[iceman95]

I'm thinking of doing the NPLQ lifeguard qulification. I'm thinking if it is worth it as it would cost £200. When you took this qualification how long did it take you to get a job as a lifeguard? I live in Manchester area btw and there are usually around 5-8 lifeguard jobs available most of the time so I'm wondering if it is worth taking this lifeguard qualification? I'm 17 years old.

[Authoritar]

Hey, I did my NPLQ last year. Definitely worth it, counts as great work experience and you'll make that £200 back in no time, think of it as an investment. I got a job instantly, that might have just been luck though. Lifeguards come and go quickly due to moving on in life - so I'm sure a place would become vacant soon if it isn't already!

[iceman95]

(Original post by Authoritar)
Hey, I did my NPLQ last year. Definitely worth it, counts as great work experience and you'll make that £200 back in no time, think of it as an investment. I got a job instantly, that might have just been luck though. Lifeguards come and go quickly due to moving on in life - so I'm sure a place would become vacant soon if it isn't already!

Oryt so how long did it take you to get a job? Also how many lifeguard jobs are there in your area?

How come there are hardly any jobs advertised in my area. I live in Manchester. I have heard from a lot of people that when they qualified as a lifeguard they got the job immediately. But in here Manchester there are only like 6 lifeguard jobs available usually and some of them lifeguard jobs gets put back on advertisement possibly because they can't find any lifeguard. So I'm wondering if it is hard to get a job as a casual lifeguard? as I am a student.

[roh]

(Original post by iceman95)
Oryt so how long did it take you to get a job? Also how many lifeguard jobs are there in your area?

How come there are hardly any jobs advertised in my area. I live in Manchester. I have heard from a lot of people that when they qualified as a lifeguard they got the job immediately. But in here Manchester there are only like 6 lifeguard jobs available usually and some of them lifeguard jobs gets put back on advertisement possibly because they can't find any lifeguard. So I'm wondering if it is hard to get a job as a casual lifeguard? as I am a student.

You'll earn the 200 quid back pretty quick, took me about a month, if that. Council jobs are the best paid and will be advertised on the council's own website usually, should be alright in Manc with the old Commonwealth pool and as it says above lifeguards come and go pretty quickly so there's always jobs around.

Private gyms, with pools obviously, are good places to get casual lifeguard work if you don't want to be tied to particular weekly shifts.

[ManicMetalhead]

Also, even if you don't use it (I got my NPLQ a couple of years ago) you learn a few transferable skills from it.
It's always useful to know how to resuscitate someone, how to do chest compressions and other first aid bits.

[iceman95]

(Original post by roh)
You'll earn the 200 quid back pretty quick, took me about a month, if that. Council jobs are the best paid and will be advertised on the council's own website usually, should be alright in Manc with the old Commonwealth pool and as it says above lifeguards come and go pretty quickly so there's always jobs around.

Private gyms, with pools obviously, are good places to get casual lifeguard work if you don't want to be tied to particular weekly shifts.

Oryt so where do u live then? And which website is the best to look for lifeguard jobs I've looked at leisurejobs website so which website is the best to use?

[roh]

(Original post by iceman95)
Oryt so where do u live then? And which website is the best to look for lifeguard jobs I've looked at leisurejobs website so which website is the best to use?

I'm from near Leeds. They often publicise them on their own websites before paying to put them elsewhere so check your local councils' (Stockport, Manchester, anywhere else nearby) and those of the big gym companies (Bannatynes, Nuffield, Virgin, David Lloyd etc. etc.). The best tactic though is simply to go around different pools asking if they have vacancies coming up.

[iceman95]

(Original post by roh)
I'm from near Leeds. They often publicise them on their own websites before paying to put them elsewhere so check your local councils' (Stockport, Manchester, anywhere else nearby) and those of the big gym companies (Bannatynes, Nuffield, Virgin, David Lloyd etc. etc.). The best tactic though is simply to go around different pools asking if they have vacancies coming up.

Yeh thanks m8 on this yourcoucniljob

there is only one available in bolton council

https://www.yourcounciljobs.co.uk/Jo...uthority_id=-1

Yeh some company like tameside sports trust only advertise it on their own website. So which company do you work for then as a lifeguard?

