What is the Sea Ranger Bootcamp?
The Sea Ranger Bootcamp is a unique opportunity for young people between 18 and 29 years old to challenge themselves and further their personal development. Afterwards, you could be selected for a paid job as a Sea Ranger, where you will work to protect the sea and gain work experience on our sailing work ship. As a new Sea Ranger you will work with us for 6-12 months, monitoring and protecting the marine environment.
What does the Bootcamp cover?
Sport
An important part of the Bootcamp programme is exercise. The work of a Sea Ranger can be physically challenging. Being fit is useful!
Growth
Personal development and growth are a priority during the Bootcamp. After participating in the Sea Ranger Bootcamp you will feel stronger. A lot of attention is paid to developing your self-confidence and recognising and pushing your own boundaries.
Teamwork
As a Sea Ranger you work in a team, and that team must be well coordinated. How do you listen to each other and work together successfully? What role do you take in the group? To discover this, there is a great emphasis on team building activities during the Bootcamp.
Adventure
As a Sea Ranger you work at sea or on land in various places in Europe. It is therefore nice if you like a bit of adventure. The Bootcamp takes place at a secret location in the Netherlands where you can find out how adventurous you are!
What to expect at the Sea Ranger Bootcamp
The programme lasts 8 days and you will stay with us for the entire period. We provide clothing, food and accommodation, and there is space for a maximum of 30 participants. The Bootcamp is led by military veterans and in addition a coach is involved for personal guidance
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“Tough but super educational, I have gained a lot of self confidence, discipline, perseverance and success!”
— Juliette van Overbeek -
“A very educational Bootcamp where you can discover who you really are, what you can do, where you can grow and what you really want. You will do things you never imagined.”
— Ramona Berthold -
“Besides the physical and mental challenges, which I really enjoyed, the bootcamp has given me thorough insights in who I am as a person, what I have to offer and what I look for in the things I do.”
— Thierry van Veggel -
"The bootcamp surprised me. So many people with different perspectives. It has made me more patient as a person, to not draw conclusions too quick. Instead, take a step back first and then determine a next step."
— Roy Wagemaker
Who can join?
Anyone between the ages of 18 and 29 can participate in the Bootcamp, regardless of previous education, gender identity or cultural background. In particular, you must be motivated, enjoy a bit of adventure, and of course be fit and healthy. The Bootcamp will be physically and mentally challenging, and you will be trained to push your limits. We do a lot of exercises around and in the water, so it is important for your safety that you can swim.
How much does the Bootcamp cost?
The admission fee for the Sea Ranger Bootcamp 2025 is £100.
If you cannot afford the costs, no worries—we are here to help! Please refer to our support policy in FAQ under “What if I need financial support to participate in the Sea Ranger Bootcamp?” for information on available financial assistance options.
Frequently asked questions
If you are looking for information about the Sea Ranger Bootcamp in the Netherlands, click here
Then email us at [email protected]. We are happy to help!
Dates to keep in mind for UK Sea Ranger Bootcamp:
- January 2, 2025 – Registration for the Sea Ranger Bootcamp opens
- January 18, 2025 – Open Day.
- February 12, 2025 – Registration deadline
- February 16, 2025 – Selection day
- February 19, 2025 – Announcement of selected participants for the bootcamp
- February 28 to March 7, 2025 – Sea Ranger Bootcamp
- March 11, 2025 – Announcement of selected Sea Rangers
- March 20 to March 24, 2025 – bootcamp sailing days
- April / May 2025 – Sea Rangers in service with the Sea Ranger Service (TBC)
To ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of our Bootcamp programme, the Sea Ranger Service implements a participation fee for candidates. This fee covers a small part of the accommodation, food, and clothing costs during the Bootcamp. The Sea Ranger Service subsidises the majority of the costs involved, with the participation fee serving several key purposes, including assessing the candidate’s motivation and commitment.
The admission fee for the Sea Ranger Bootcamp 2025 is £100.
Additional Costs
Candidates should be aware of several other potential costs associated with their participation in the Bootcamp and subsequent selection as a Sea Ranger:
Travel Costs: Participants are responsible for their own travel expenses to and from the Bootcamp location.
Seaman’s Book: Selected Sea Rangers are required to have a seaman’s book, which entails an additional expense that candidates must cover.
*Medical Certificate: If selected as a Sea Ranger, candidates will need to obtain a medical certificate. Sea Ranger Service will pay the cost of this certificate and make an appointment with a qualified doctor.
