Swimming instructor courses

bombidal

Hi,

I am interested in becoming a qualified swimming instructor. Does anyone know how or where I can make this happen?

swim2

Either through Swim Ireland or Irish Water Safety
Swim Ireland courses are aimed more at those who want to teach and coach competitive level swimming
Irish Water Safety include lifesaving and resuscitation as part of the courses
Both are recognized, although some swimming pools only take on people with one or the other qualification, depends on the swimming pool

Freedive Ireland

Didn't know IWS do a swiming instructor module, looked up their site but cant see too much on it. have you any more detaisl as would be interested.

okane1

Do a teaching course through Swim Ireland. If you want to move into squad coaching, you can do a coaching course. All details are on Swim Ireland's website.

swim2

IWS changed their website recently and they dont have everything up. They have an assistant swim teachers and full swim teachers qualification.
Swim Ireland will say that theirs are better courses, and if you want to go into swim coaching they are, but they are also trying to stop people from doing the cheaper IWS swim teacher courses.
On the IWS website under about courses there is a list of all of the qualifications you can get, from swim teacher to surf teaching and teaching lifesaving

Burkatron

Swim Ireland have been trying to cartel swimming lessons in this country for donkey years! Agree that it's better for squad coaching & CPD but the IWS/STA course is still very good! They'll both get you insured, it really depends on what you want to do!!

boardsusername

Hi
I've been looking at swim coach courses too. I want to teach kids and adults how to swim.
I see swim teacher jobs advertised now and then but it's only now I see that they require a level 2 swim coach qualification from swim Ireland.
Swim Ireland (dreadful new website that goes around in circles) do level 1 for 450e and I gave up trying to see how much level 2 costs (lets assume its similar). So 900e (you have to have a level 1 to do level 2) to be eligible to apply for a swimming teacher job. Is it just me or does this seem expensive?
I don't want to teach Olympic teams so it seems unfair that a general swim teacher qualification is unavailable
I looked up the water safety council and there's no clear info on the equivalent that they offer that someone mentioned in a previous post. Only people's emails with no course content or price.
Any qualified swim teachers out there with advice?
Thanks.

Burkatron

boardsusername wrote: »

Hi
I've been looking at swim coach courses too. I want to teach kids and adults how to swim.
I see swim teacher jobs advertised now and then but it's only now I see that they require a level 2 swim coach qualification from swim Ireland.
Swim Ireland (dreadful new website that goes around in circles) do level 1 for 450e and I gave up trying to see how much level 2 costs (lets assume it similar). So 900e (you have to have a level 1 to do level 2) to be eligible to apply for a swimming teacher job. Is it just me or does this seem expensive?
I don't want to teach Olympic teams so it seems unfair that a general swim teacher qualification is unavailable
I looked up the water safety council and there's no clear info on the equivalent that they offer that someone mentioned in a previous post. Only people's emails with no course content or price.
Any qualified swim teachers out there with advice
Thanks.

Seriously, if it goes this way it's a shame! Myself and my colleagues in a certain chain gym who were not Swim Ireland were made do an upskill course so we could be Swim Ireland level 2 certified! It was a joke of a course! It was suppose to be 2 days & we only did 1! There's no standard, it's just a money game!

€900 isn't that much for a qualification when compared to other courses tbh!

For courses keep an eye on http://www.lifeguardsireland.com/courses.htm
Iws.ie
SwimIreland!

colm1996

Hi everyone,

I have been looking into too. level 1 is 450 and level 2 is like 850. i think its ridiculously expensive, I am doing my pool lifeguard soon, i ll ask our assesor if there are any IWS courses coming up.

Burkatron

colm1996 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I have been looking into too. level 1 is 450 and level 2 is like 850. i think its ridiculously expensive, I am doing my pool lifeguard soon, i ll ask our assesor if there are any IWS courses coming up.

The next 1 I know of is in Portmarnock Co.Dublin where I trained & worked for years! It's starting the 2nd of November, no idea how much they're charging these days but give them a shout on 01-8462848 or John Farrell the course instructor on 0872831964!

boardsusername

Thank you Burkatron.
I copied & pasted here for the OP & anyone else interested.
I can't do a course until next January so hopefully they will have a 2014 course at some stage. I will enquire towards the end of the year.


Swimming Teacher Training Programme
Portmarnock Sport & Leisure Club
County Dublin

This swimming teaching training programme leads to a recognised qualification in the teaching of swimming in a learn to swim and an advanced swimming environment. The course will provide training to enable a successful candidate to teach beginners improvers and advanced swimmers, both adults and children.
It is certified by the Irish Water Safety, and recognised by the Swimming Teacher Association (go to www.sta.co.uk for benefits of membership and insurance details) and the International Federation of Swimming Teaching Associations (IFSTA). The IFSTA has member organisations all over the world who recognise each member organisation’s qualifications (www.ifsta.co.uk)
Course details
Venue: Portmarnock Sport & Leisure Club Portmarnock County Dublin
Dates: Five Saturdays 2nd. 9th1, 16th, 23rd, 30th November 2013
Course cost: (including exam fee and manual) €600
Course Tutor: John Farrell

