Drowning is not as uncommon as you would think, one in four people know someone who died this way. Although we are accustomed to imagining a drowning person doing dramatic gestures and making noise, actually there are very few noticeable signs of drowning. That is why the job of lifeguards and swimming instructors is so important.
They watch over swimmers at pools, beaches, summer camps or resorts, and are responsible for preventing accidents in the water or anywhere near it. Surprisingly enough, there are a number of things that can endanger one's life by the pool or at the beach, such as sand, sea creatures, alcohol, or water games typically deemed harmless.
Swimming instructors give swimming classes to groups or individuals, potentially of any age but mostly to children. They show you correct swimming techniques and educate you on water safety rules. Lifeguards and swimming instructors are licensed and have professional training in water rescue, CPR, and first aid, and hold swimming instructor or water safety instructor certifications.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $12.23 an hour? That's $25,439 a year!
When it comes to the most important skills required to be a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor, we found that a lot of resumes listed 19.0% of Lifeguard/Swim Instructors included First-Aid, while 18.0% of resumes included Lesson Plans, and 10.0% of resumes included Pool Area. Hard skills like these are helpful to have when it comes to performing essential job responsibilities.
If you're interested in becoming a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 66.6% of Lifeguard/Swim Instructors have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 4.6% of Lifeguard/Swim Instructors have master's degrees. Even though most Lifeguard/Swim Instructors have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor. When we researched the most common majors for a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor, we found that they most commonly earn Bachelor's Degree degrees or High School Diploma degrees. Other degrees that we often see on Lifeguard/Swim Instructor resumes include Associate Degree degrees or Master's Degree degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor. In fact, many Lifeguard/Swim Instructor jobs require experience in a role such as Internship. Meanwhile, many Lifeguard/Swim Instructors also have previous career experience in roles such as Volunteer or Sales Associate.