In August 2024, Steve, 25, completed a combined Level One and Level Two Qualification across nine days, successfully becoming a certified swimming teacher as part of his apprenticeship with Everyone Active.
Steven’s apprenticeship, with Everyone Active at Edenbridge Leisure Centre in Kent, allowed him to work and earn a wage at the leisure centre as team member whilst upskilling with qualifications, including his Swimming Teacher qualifications and his Fitness Instructor and football coaching qualifications. He has recently started a new role with Everyone Active as Sales Manager at the White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley.
Steven joined the Everyone Active apprenticeship programme after a series of career changes and false starts. He explains:
“The apprenticeship programme has opened up doors for me and can be a great starting point for a career. It’s what I felt I needed at this turning point in my life. I didn’t go to university, and after school I had a variety of jobs including being a model, a gardener, a maintenance man, a lighting designer and even a successful assistant film producer, working on the award-winning short film ‘Wings’ starring Miriam Margolyes.
“However, like lots of people, the pandemic had an impact on my career, with the film industry shutting down, and after the isolation of the lockdowns I just felt I needed to travel. On my return I decided to start my career all over again. I’d always been passionate about sport and I love to play football so I felt the wellness sector would be a good fit for me.
“I hadn’t thought about getting my swimming teacher qualifications prior to the apprenticeship, as I don’t come from a swimming background. However, the swimming teaching qualifications align with my football coaching and fitness instructor qualifications. You don’t need to be a competitive swimmer. For example, I find the butterfly stroke really difficult, but I can teach it brilliantly!
Steven says:
“The swimming teacher course was better than I thought it would be; I found it really interesting. It’s an intense amount of learning, as the nine-day training blends classroom theory, assignments and practical experience in the pool. We had to put our newly learnt knowledge into practice every afternoon by teaching actual swimming lessons and interacting with children aged four to 12 directly, bringing to life the theory and how best to communicate with young people.
“Luckily, I really enjoy working with young people and am very calm with my pupils. I like to be quite imaginative in how I teach, as I am a firm believer that not only am I coaching them to be good swimmers, but I’m helping them expand their minds. Yes, I want them to swim safely, but I want to develop as a person too.
“Going forward, I plan to use my swimming teaching qualifications in a flexible capacity. I can pick up shifts with Everyone Active and at other swim schools, and use the earnings as a top up. It means I have the freedom to develop my dream of becoming a coach or PE teacher, whilst also enjoying playing in my band, OUTHOUSE, at festivals and at venues across the UK including 93 Feet East, the O2 Academy and Camden Lock.
“Ultimately, I’d love to live in Cornwall, and can see that my swimming teaching qualifications would be a real asset being near to the sea. I know my work life seems a bit all over the place, but that is what’s helpful about the swimming teaching, as I can literally dip in and dip out as my life plays out.”