New career opportunities available with funded swimming teacher training on offer

Trafford Leisure is looking to train and recruit people to join its aquatics team as fully qualified swimming teachers through a funded educational recruitment academy. Successful applicants will be taken through the Institute of Swimming’s Level One and Two Swim England qualifications, with more than 90% of their training costs funded by Trafford Leisure.

The academy gives trainee teachers the chance to embark on a new career as a swimming teacher for a one-off registration fee of just £85, compared to the usual training cost of over £1,000. There are no educational requirements for applying, nor do you have to be an ‘expert’ swimmer.

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.

Frances Cunliffe, General Manager, North Locality, Trafford Leisure said: “We are passionate about delivering high-quality swimming lessons for our community and through the recruitment academy, we aim to find talented, passionate people who wish to embrace a career in swimming teaching. It is our vision to be the swim school of choice for every parent looking for fun, inspiring swimming lessons for their children and our swimming teachers are integral to us achieving this.

“By offering funded training opportunities we hope to attract the right people, with a love for aquatics, who will contribute to the growth of our swim school and allow us to offer more learn to swim opportunities to our community.  We value our exceptionally high standards and want swimming teachers on board that share our vision.

“Swimming teaching can offer a very rewarding career, with flexible hours that can appeal to people looking for a good work/life balance, which may suit someone who hasn’t considered it before, such as a student, a retired person, someone looking for a career change or someone wishing to supplement their finances. The recruitment academy seeks to offer the opportunity to become a swimming teacher on a part time, full time or casual basis to enthusiastic, local people who can offer their time and commitment in exchange for this funded training.”

Once qualified, successful trainees will be employed as swimming teachers by Trafford Leisure, who offer fantastic developmental opportunities to progress your career along with a number of additional staff benefits.  Swimming teacher roles are available at Stretford Sports Village, the soon to be reopened move Altrincham, Sale Leisure Centre and move Urmston.

Mark Drummond, 50, completed the Institute of Swimming training academy funded by Trafford Leisure in December 2021. Currently, he works 30 hours per week teaching swimming, including delivering Trafford Leisure’s Learn to Swim lessons, instructing for the school swim programme, and delivering Trafford Leisure’s specialist Alpha swimming programme tailored for children and young people with special educational needs.

Mark said: “Before I became a swimming teacher I worked long hours managing my own consultancy business and was frequently away from home.  When my business partner retired the pressure increased and I felt I was always working. Something needed to change and so I took a break and started volunteering at my daughter’s school, helping walk the children to their school swim lessons. Throughout my life swimming has been something I enjoy and so when I saw an article in a local newspaper about Trafford Leisure’s funded teaching academy I signed up. After qualifying I started working immediately, and I’ve never looked back.