Being a pool lifeguard is a fantastic role for those looking for a rewarding, active, and challenging profession. Training provides essential lifesaving, first aid, and transitional knowledge and skills making it a fantastic career choice whether it be short-term, long-term, or a stepping stone onto other careers.
A pool lifeguard can be an employee, a contractor, or a volunteer. Working hours can often fit around lifestyles with options of full-time, part-time, and casual hours, as well as morning, daytime, evening, and weekend shifts, providing work-life balance, or to work alongside studying commitments.
Countless employment opportunities are available within public leisure centres and private pool operators who are on the search for qualified and motivated pool lifeguards.
The agreed industry pre-requisite to become a pool lifeguard is for learners to have achieved a CIMSPA endorsed educational product that fully meets the CIMSPA Professional Standard: Lifeguard. STA Level 3 Award for Pool Lifeguards qualification fully meets this professional standard and is therefore an agreed industry accepted qualification for pool lifeguards to hold in order to gain employment anywhere in the UK.
How Will the Qualification Benefit You?
- Created by STA’s lifesaving experts, providing you with quality training
- Regulated by Ofqual at Level 3
- Fully endorsed against the CIMSPA Professional Standard: Lifeguard with 10 CIMSPA CPD Points
- Complies with the requirements of HSE: Health and Safety in Swimming Pools (HSG179), BS EN 15288 Part 2: Swimming Pools for Public Use – Safety Requirements for Operation, National Occupational Standards: SKAC28 Maintain the Safety of the Pool Environment and its Users, SQA Higher National Unit: Swimming Pool Lifeguard: Skills and Practice, Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 and The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1982, First aid at work: The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981: Guidance on Regulations (L74), First Aid Awarding Organisation Forum Delivery Standards and Assessment Principles
- Training is in line with current Resuscitation Council (UK) Guidelines and accepted first aid practice
- Meets the Department for Education: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Frameworks for Childminders and for Group and School-based Providers, Health and Social Care Board (NI), Childminding and Day Care for children Under Age 12 Minimum Standards, Welsh Government: National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years criteria
- Provides in-depth knowledge and the confidence to potentially save someone’s life
- It will allow you to gain active employment as a pool lifeguard
- Looks great on a CV and can help give you a head start when applying for jobs
- Includes the STA Award in Adult and Paediatric First Aid syllabus (combined First Aid at Work and Paediatric First Aid), so you will receive an Adult and Paediatric First Aid certificate on successful completion of the course, meaning that you can also act as a first aider using your Pool Lifeguarding qualification without having to attend a separate first aid course.
When You Get Your Qualification
- It lasts for 3 years which aligns lifeguard and first aid revalidations
- Your course resource manual will act as a guide throughout the duration of your qualification, so it’s always there to refer back to should you ever need it
- We recommend that you attend ongoing training and competency assessment (OTCA) to keep your skills and knowledge up-to-date.
How to Take Your Qualification Further
STA Level 3 Award for Pool Lifeguards holders may wish to develop knowledge and skills further by completing additional CPDs.
Experienced pool lifeguards may wish to become an STA Junior Lifeguard Instructor or an STA Lifesaving Tutor / Assessor to pass on the knowledge and skills they have acquired through training to others.
Alternatively, learners may wish to complete additional STA qualifications such as manual handling, fire marshal, swimming teaching and pool plant, to support a career in the leisure industry.
As STA’s qualifications are recognised internationally, STA pool lifeguards also have the option to travel with their career, opening endless opportunities to explore and work at the same time.
Interested? Before You Get Started…
You’ll need to make sure you’ve met the following requirements before you attend your course:
- Be 16 years of age or older at time of assessment
- Be able to perform practical demonstrations on the floor
- Be able to jump and dive into deep water
- Be able to swim 50 metres in under 1 minute
- Be able to swim 100 metres on the front and 100 metres on the back without stopping
- Be able to tread water for 30 seconds in deep water
- Be able to surface dive and recover a submersible adult manikin from the deepest part of the pool
- Be able to climb out of the pool unaided without the use of steps or ladders.
There are no previous qualifications or experience required, however it is advisable that learners have a minimum of level 1 in literacy and numeracy or equivalent.
A level of personal fitness is necessary due to the demands of the pool lifeguard role which learners will need to demonstrate during the course.
Are you wishing to become an STA Lifesaving tutor to deliver the STA Award for Pool Lifeguards?
To deliver the STA Award for Pool Lifeguards, learners must attend a lifesaving tutor course. The pre-requisites to attend an STA lifesaving tutor course are:
- Be at least 19 years of age
- Hold current membership of STA
- Hold a minimum of the Level 3 Award in Education and Training qualification (or acceptable equivalent)
- Hold the Level 3 Award for Pool Lifeguards qualification (or acceptable equivalent)
- Have occupational competence showing experience working within the leisure industry as a pool lifeguard or health club attendant
- Provide evidence of continuing professional development (CPD).
Lifesaving tutors from other Awarding Organisations can also apply for STA Lifesaving tutor status to deliver the STA Award for Pool Lifeguards by completing this application form.
Completed forms should be sent along with required supporting evidence to info@safetytrainingawards.co.uk.