At the water’s edge throughout the year the Lifeguard Training is not there to rest and enjoy the sun. With responsibility for the safety of people who engage in aquatic activities, the profession of lifeguard requires constant vigilance.
Mission of the job: lifeguard
Whether at the edge of the beach or inside a swimming pool, private or municipal, the Lifeguard Training is required to carry out the following missions:
• ensure the safety of people , both from a physical point of view than sanitary. For this, the lifeguard makes sure to prepare and check the good condition of the equipment and the aquatic environment;
• teach learning to swim for young children, but also sometimes for adults;
• supervising numerous aquatic activities for well-being or fitness.
Becoming a lifeguard: Qualifications required
Resistant to stress, showing great composure, hyper reactive and ready to intervene at any time , this is what most characterizes the lifeguard. Exercising an activity in which an accident can occur at any second, the lifeguard must be permanently alert , and above all able to provide the right response in a minimum of time. Perfectly mastering first aid gestures , he is also ready to take responsibility in the event of a serious accident. To be able to exercise effectively, the lifeguard will obviously have physical qualities, which he will maintain throughout his career. Constantly in contact with different audiences, he will also demonstratehis pedagogy and his sociability with the people he will have to take care of.
Lifeguard: career / possibility of development:
Holders of a diploma allowing them to practice the profession of lifeguard are frequently sought after by many employers for fixed-term contracts or vacations. With the physical and psychological demands that this job requires, the turnover is quite high and few are those who carry out this activity throughout their lives . Careers in the sports training of competitors in disciplines such as triathlon or swimming, but also the positions of head of establishment or director of nautical facilities present themselves as other professional prospects for lifeguards.
Lifeguard at Sea?
Gross monthly salary of a beginner: 1400 €
Become a lifeguard: training required
Different diplomas, which are compulsory to be able to practice this profession, allow you to become a lifeguard:
– the BNSSA (National Certificate in Water Safety and Rescue), accessible after the 3rd;
– the BPJEPS (Professional certificate for youth, popular education and sport) aquatic activities and swimming, Bac level;
– DEJEPS (JEPS State Diploma), Bac+2 level;
– the STAPS sports training license, swimming specialty or the DESJEPS (Higher State Diploma JEPS), level Bac+3.
Situation of the job / context to become a lifeguard
The profession of lifeguard is particularly sought after during summer periods with the presence of many tourists near bodies of water, sea, ocean, camping swimming pools, etc. It is therefore common to be able to exercise this profession on a seasonal basis. On the other hand, it is more difficult to integrate a structure capable of welcoming him full-time. The possibility of taking the ETAPS (Territorial educator of physical and sports activities) competition is in the majority of cases a good alternative for exercising, later or during the same period, other activities.
