a course accreditation scheme. This service has been developed under the PYA’s ISO quality assurance procedures and is now offered to all training schools.
Assistance
Through no fault of their own crew can become victims and need help. Through our network of marine lawyers PYA has been successful in resolving many issues relating to unpaid wages. This assistance is given to members on a case by case basis. If you think you have a case please contact us.
Types of Membership
PYA offers a range of memberships and is open to all nationalities. Whether you are sea going or shore based, a private individual or a corporation, PYA has a class of membership that suits your position within the professional yachting community. Today, PYA membership comprises of some 45 nationalities. If you want to enjoy the services out lined above and support the work of PYA, You can join online at www.pya.org.
Be Part of It!