The Institute of Swimming partners with Lincs Inspire to offer free swimming teacher training
LINCS Inspire has teamed up with the Institute of Swimming to launch its Swimming Teachers’ Recruitment Academy in North East Lincolnshire in a bid to address the swimming teacher shortage, which means local children are missing out on learning to swim.
The Academy will offer local people the chance to retrain for free (with only a one-off £85 administration fee) and embark on a career as a swimming teacher. Training historically cost individuals £1,000. There are no educational requirements for applying, nor do applicants have to be an ‘elite’ swimmer.
Lincs Inspire is looking to train and recruit swimming teachers across North East Lincolnshire at Grimsby Leisure Centre, Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, and Immingham Swimming Pool.
Being a swimming teacher offers flexible hours that might suit someone who is looking for additional income, students and the retired. The key hours of work are in the afternoon from 4pm-7pm and at the weekends. Once fully qualified the hourly rate is £12.78.
The Academy hopes to address the stark warning from the national governing body, Swim England, that half a million children in England are currently missing out on learning to swim due to staff shortages. A Swim England survey of swimming pool operators, owners and swim schools found more than four in five are struggling to meet the demand for swimming lessons.
Euan Gloyn, Operations Manager – Leisure Facilities Development, Lincs Inspire says:
“We are passionate about delivering high quality swimming lessons for our community, and are currently providing lessons for around 2200 children a week. Learning to swim is a valuable skill, and could potentially save your life. Every child should be given the opportunity to learn to swim. Just eight new swimming teachers would allow us to teach a further 200 children each week.
“Currently we have more enquiries for lessons than our programme can deliver, and like many other operators, a lack of teachers means we also struggle to cover swimming teachers’ holidays and sickness. We currently have little to no availability in the early years classes. We would love to sustain and then expand our programme, but we can only do this if we have the trained teachers.
“By offering free training opportunities through the recruitment academy, we aim to find people who might be looking for a new job. Teaching swimming is extremely rewarding, with Swim England data showing that 96% of UK swimming teachers love their job. Teaching swimming has flexible hours, that might suit someone who wants to supplement their existing income or to work around their caring, retirement or studying commitments. We are looking to attract new people into the sector who may not have considered teaching swimming as a career opportunity.
“The comprehensive training with the Institute of Swimming and pool-side work experience ensures our lessons are safe, fun and engaging for all our pupils to learn this invaluable life skill.”
Zach who is a swimming teacher at Lincs Inspire says: “I love being a swimming teacher, it’s fantastic to watch children progress and to get more confident in the water. They really do learn something new every week. It’s brilliant to be able to teach swimming alongside my other job and my studies, as the hours are often in the late afternoon and evening giving me the rest of the day to concentrate on my other commitments.”
The Academy gives people the chance to become a swimming teacher for just an £85 admin fee and takes them through the Swim England Level One Swimming Assistant (Teaching) Course and Level Two Teaching Swimming Qualification. The usual cost of these two courses is £1,000. In addition to the training, applicants will need to volunteer for 20 hours to give them pool-side experience. Lincs Inspire will make a decision about employment options on candidates on completing their Level One Swimming Assistant Course.
Anyone interested should complete an online form by 4th May 2023. A Meet-and-Greet and interviews will be held on 10th May.
To find out more or fill in the application form visit lincsinspire.com/courses