If you cannot afford the costs, no worries—we are here to help! Please refer to our support policy under “What if I need financial support to participate in the Sea Ranger Bootcamp?” for information on available financial assistance options.
During the Bootcamp you will learn:
✓ Effective communication
✓ How to find your role in a team
✓ Collaboration
✓ Leadership skills
✓ Recognising your own strengths
✓ Pushing your limits
✓ Perseverance
The Bootcamp has two goals:
- Selecting 8 Sea Rangers who will work for us for 6 months.
- Self-development of motivated young people on a physical and mental level
Anyone between the ages of 18 and 29 can participate in the Bootcamp, regardless of previous education, gender identity or cultural background. In particular, you must be motivated, enjoy a bit of adventure, and of course be fit and healthy. The Bootcamp will be physically and mentally challenging, and you will be trained to push your own limits.
Eligibility Criteria
You must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the Bootcamp:
✓ Age: Between 18 and 29 years old at the start date of the Bootcamp.
✓ Physical Fitness: Ability to perform physical exercises and jog for 20 minutes. This is assessed at the Selection Day for Bootcamp.
✓ Swimming: Capability to swim at least 100 metres continuously in the same stroke.
✓ Education: At least vocational working and thinking level (no diploma required).
✓ Language: Proficiency in English.
✓ Documents: Valid passport and work permit for the UK.
✓ Location: Participants must live a maximum travel time of 4 hours from Port Talbot. We ask this for operational reasons: Someone must be on time for the change of watch, or be able to stand-in for someone falling ill within a day’s notice. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected]
If you need financial support to join the Sea Ranger Bootcamp, we are here to help. Once identified as part of our target group, we will work with you to assess your specific needs and determine the right level of financial assistance. We will work together to evaluate how much you can contribute yourself, promoting equal involvement and recognizing that even a small contribution is valuable.
Our goal is to ensure that financial limitations do not stand in the way of your participation and personal development.
We are committed to your personal growth and development. Having a criminal record does not automatically disqualify you from participating—each case is assessed individually to determine suitability. However, if you have convictions related to violent crimes, sexual offenses, or extremist motives, you will not be eligible to join.
If you do have a criminal record, open and honest communication is essential for joining the Bootcamp. This allows us to carefully assess any risks and understand how best to support you. Our approach ensures a fair opportunity for all while maintaining a safe and positive Bootcamp environment.
You are not obliged to become a Sea Ranger after the Bootcamp. Therefore you can participate in the Bootcamp if you only want to follow the training course and develop yourself.
If you meet the conditions for participation, you can take part in our selection day. You will be sent an online ability test that should be done at home before the selection day. There is no maximum amount of people for selection day. During the selection day, you will take a sports test, a team-building assignment, and an informative interview. After the selection day, we make a choice about who can participate in the Bootcamp programme. There is room for a maximum of 30 participants.
If you are unable to participate in the selection day, you no longer have a chance to be selected for participation in the bootcamp. After the bootcamp, 8 participants will be selected to become a Sea Ranger.
You can do the selection day multiple times but you can only enter the bootcamp once.
This is not a problem! We will provide the facilities for you to do the test during the selection day if you are having trouble with finding a computer or stable wifi. Please let us know if this is the case so we can set up a time when you can do this during the selection day.
Think in advance about why you want to participate and what you want to get out of it for yourself. You can also prepare for the selection day in terms of training, sports and physical fitness.
Explore a sample training schedule here.
No, 8 of the maximum 30 participants of the Bootcamp will be selected as Sea Rangers. They will be employed full-time by the Sea Ranger Service for 6 months.
After the Bootcamp, we select 8 Sea Rangers who will work with us for 6 months. We are not looking for ‘perfect’ candidates; we do not select based on criteria such as the fastest or strongest candidate. We are looking for participants who can get the most out of our programme. We support participants in their personal development so that they can better prepare for their future. There are a number of different things we look at in the selection of Sea Rangers:
✓ Your motivation and perseverance.
✓ The development you undergo during the Bootcamp programme.
✓ To what extent we as an organisation can contribute to your personal development as a participant.
✓ Whether there is a match with the qualities that suit the role of Sea Ranger: integrity, collaboration, stress resistance, sense of responsibility, learning ability, flexibility.
✓ How you fit within the team (we are looking for a team with a variety of backgrounds and team roles).
✓ You are physically able to perform the work of a Sea Ranger.
✓ You have at least a vocational working and thinking level.
