25 Sep 2019
Virgin Active to roll out lifeguard qualification nationally
BY Tom Walker
Virgin Active has become the first major health club chain to roll out the Swimming Teachers' Association’s (STA) new Pool Lifeguard qualification nationally.
VIrgin has signed a partnership deal which will see the company create its own national training framework, powered by STA.
According to Pip Werbinski, people development director at Virgin Active, the partnership with STA will provide Virgin Active's estate of 43 UK clubs with "multiple benefits, both operationally and commercially".
“By creating our own national training framework under the governance of STA’s Approved Training Centre model, we can radically transform how we manage and deliver staff training across our national network," she said.
"Importantly, this will enable us to control, plan and standardise the quality of training our internal tutors deliver, in line with our own staffing and commercial requirements – in addition to opening up opportunities for us to deliver external STA training courses and new local recruitment channels.
"The logic behind this partnership is consistency and quality. By working closely with STA across all aquatic disciplines, there are not only all the administrative and practical benefits associated with having one point of contact but being an Approved Training Centre will also ensure we stay on top of our game in terms of governance and compliance related to swimming teaching, pool lifeguarding, first aid and pool plant."
Dave Candler, STA chief executive, added: ""The benefits of this approach are far-reaching, and we look forward to sharing our knowledge with Virgin Active and providing all the help and support they need to run a successful Approved Training Centre with our awarding organisation Safety Training Awards."
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