What Does a Teenage Swimming Instructor do?
As a swimming instructor, you’ll spend the majority of your time teaching children how to swim, whether it is working with beginners to get them to go in the pool or all the way with working with advanced swimmers to perfect their strokes. By doing this you will provide through and safe swimming lessons to children, plan and organize swim lessons, and teach with great positive reinforcement. The benefits of this job are that you have flexible hours, as you can choose which hours you work, there is good pay, and it is a very good experience building activity. You’ll spend a lot of time swimming and in the water, so it’s helpful to be quite athletic and to be able to swim quite proficiently if you apply to become a swimming instructor.
How Much Does a Teenage Swimming Instructor Get Paid?
As a teenage swimming instructor just getting started, you can expect to earn somewhere between $15-$20 per hour. The biggest issue with this type of work is that you will have to be good at swimming and you will be in the water for a long time. Many people either don’t have the experience required, or don’t want to be in a swimsuit and swimming for very long portions of time. You will also have to get a couple of certifications. Because of this, there aren’t many people applying to become a swim instructor and you will have a higher pay and be able to find a job more easily. It’s also a really good experience to put on your resume. It’s a very good leadership opportunity and can show how good at communication you are. You will also be seen as trustworthy, as you are trusted with many children. If you become a swimming instructor, then you will have an easier time finding a job in the future.
How Can I Get Started as a Teenage Swimming Instructor?
- Make sure that you speak to your parent(s) before trying to become a teen swimming instructor. Doing so we’ll ensure your safety and they’ll likely be able to help you in your efforts.
- Before you begin, you’ll need to join a reputable swimming association to become certified. Some of these include the American Swim Coaches Association, United States Swimming, United States Swim School Association, National Drowning Prevention Alliance, and the World Aquatic Babies and Children’s Network. You’ll need to be certified to become a swim teacher, as schools want to take precautions, as when it goes wrong, it goes very bad. Being certified as a lifeguard will help a lot too. Courses for lifeguarding can be found in local swimming pools with courses offered by your town or city.
- Next, find some local swimming schools. A lot can be found in your city, as there are plenty of municipal swimming courses that you can apply to. Your city website should have a section where you can see employment opportunities and apply to them. If there are none, you can look to private swimming schools. Search for these with a Google search and try to find bigger, franchise ones like YMCA. You will have better odds when searching there.
- Once you’ve found a couple of swimming schools, apply. Swim instructors will have to teach very well and should know basic medical knowledge. When applying, talk about these and send them your certifications that you got before in step one. Tell them how safety will be your highest priority, since they don’t want any accidents happening. If you’ve had prior experience as a lifeguard, tell them that too.
- Congrats, you’re officially a teenage swimming instructor. You may not like it at first as you will have to work with a lot of children and it may get cold at times, as you will be in the water all day, but it’s a great career. It’s very impressive to put on your resume and it will earn you a decent wage over time. Stick to it, and you’ll see success in no time.
<< Back to Summer Jobs For Teens Database
Helpful Resources
- Swimming Associations: There are a number of associations to consider joining such as;
- American Swim Coaches Association
- United States Swimming
- United States Swim School Association
- National Drowning Prevention Alliance
- World Aquatic Babies and Children’s Network
- Indeed.com: Job Listings for aspiring swim instructors can be found on this page.
