The Algarve hosted International Yacht Training's first nautical training and training center in Portugal. This school, with poles in Faro and Olhão, offers sailing and motor courses approved by international entities, which give «immediate access to the International Certificate of Competence (ICC), allowing its holders to navigate the seven seas».
The arrival of this training center to the Algarve is part of a partnership between the company Algarve Crusing Center and the Association for the Study and Conservation of the Oceans (aECO). The technical responsible for this project is Ricardo Barradas, who is also a trainer at CIMAV – Clube Internacional da Marina de Vilamoura.
According to Ricardo Barradas, this center "increases the internationalization of the sea sector in the Algarve, placing the region on the map of the main destinations for advanced nautical training".
The technical manager says that this project will allow "a qualitative leap in the training provided in the country", since "the focus on the practical component presents an alternative, but above all a complement, to the training that is already provided in Portugal".
The International Yacht Training center has been in operation for a few months, but it already has numbers to show. Since it opened, it has issued «more than 30 Power boat certificates (ICC) (equivalent to the Local Boss course) to residents in the national territory».
But students arrive, also from across borders.
“We received clients from the main outbound markets such as England, Spain and France, but also from Russia, Holland, Canada and Portugal. This segment is very interesting because we are launching innovative products in the region. On the sailing expeditions of mile building, for example, we receive students who need to train in order to apply for more advanced competency certificates such as the certificate Yachtmaster, a certification recognized worldwide for its quality and excellence», according to Ricardo Barradas.
The person responsible for the training center added that he plans to increase the offer of courses, through the establishment of partnerships with other entities, such as the University of Algarve, but not only that.
«The Algarve region has a significant potential for nautical activities and there are many products still to be explored, such as these advanced formations, or even scientific tourism, but it is necessary to innovate and invest», considered Ricardo Barradas.
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