This course is primarily aimed at candidates for certification as deck officers of a navigational watch. Before entering the course, students must have completed a minimum period of six months at sea and, preferably, have acquired some experience of the guard of the bridge.

Officials in practices for certification as officer in charge of a navigational watch must have completed or be following a planned and structured training program. On board training should include tasks or projects related to the work and tasks of guard of bridge. Instructors can find evidence of the standard achieved by students in the prospective official registry of training.

The course would also be of value for other people that use radar, who work in this type of vessels such as port and customs patrol launches, in which case the entry standards can be adjusted to suit the particular circumstances.