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CASE STUDY Tom Heeley
Where are you
working, and what is
your position?
Leisure attendant at the
Metrodome in Barnsley,
South Yorkshire.
What does your day-to-day role include?
I supervise the pool and its users. My
role involves anticipating any potential
problems or issues before they arise, car-
rying out rescues and other emergency
actions as and when they arise. I would be
required to give immediate first aid treat-
ment to any casualty.
What attracted you to leisure?
I have always enjoyed sports and swim-
ming in particular, so this role was right
up my street!
What attracted you to this job?
Since I was very young, I always thought
being a lifeguard was a cool job, so I have
always wanted to become one myself.
Now I have achieved my dream!
How easy was it to find a job?
Quite easy, with the help of the Entry to
Employment programme, run by ITS. I
was put on a 21-week work taster pro-
gramme, which gave me a chance to get
a feel for the leisure industry by working
at the Metrodome. Once the placement
finished, I was offered lifeguard training
and as a result of my success in this, I was
of training courses, some with more The leisure industry is hugely diverse offered a job.
integrity and value than others. offering a range of career opportunities How did you enter the sector? What did
SkillsActive, which is the leisure industry's you study before getting your first job?
Sector Skills Council, is a good place to start. which will be funded by the government for I was working with ITS, who coached me
It is a government-backed organisation anyone older than 16-years-old who does on interview skills and helped me put my
tasked with providing a coherent approach not hold a HND or degree qualification. CV together, then when the opportunity
to skills training. A part of the SkillsActive "Students will attend a four week for a work placement came up at the
group is the National Skills Academy (NSA) classroom course and then a 12 week Metrodome, I jumped at the chance to
for the sport and active leisure sector. The placement with support and mentoring from find out more about the industry.
NSA is a network of employer-led Centres of personal tutors," explains Siobhan Wright, How well do you think your course
Excellence, which are designed to provide marketing manager for Lifetime. prepared you for this career?
the skills required by employers through Going on a vocational college course that It helped a lot and gave me the confi-
work-based learning. includes on-the-job training, can be one of dence to go out and get my dream job.
According to Mark Hyde, national the more advantageous routes into a What advice would you have for school
business development director for sport and rewarding career. By mixing theory with leavers looking to get into leisure?
active leisure at the NSA: "Employers want practice, you get the best of both worlds It helps if you have a keen interest in
recruits that are fit for purpose, they need to and can back up your technical know-how sports and keep yourself physically fit,
be able to come in and be aware of what with practical nous. There are also appren- so you can pass the fitness part of the
they need to do. These programmes, ticeships which range from leisure manage- assessment for this type of role.
pending the recruit's performance, will ment to operational and customer services Is there anything you would do differ-
pretty much guarantee them a job." through providers such as ICON Training. ently if given the chance?
To give an example of such courses, Depending on the sector you wish to go Prepare more beforehand for the lifeguard
Lifetime Training has launched a new NVQ into, this can be invaluable. assessment. I managed to pass it, but you
Level 2 for fitness instructors and NVQ Level Bob Cotton, chief executive of the British can never be too prepared!
3 for personal trainers this year, both of Hospitality Association, offers a few wise
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