Become a Swim Teacher

Swimming Queensland Teacher Workshops are open to any person who may be interested in becoming a qualified swim teacher and provide the practical component of the Swim Australia™ Teacher qualifications. The entry level courses include Swim Australia™ Teacher (SAT), Swim Australia™ Teacher of Babies & Toddlers (SAT B&T) and Swim Australia™ Teacher of Competitive Strokes (SAT CS). Depending on your area of interest, you can choose to begin your journey with any of these three. If you’re aiming to become a coach the SAT CS would be your first step.

We also offer opportunities to complete the practical components of the Swim Australia™ Teacher extension course Swim Australia™ Teacher Learners with Disability (SAT LWD).

Participants who successfully complete the relevant practical course requirements are issued with a Statement of Attainment with one or more of the competencies relevant to the workshop you attended.

Attendees continue their education and complete their qualification at a reduced cost by completing the theory component of the relevant Swim Australia™ Teacher course. These are provided through Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia (SCTA); the peak body for swimming coaches and teachers in Australia, a stakeholder of Swimming Australia.

You will receive an invitation to complete the qualification and receive this discount when you register for a Swimming Queensland Teacher Workshop.

Swimming Queensland have Teacher Workshops happening all the time across Queensland. Upcoming dates and locations are listed below.

Information required for registration:

• Student Name
• Student Email
• Student Phone Number
• Student Date of Birth
• Student Unique Student Identifier (USI) Number
• Bank Card for Registration Payment

Please note

• There have been issues with registering for courses on Department of Education devices. If you run into these, try again on personal computer or mobile. If still have an issue registering please touch base with the office (07 3390 2011 / training.qld@swimming.org.au)
• There are often multiple course components required to be completed in order to attain accreditation. These can include a face to face workshop, online theory and shadow hours. The requirements are dependent on the course, visit here to find out more about each course.

Swimming Queensland Teacher Workshops are open to anyone 16 years and over*, who are interested in becoming a swimming teacher. There are no pre-requisites to attending a Teacher Workshop, however there may be some pre-requisites to gaining the Swim Australia™ Teacher qualification.

People who might attend:

• School teachers looking for professional development;
• Adults and teenagers interested in pursuing a career in learn-to-swim teaching or coaching;
• Previous or current swimmers looking for employment opportunities in swimming;
• Parents interested in creating a safe swimming environment at home and in the community; and
• People working within the disability sector e.g. physiotherapists, exercise physiologist, occupational therapists

*Note: The minimum age requirement to receive the Swim Australia™ Teacher qualification and work as a Swim Teacher is 16 years. This policy can be found here.

Once you’ve completed the registration above, you’ll receive confirmation from Swimming Queensland.

You’ll also receive correspondance from Swimming Queensland in the week leading up to the Teacher Workshop detailing the course requirements and specific details.

Here’s what you may want to bring along on the day:

• Swimwear
• Sun Protection e.g. sunscreen, hat, sun top
• Goggles
• Water Bottle
• Lunch/Additional Food
• Note Pad and Pen
• Wet Suit
• Towels x 2
• Photo Identification

Entry Level Courses

Students have up to 12 months to complete this course but may be accredited sooner should they have completed and submitted all course requirements.

Swim Australia™ Teacher (SAT) ~ 8 Hours

What's required:

• Online Theory component – approx. 30 hrs
• Face to Face Practical workshop – 8 hrs
• On the job training – approx. 20 to 30 hrs
• Competency Assessment – 1.5 hrs

Swim Australia™ Teacher of Babies & Toddlers (SAT B&T) ~ 5 Hours

What's required:

• Online Theory component – approx. 30 hrs
• Face to Face Practical workshop – 6 hrs
• On the job training – approx. 20 to 30 hrs
• Competency Assessment – 1.5 hrs

Swim Australia™ Foundation Coach (SAFC) ~ 7 Hours

What's required:

• Online Theory component – approx. 30 hrs
• Face to Face Practical workshop – 7 hrs
• On the job training – approx. 20 to 30 hrs
• Competency Assessment – 1.5 hrs

Extension Courses

Swim Australia™ Teacher of Learners with Disabilities (SAT LWD) ~ 5 Hours
*Pre-requisite: Swim Australia™ Teacher (SAT)

What's required:

• Online Theory component – approx. 30 hrs
• Face to Face Practical workshop – 5 hrs
• On the job training – approx. 20 to 30 hrs
• Competency Assessment – 1.5 hrs

See SCTA website for more details. 

If you are beginning to explore working in the sport of swimming, you may be asking yourself whether you would like to become a swim teacher or a coach, and what the difference is! Below we’ve explained how these roles differ, so you can make the best decision for your chosen career.

Swim Teachers

Swim teachers generally focus on teaching the basic skills required to survive in an aquatic environment. This includes teaching things such as:

• Introducing students to the aquatic environment (e.g. how to get in and out of the water safely for a variety of locations);
• Demonstrating methods of moving through and over the water (e.g. floating, basic competitive and lifesaving strokes);
• Instructing how to stay safe in a diverse range of environments (e.g. survival skills, basic rescues, surface dives).

A qualified swim teacher will acquire the basic theoretical knowledge of teaching strokes, water safety and survival. Swim teachers may go on to specialise their skills in teaching Babies and Toddlers, Adolescents and Adults, Learners with Disability or other niche groups or they may choose to develop their skills as a coach.

Coaches

Coaches acquire knowledge which enable them to assist and develop swimmers who already have basic aquatic skills, particularly in the competitive strokes; freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke and backstroke.

Through courses coaches gain the ability to instruct swimmers how to improve their technique, coaching swimmers on things such as:

• Improving body positioning in the water;
• Decreasing resistance through streamlining;
• Developing more efficient stroke mechanics;
• Training their body for adaptation.

The training a coach undertakes gives them the knowledge and ability to assist swimmers to improve their efficiency, strength and conditioning through both on-land and in-water exercises, alongside motivational strategies and training techniques.

Some coaches may also choose to gain specific qualifications for working with Adults, Open Water Swimmers, Swimmers with Disability or other specialist areas.

Should you have any queries about becoming a coach, or regarding your existing accreditation(s), please contact the SCTA office.

SCTA

Website: www.scta.org.au
Phone: (07) 5494 6255
Email: accreditation@scta.org.au

Interested in becoming a Coach?

Visit our Become a Coach page.

Swimming Queensland, through its RTO Swim Coaches & Teachers Australia, provides teacher training for the Swim Australia™ Teacher of Learners with Disabilities. Watch the video below for an overview of working with swimmers with a disability.