Blogs
Former forensic nurse breaks down culture barriers through teaching swimming
Vicki, 53, retrained as a swimming teacher in 2020 after deciding to leave her long-term career as a Forensic Mental Health Nurse for the NHS. The Institute of Swimming has caught up with Vicki to see how she is finding being a swimming teacher after training through the Institute of Swimming Recruitment Academy. … […]
Fern is becoming a swimming teacher to share her passion and inspire the next generation
Fern Sneddon, 16, is an award-winning member of Tunbridge Wells’ RTW Monson Swimming Club. She has been selected by the Swim England Development Programme, a talent pathway to support and enhance the development of athletes for the Olympics and Paralympics. Fern is also currently on the Youth Performance Programme. Fern’s ambition is to compete at … […]
Catherine found swimming shaped her childhood, teens and future
Catherine, 18, has been announced as the Youth Volunteer of the Year at the Swim England National Awards. Catherine, originally from Leighton Buzzard, shares with us her volunteering journey and how her love of swimming has made a profound difference to her life. Catherine says: “Swimming has been such an important and constant in my … […]
Key Swimming Teacher skills to highlight to your university applications
Summarising all the skills you have in a UCAS personal statement or university interview can be a struggle, especially in the 4,000-character limit! We’ve shared a few helpful ideas and suggestions for you to think about including on your application, because, as a swimming teacher, there are so many transferable skills you’ve developed that can … […]
Peter teaches swimming as a side hustle to his main career
Peter, 56, from Hastings, is working towards his Level Two Swimming Teacher Qualification. Here he talks about his love of swimming and how he will be using his swimming teaching earnings to support his other freelance income. Peter says: “I’ve always loved to swim. I used to work in an architect’s office and every … […]
Swimming through her Career, Wendy shares her passion
For Wendy, swimming is her life. She has been involved in the sport since she was five years old and now, aged 56, she continues to make an impact in aquatics. Wendy says: “I started swimming with Eastbourne Swimming Club as a child. Fast forward a few decades and I’m still here. I continue to … […]
Meet our Lead Pool Plant Tutor Ian Ogilvie
As a child raised in southern Scotland, Ian dreamt of being a footballer. He admits he was never quite good enough to pursue this professionally, but his love of sport influenced his career choice – leisure was the industry for him. Ian’s long and varied career in leisure means he is well placed to deliver … […]
Pool plant operators; the unsung heroes
Pool plant operators are the unsung heroes of the swimming pool sector and hugely impact the experience and enjoyment of those that use or work around the water. From ensuring the water is safe to swim in, to creating and maintaining a pleasant environment through an efficiently run plant room, a facilities pool plant operator … […]
Lisa is becoming a swimming teacher after discovering a passion for open water swimming
Lisa, 52, is on her way to becoming a fully qualified swimming teacher. Here she explains how she discovered swimming and how she plans to use her Institute of Swimming qualifications to inspire others. Lisa works full time as a psychology teacher and is a Year 12 lead in a secondary school in Milton Keynes. … […]
Miles is becoming a swimming teacher after a devastating diagnosis forced him to rethink his career
Miles, who is 20 years old, is on his way to qualifying as a Swimming Teacher. The qualification comes after a devastating rare cancer diagnosis forced him to rethink his future. Here, Miles tells us his inspirational story, how brain cancer changed his life and how he is rebuilding his future, with positivity and hope. … […]
Bronwen brings balance to her life by teaching swimming alongside her corporate career
Bronwen, 69, has worked as a part time swimming teacher at Mytime’s The Spa at Beckenham for the last three and a half years. Here she explains how she rediscovered her love of swimming, and balances her swimming teaching job alongside a city corporate role. Bronwen says: “When I was young, I used to love … […]
Bethany is becoming a Swimming Teacher to help fund her Masters
Bethany, 21, is mid-way through her SEQ Level 2 Teaching Swimming Qualification. Here she explains how being a swimming teaching assistant has helped with her studies and how she will be using her Level Two Qualification to continue her formal education. Bethany says: “I’ve always loved swimming and as a child I was given ‘free’ … […]