[roh]

(Original post by iceman95)
Yeh thanks m8 on this yourcoucniljob

there is only one available in bolton council

https://www.yourcounciljobs.co.uk/Jo...uthority_id=-1

Yeh some company like tameside sports trust only advertise it on their own website. So which company do you work for then as a lifeguard?

Oh right, as I said they often never advertise because often people recommend to their mates jobs are coming up etc. (a lot are competitive swimmers together) and it's just easier to take people who's CVs you already have.

I worked for Greens, NPLQ ran out last summer, who are about to be taken over by Nuffield. It's very boring but it's not particularly difficult.

[iceman95]

(Original post by roh)
Oh right, as I said they often never advertise because often people recommend to their mates jobs are coming up etc. (a lot are competitive swimmers together) and it's just easier to take people who's CVs you already have.

I worked for Greens, NPLQ ran out last summer, who are about to be taken over by Nuffield. It's very boring but it's not particularly difficult.

Whats boring? The NPLQ course of the actual job?

[roh]

(Original post by iceman95)
Whats boring? The NPLQ course of the actual job?

The actual job, best case scenario is if you work in a big pool with slides etc. where you have something else to do (set people off on the slides etc.) and rotate every half an hour or so but at smaller pools it is just staring at people swimming up and down, slowly. Problem is as much that you can't stop concentrating, for obvious reasons.

NPLQ can be quite a good laugh if you get on well with the people on it your week.

[iceman95]

(Original post by roh)
The actual job, best case scenario is if you work in a big pool with slides etc. where you have something else to do (set people off on the slides etc.) and rotate every half an hour or so but at smaller pools it is just staring at people swimming up and down, slowly. Problem is as much that you can't stop concentrating, for obvious reasons.

NPLQ can be quite a good laugh if you get on well with the people on it your week.

Yeah thanks mate I'm gna take the nplq course then the next one available and suitable for me is on the 30th july and its £195

I've got previous work experience given from school as a lifeguard. I liked it as you don't have to do much you can chill as long as the job is done e.g. cleaning. And some parts like when on pool site you have to stand thats a bit crap but you change places after some time and it doesn't require much effort lol.

[Authoritar]

(Original post by iceman95)
Oryt so how long did it take you to get a job? Also how many lifeguard jobs are there in your area?

How come there are hardly any jobs advertised in my area. I live in Manchester. I have heard from a lot of people that when they qualified as a lifeguard they got the job immediately. But in here Manchester there are only like 6 lifeguard jobs available usually and some of them lifeguard jobs gets put back on advertisement possibly because they can't find any lifeguard. So I'm wondering if it is hard to get a job as a casual lifeguard? as I am a student.

Well i had a job within a month of completing my course.
As you keep referring to any jobs being advertised - when i applied they weren't actually advertising any jobs, and the company now still don't advertise for casual staff, as a lot of pools are always in need of casual staff. I'm also a student, studying for my A levels, lifeguarding fits in perfectly with studying i find.

[iceman95]

(Original post by Authoritar)
Well i had a job within a month of completing my course.
As you keep referring to any jobs being advertised - when i applied they weren't actually advertising any jobs, and the company now still don't advertise for casual staff, as a lot of pools are always in need of casual staff. I'm also a student, studying for my A levels, lifeguarding fits in perfectly with studying i find.

Did you call them up or sommet and asked for vacancies? Which company are you working at?

[MissLightyear]

A lot of my friends are lifeguards, on £7 an hour, which is great for our age (im jealous because Im on minimum wage!) so they earned it back very quickly, definitely worth it. If you do it now you may have time to apply for summer camp jobs, lifeguards seem to be in demand for that kind of work

[iceman95]

(Original post by MissLightyear)
A lot of my friends are lifeguards, on £7 an hour, which is great for our age (im jealous because Im on minimum wage!) so they earned it back very quickly, definitely worth it. If you do it now you may have time to apply for summer camp jobs, lifeguards seem to be in demand for that kind of work

Yeah I've got a visit day on wed for the course. But the course will start on 30th July lol