Assistant Swimming Teacher qualification or equivalent
Awarding Body: Swim Ireland, Irish Water Safety, Swimming Teachers’ Association or another
Circle the appropriate one:
Complete and return to John Farrell 53 Glenhill Rd Finglas Dublin 11 with a €100 deposit. Cheques & POs should be made out to John Farrell.
Deposit: €__________ or P.O.
Enquiries to: 0872831964 or johnfarrell.ias@tinet.ie

Antje1969

I just did my full Swimming teacher with IWS after working as an Assistant swimming teacher for the last year. IWS courses are excellent, very comprehensive, detailed and require Lifeguard qualifications. I paid around €350 for the assistant teachers and €500 for the full teachers, but the cost depends on where you do it and how many people take part in the course.
Swim Ireland doesn't require the teacher to be able to swim, never mind being able to help a student who is drowning... I find that worrying.
My experience with IWS has been an outright positive one, I could only recommend it.

Harry7

Antje1969 wrote: »

I just did my full Swimming teacher with IWS after working as an Assistant swimming teacher for the last year. IWS courses are excellent, very comprehensive, detailed and require Lifeguard qualifications. I paid around €350 for the assistant teachers and €500 for the full teachers, but the cost depends on where you do it and how many people take part in the course.
Swim Ireland doesn't require the teacher to be able to swim, never mind being able to help a student who is drowning... I find that worrying.
My experience with IWS has been an outright positive one, I could only recommend it.

Summary of organisation mission:

IWS = Be able to swim to save a life

Swim Ireland(SI) = Be able to swim all strokes, dive, turn, competently.



Swimming instructor aim:

Want a job/raise = IWS

Want a promotion/better income potential = SI



Approximate cost per contact hour:

IWS cost/contact hours ratio = €350/20hours = €17.50 per hour.

SI cost/contact hours ratio = €450/35 hours = €12.85 per hour.

davmurpla

Hi everybody,

I had a look and just seen that this post if from a while ago.

Any update about Swimming Coach instructor course?

There is something else apart of Swimming Ireland and IWS?

Thanks
Coach Gordo

davmurpla

Hi everybody,

I had a look and just seen that this post if from a while ago.

Any update about Swimming Coach instructor course?
To coach groups, what is the lower level course I would need?

There is something else apart of Swimming Ireland and IWS?

Thanks
Coach Gordo

Harry7

Hi coach gordo,

For coaching swimming with a competitive swimming club you only really have the Swim Ireland option. Swim Ireland are the Irish governing organisation responsible for training and sending Athletes to international competitions in the swimming, diving and water polo disciplines.
Go to the Swim Ireland website for lots of info on how to become a qualified coach

toby2111

Gonna bump this.
Brought my son to his first swimming lesson, earlier, we both really enjoyed it. I'm a primary teacher so now I'm interested in becoming a swim instructor and possibly help out or teach lessons at weekends. There's a Swim Ireland level 1 course in my locality next month being run over 2 consecutive weekends, Friday to Sunday. Are they 9 to 5 each day? Would I need to take 2 Fridays off work?
Also is Swim Ireland qualification better than the IWS one? Not looking to teach competition swimming just looking to help teach kids & maybe adults to swim.

Harry7

Toby,

Level 1 courses are 35 hours of tutor contact. The weekend courses usually run something like this (Over 2 weekends):

Friday 6pm-9pm

Saturday 9am-6pm

Sunday 9am-5pm

Hope that helps. I'd recommend contacting the Swim Ireland Education Office to know for sure.


As to whether one is better than the other, well I wouldn't be drawn into comment except to draw people's attention to each organisations mission (as I previously did in this thread).
I think the difference in tutor contact hours between the two organisations suggests the content and time spent learning about topics is different.

toby2111

Any opinions on course content?Interesting?Do you spend much time in the water?

ray o

toby2111 wrote: »

Any opinions on course content?Interesting?Do you spend much time in the water?

Is it the Level 1 Coaching or Level 1 Teaching Aquatics?

As Harry7 suggested you had best get in contact with SI Education Office as prior to attending either of the above courses you need to be Garda vetted and attend the Safegarding Chilidren course.

toby2111

ray o wrote: »

Is it the Level 1 Coaching or Level 1 Teaching Aquatics?

As Harry7 suggested you had best get in contact with SI Education Office as prior to attending either of the above courses you need to be Garda vetted and attend the Safegarding Chilidren course.

I presume Level 1 Teaching Aquatics would be better suited to what I'd like to do. I'm not interested in coaching, just helping people with basics of swimming.
Yes, there's a safeguarding course next month also in my locality.

ray o

toby2111 wrote: »

I presume Level 1 Teaching Aquatics would be better suited to what I'd like to do. I'm not interested in coaching, just helping people with basics of swimming.
Yes, there's a safeguarding course next month also in my locality.

I did the Coaching Course so I cannot comment on the Teaching Aquatics, although the first module of the course is common to both and includes Health & Safety etc..It will then break out to module 2 which will be specific to the course you are doing. We spent alot of time on deck in the NAC observing and working with the different squads and they were long days - but I enjoyed it. I'm sure you would enjoy it.