If you want to get a boating licence, you are often spoilt for choice: where and at which school should you take the course and the exam? The range of training options is confusing for water sports beginners. The quality seal (QAW) of the three well-known major water sports associations DMYV, VDS and VDWS is intended to help find a qualified training centre. The applicant for a driving licence, a radio certificate, a sailing licence, etc. is guided on a clear course to the goal of passing the examination as a qualified water sports enthusiast and should be able to safely navigate the shoals of the sport on the water.
The QAW certificate: a guarantee of quality and trust
Since its introduction over ten years ago, the QAW certificate has established itself as a mark of quality for water sports training. It offers water sports enthusiasts the assurance that certified schools are checked by the three major associations with regard to up-to-dateness, the contemporary teaching of course content and compliance with the binding standards.
Key changes and objectives of the new driving licence training guidelines
The revised guidelines ensure that the central objectives of the QAW certificate remain in focus:
- Improving the quality of trainingThe new standards promote standardised and transparent water sports training based on clearly defined, verifiable criteria.
- Consumer friendliness and transparencyTraining centres with a QAW certificate undertake to publish their quality criteria in order to enable consumers to make an informed choice.
- Market access for training centresThe QAW certificate remains open to new schools and clubs, provided they fulfil the defined quality standards and are successfully certified.
The amendments that have now been drawn up include updated requirements for school equipment, training equipment and training content. During the revision, particular attention was paid to the areas of equipment, training quality, training infrastructure and transparency in communication with consumers.
Further information can be found here:
- German Motor Yacht Association e.V.: www.dmyv.de
- Association of German Sports Boat Schools e.V.: www.sportbootschulen.de
- Association of German Watersport Schools: www.vdws.de
About the Quality Training in Watersports Working Group (QAW)
The Quality Training in Water Sports Working Group (QAW) is supported by the three major associations in water sports: the German Motor Yacht Association (DMYV), the Association of German Sport Boat Schools (VDS) and the Association of German Water Sports Schools (VDWS).
Together, these organisations represent the diversity and professionalism of the German water sports landscape. While the DMYV supports both clubs and training centres in the area of ship management for sports boats and yachts, the VDS and VDWS are exclusively training associations that look after sports boat and sailing schools, but also offer a focus and services for training companies in beach sports such as kitesurfing, wingfoiling, SUP or windsurfing.
With this cooperation and the continuous development of QAW certification, the associations are pursuing a common goal: the promotion of safe, sustainable and high-quality training in water sports.
Torsten Moench
Editor in Chief BOOTE
