Job description of a Swimming Teacher. Learn how to become a Swimming Teacher. Average salary figures are also available here.
Entry Requirements
The way to become a qualified swimming teacher is to complete a course approved by the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) or the Swimming Teacher’s Association.
To become a Swimming Teacher working on your own, you will need to complete another ASA approved qualification such as the Level 2 Certificate for Teaching Aquatics or the Level 2 Award in Swimming Teaching. You will need to be 17 years old before taking these qualifications; however you may be able to get funding for the course through the Institute of Swimming.
To work with children or other vulnerable people, you will need clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service so be prepared to expect this.
Related: Swimming Teacher Cover Letter
Job Description
Swimming Teachers help people of all ages to develop swimming skills from basic swimming techniques to more advanced swimming. Swimming teachers can also be involved with coaching competitive swimmers and teaching people how to exercise in the water.
You will be teaching in groups or sometimes on a one-to-one basis, plan and deliver lessons and supervise assistants that are also helping to teach swimming. You will check that life saving equipment is all in working order, and be on hand to help people in trouble in the water or who are struggling with learning swimming techniques. As a Swimming Teacher, you will ensure that safety standards are followed at all times and deal with minor injuries.
Working Hours
Part time hours are widely available, and full time Swimming Teachers will typically work some evenings and weekends. Those coaching competitive swimmers will work longer hours, and will need to travel away from home to where competitions are based. This may include overseas travel.
Skills and Training Development
Swimming Teacher’s Assistants will be continuously learning the skills needed to become a Swimming Teacher, so there will the opportunity to progress to Swimming Teacher. This is a rewarding role where you will be heavily involved with teaching others new skills, and one way to develop your own skills can be to start to coach competitive swimmers. This type of swimmer will need a lot more one to one attention than average swimmers that just want to learn a few techniques, so will require a lot more focus and patience from the Swimming Teacher.
There are various courses to advance your Swimming Teacher knowledge and skills base, such as the Level 4 Certificate for Coaching.
Salary
Swimming Teachers usually work on the basis of hourly rates. For a new Swimming Teacher, this will start at around £10 and will rise to £30 an hour for experienced Swimming Teachers. The Head Coach for a swimming club could earn around £30,000 per year.
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