Selection Priority Guidelines
The Sea Ranger selection committee evaluates candidates based on their performance during the Bootcamp. A positive recommendation from the Bootcamp team is required for consideration. If the number of available positions exceeds positively recommended candidates, those with neutral recommendations may also be considered.
In cases where candidates are equally qualified, the following criteria will guide the selection process:
- Target Group Representation: Priority is given to participants from the Sea Ranger Service’s target group, specifically individuals facing employment challenges.
- Open Day Attendance: Participants who have attended a Sea Ranger Service open day will be prioritized.
- Local Impact: To align with the organisation’s mission of supporting areas with limited opportunities, preference is given to participants from regions where Sea Ranger Service is actively recruiting. Proximity to these areas will be a key consideration.
Sea Ranger Service remains committed to fostering local development and supporting those with fewer opportunities to contribute to its community-focused mission.
During the Bootcamp you will be involved in physical training every day, alternating with all kinds of group assignments and other activities. We eat together, there is attention for personal conversations and time for reflection. In the Bootcamp, many different types of activities follow each other in rapid succession. Due to the different activities, parts of the Bootcamp may take place at different locations. The main location of the Bootcamp is on a site somewhere in the UK: the exact location remains a secret until participants are selected.
The Sea Ranger Bootcamp spans 8 days on land, with an additional one-day sailing experience for each participant in the UK. Participants stay with us for the entire period, with all clothing, food, and shelter provided. The Bootcamp accommodates up to 30 participants and is led by former military personnel, alongside a Welfare Officer who offers personal support through one-on-one conversations. Dates for sailing will be confirmed later.
Sports – An important part of the Bootcamp programme is sports. Working as a Sea Ranger can be physically challenging. Being fit is so useful!
Personal development – After participating in the Sea Ranger Bootcamp you will feel stronger. Personal development and growth are a priority during the Bootcamp. A lot of attention is paid to developing your self-confidence and recognising and pushing your own boundaries.
Team building – Sea Rangers must be well attuned to each other. How do you listen to each other and work together optimally? To discover this, there is a great emphasis on team building.
The sailing day offers an exciting opportunity to experience life aboard the Sea Ranger ship SV Fantastiko. Each trip, accommodating 8-10 participants, includes a safety briefing, a tour of the ship, and a four-hour outing on the water. You’ll be joined by the professional seafaring crew, including the Captain, First Mate, Rating Deck, and Senior Sea Rangers.
While you’re not required to sail the ship, you might be invited to assist with simple tasks like handling lines. The focus is on enjoying the experience of sailing, exploring the ship, and discovering if this is something you’d like to pursue further. The session is carefully designed to maximise your time onboard while allowing two groups to participate each day.
There is no job guarantee. After the Sea Ranger Bootcamp, 8 participants will be selected and hired as Sea Rangers. The other participants will be challenged in all kinds of ways during the Bootcamp and develop on a personal level.
For the Bootcamp programme on land, you will stay with us for 8 days (and one additional day for sailing) and you cannot go home in the evenings. It is not possible to combine participation in the Bootcamp with a job or study from which you cannot get time off. So you must be free from other obligations for a total of 8 days in order to participate.
Why? The Bootcamp requires 100% commitment. It is therefore very important that all participants are involved with each other and form a close-knit team. Group bonding and the exchange of knowledge are two important aspects of the Bootcamp.
The use of your mobile phone is limited and you cannot keep your phone with you.
There is no smoking during the Bootcamp. For your own safety, it is not permitted to wear piercings or jewellery.
Sea Rangers work on nature conservation both on land and at sea. Their tasks and assignments involve observational surveying and conducting research. For example, Sea Rangers have measured water quality, surveyed seagrass, and used drones to see if cargo ships are polluting the sea. The Sea Rangers actively work on and for the sea.
If you are selected for a paid job as one of the 8 Sea Rangers after the Bootcamp, you will work full-time with us for one sailing season – from May to October 31. You will work for two weeks in a row, alternating with two weeks at home.
During a job as a Sea Ranger you will learn the following skills:
✓ Working in a team
✓ What your talents and development points are
✓ Carrying out various assignments onshore or offshore
✓ Technical skills
✓ Working safely
✓ Sailing skills
As a Sea Ranger, you will earn a monthly salary equivalent to the minimum living wage in your respective country (the Netherlands or the UK). Next to that, you will receive the following employment benefits:
✓ 8% holiday allowance
✓ Travel allowance for traveling to work by public transport
✓ A room to sleep onboard and food during the watch when you are working
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