The MVS welcomes members with no previous maritime experience and offers them high quality training based around safety and competence supported by practical experience ashore and afloat. After the general induction course the new member can choose to specialise in one of the following:

• Seamanship
• Engineering
• Operational Support

Inter-branch training is however encouraged with the aim of broadening the knowledge base without diluting the member's primary specialisation.

The training programmes include recognised Royal Yachting Association (RYA) qualifications together with maritime Scottish/National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Units with other modules produced by the MVS covering Emergency Response and Communication. Members may progress through the various levels in their own time dependent on the amount of time they can commit to their training.

Previous experience in either a professional or voluntary capacity will be taken into account towards qualification providing suitable documentary evidence of such experience can be provided.

Training takes place at Units in the evenings and at weekends both ashore and afloat.

In addition to the smaller inshore craft operated by most MVS Units, the Service operates sea-going vessels around the UK coast for extended training periods.

MVS Units work closely with other maritime training organisations including:

Sea Cadets
Federation of Independent Nautical Training Organisations
Nautical Training Corps
Sea Scouts
etc...