Course Overview

You need to be employed to start an Apprenticeship. Please visit our vacancy page or if you have an employer, please ensure you add full contact details of your employer within your application. If you are unable to secure employment, you could enrol on a full-time study programme and transfer to an Apprenticeship at a later date. Please apply for a full-time course as your second option.

The role of the leisure team member is to support, enhance and deliver the day to day operations and services of a leisure / fitness facility. Working as part of a team, it is the responsibility of the leisure team member to undertake a range of operational duties such as assisting with the opening and closing of the facility, undertaking routine maintenance of equipment and maintaining the cleanliness and safety of the environment.

Alongside these operational functions they ensure a programme activities and services are available for customers. They act as a Lifeguard, Swimming Teacher, Gym Instructor and Group Activity Leader. In a typical working day they may perform all of these roles in one shift, for example: Open or close the facility, welcome customers, deliver a gym induction, run a group exercise session, teach a swimming lesson, clean the facility, walk the gym floor, prepare the sports hall for a sports activity (for example badminton) and deliver the session.

This apprenticeship provides a great opportunity to be fully qualified in a variety of roles within a wet and dry leisure facility.

The apprentice will gain the following qualifications:

• IQL Level 2 Award in Pool Lifeguarding
• Swim England Level 2 in Teaching Swimming OR STA level 2 Certificate in Teaching Swimming
• Level 2 Certificate in Fitness or Gym Instruction awarded by 1st4sport qualifications, Active IQ, Innovate Awarding, NCFE, VCTC or YMCA Awards
• Level 3 Certificate in First Aid (to be taken either as a stand-alone qualification or as a separate part of the IQL Level 2 Award in Pool Lifeguarding)

This apprenticeship includes the following key areas of work:

• Working with local communities to identify the need and demand for new activities.
• Undertake the operational housekeeping of the leisure facility. For example, assembling, dismantling, routine maintenance and storage of equipment. Cleaning tasks. Opening and closing procedures, including evacuation. Safe set up of equipment and activities.
• Monitor customer use of equipment and ensure their safety, intervening as necessary.
• Perform all the duties of a swimming teacher including; delivering swimming lessons that develop water confidence, core aquatic skills, safety and technical skills across a range of participants of different abilities from non swimmer to advanced. Promoting and raising awareness of swimming opportunities. Supervising and leading swimming teachers assistants.
• Perform the duties of a lifeguard including; working as part of a team to provide safe supervision of swimmers and prevent accidents. How to intervien providing rescues and life saving techniques when necessary.
• Perform all of the duties of a gym instructor; including; conducting, gym inductions, client consultations, assessment and review and health screening. Use underpinning knowledge of anatomy, physiology, human movement and biomechanics and applying fitness training techniques. Planning, reviewing and delivering safe and effective gym based exercise programmes with individuals and small groups.

Assessment Methods

You will be assessed via an End Point Assessment (EPA) towards the end of the Apprenticeship through a range of practical skills observations and a professional discussion.

You will be assessed in the workplace and will not be required to attend College on a regular basis. You may however, need to attend College to complete any examined component of the Apprenticeship or to undertake additional knowledge study as required.

Progression Options

On successful completion of the apprenticeship, you could progress to the Level 3 Apprenticeship Leisure Duty Manager or Level 3 Apprenticeship Personal Trainer.