National Pool Lifeguard Qualification

[efq]

Mainly aiming at anyone who has any knowledge or experience in this.

I have a friend who is in-charge of this course (and hes a lifeguard there) at one of the leisure centres nearby and he told me to come do a NPLQ for £195 and it lasts a week on intensive.

I said sure (not even thinking but hey, another qualification to my name won't hurt). Anyway I dropped by to the pool and he wanted to see how I would cope cause he said "You don't want to do it if you can't be able to cope with it" so he told me to do a few lengths of the pool which would be involved in some what of the stamina part. Then he chuck this massive block to the bottom of the deep end, I was like your joking right. I said "If a fat man drowns, he's on his own" and he laughed at it. Anyway he said "Remember, the weight in water is a lot different that if you were out". So I dived in and went down and grabbed and pulled it up slowly...

I was pretty amazed that he said that would of been a part of the hard bits and it wasn't as heavy as I thought it would be. Then he was showing me some positions and signs to look for, for someone drowning etc. Anyway he said I would fine it easy and told me to apply.

But I wanna know if its a decent qualification and if it isn't THAT hard. Particularly people who have experience or some knowledge, not people making it up. (Yeah although my mate said it was easy, he would say that so I can't take his word for it!)

I wouldn't mind doing it as a part time job... I never work much so it would be a change. I scrapped a job at M&S so maybe this would be something more... fun perhaps?

Cheers.

[syko2006]

I recommend you should do it to be honest mate.
Like you said, if it's not that hard, it could be a handy qualification to have. Ask your friend for some more details if he has anymore details to give.
It'll also be a fun job I suppose. Good luck!

[/Rossco\]

hey, jsut thought i'd give you a little advice on it as i personally have my NPLQ and have had for over 4 years now.

In terms of the course beign "easy" its easy if you know what your doing, you have to be a competant swimmer even though the target times for the 20-20 and 20-10 swims are not very challenging. there is a lot of theory in terms of first aid and pool lifeguard techniques.

a lifeguard is a well paid job for students etc looking for a bit of cash on the side, i personally make 7.46/hour and just work any shifts that become available, nothing set in concrete.

it has been known some not so competent lifeguards come out the other side of this course and its not uncommon for new starts to be fired in their 1st week. It is an important job and your work can save peoples lives. its not an "easy" job, sitting on a hot poolside for over an hour can be tiring, but you have to be focused at all times. in terms of it being "fun" yeh their can be banter between staff etc at times. but the job itself requires consistant attention and care and a good knowledge of your skills must be maintaned (hopefully through regular staff training).

hope it doesnt put you off at all, just don't want you thinking its just a sit on your arse and look at a pool all day.

[efq]

hey, jsut thought i'd give you a little advice on it as i personally have my NPLQ and have had for over 4 years now.

In terms of the course beign "easy" its easy if you know what your doing, you have to be a competant swimmer even though the target times for the 20-20 and 20-10 swims are not very challenging. there is a lot of theory in terms of first aid and pool lifeguard techniques.

a lifeguard is a well paid job for students etc looking for a bit of cash on the side, i personally make 7.46/hour and just work any shifts that become available, nothing set in concrete.

it has been known some not so competent lifeguards come out the other side of this course and its not uncommon for new starts to be fired in their 1st week. It is an important job and your work can save peoples lives. its not an "easy" job, sitting on a hot poolside for over an hour can be tiring, but you have to be focused at all times. in terms of it being "fun" yeh their can be banter between staff etc at times. but the job itself requires consistant attention and care and a good knowledge of your skills must be maintaned (hopefully through regular staff training).

hope it doesnt put you off at all, just don't want you thinking its just a sit on your arse and look at a pool all day.

Well my pool where my mate works, spoke to me and cause my mate said that I was reliable, very fit they said if I complete the course soon I can work there within a few weeks.

I am patient, I can sit on a chair for hours on end and still be focused on what I have to do. The pool is big, 4 big pools and 1 baby pool. It has 4 flumes. 2 for the inflatable raft things, single and double inflatables and 2 that you go down on your own.
They said they would put me incharge of that for my first week, so I have to just be at the top of the room standing allowing people to go down the flume, so control over it, checking age etc and helping them get on and go.

Then after that they would put me by the baby/medium/large pool as well as still rotating with the flume control.

So yeah I wouldn't mind sitting on a chair for hours, watching the people in the pool and yeah your right, it does get very warm sitting there for a while but my mate said you can take a few ice cold drinks to put in the chair with you so it keeps you cool.

Also the basics of blowing the whistle at people being stupid in the pool, diving, running etc.

[/Rossco\]

Well my pool where my mate works, spoke to me and cause my mate said that I was reliable, very fit they said if I complete the course soon I can work there within a few weeks.

I am patient, I can sit on a chair for hours on end and still be focused on what I have to do. The pool is big, 4 big pools and 1 baby pool. It has 4 flumes. 2 for the inflatable raft things, single and double inflatables and 2 that you go down on your own.
They said they would put me incharge of that for my first week, so I have to just be at the top of the room standing allowing people to go down the flume, so control over it, checking age etc and helping them get on and go.

Then after that they would put me by the baby/medium/large pool as well as still rotating with the flume control.

So yeah I wouldn't mind sitting on a chair for hours, watching the people in the pool and yeah your right, it does get very warm sitting there for a while but my mate said you can take a few ice cold drinks to put in the chair with you so it keeps you cool.

Also the basics of blowing the whistle at people being stupid in the pool, diving, running etc.

you sounds like you would be fine with it all, sounds like a decent pool aswell so pools like that usually have something like a 20 minute rotation so your never in 1 place for too long,

so, GOOD LUCK with the course if you decide to go for it and enjoy your wage slips for when you get a job ;p