That’s because they’ve completed the intensive National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ), in partnership with Lammas Leisure Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield and have all gained work placements as lifeguards at the centre.
The bespoke Level 2 course, developed in partnership with the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), offers students an introduction to the different career pathways available within the sport and physical activity sector.
Along with studying the lifeguard qualifications, students cover modules in food hygiene, full first aid, health and safety, team sports, recreation assistant, understanding fitness and the Level 2 fitness instructor certificate.
Dawid Detlaf, 18, is one of the students who has completed the lifeguard qualification. He said: “This has been intensive training for us. We attended the pool each Wednesday for four weeks and then did an intensive three-day training session.
“We had to cover lots of techniques such as timed length swims to ensure we could make it to the other side of the pool in good time during an emergency. We also learnt CPR with and without a defibrillator and lots of practice rescues on each other.
“The other half of the group will soon pass their lifeguard qualification like we have and I’m really pleased that I’m going to be getting my lifeguard work placement at the Lammas Centre.”
CIMSPA’s head of workforce policy and external affairs, Colin Huffen, said: “Lifeguard training is just one element of this course and it’s amazing to see young people coming to work and study in the leisure sector.
“I was once a student at West Nottinghamshire College and went on to teach there, and then I worked at Everyone Active, so I would like students to see that they could follow a similar route to me in the leisure industry.”
General manager at the Lammas Leisure Centre, Tommy Fairweather, said: “The students have been amazing, and their teacher Wayne has worked with them closely both in the pool and in the fitness facility here. They’ve all demonstrated brilliantly how to use over 140 pieces of fitness equipment in this area and interacted professionally with the public.
“Some of the students began their lifeguard training with no swimming background so we’ve equipped them with swimming lessons too, while they worked on the lifeguard qualification.
“I’m very confident that the remaining students in this group will soon pass their qualification and join the others in their work placement at the pool. We have a great relationship with this class, and they now have a very valuable skill for life.”
The newly qualified students will now be able to perform lifeguard duties in the pools for up to 50 bathers at a time, as well as work on the centre's ice rink and tag arena.