Name: Sarah Boyce-Allen
Role: Duty Manager (Lifeguard + Customer Service)
Qualifications: Lifeguard Certification, Swim Teacher Certification, Blue Card.
What got me into this role was actually one of my friends. We were at a party and she was telling me how great her job is, how positive everyone is, and how fun it is. I said to her “I don’t really like my job at the moment. I might apply for your job”. She said she’d love to work with me and everything just fell into place from there. She got me my interview, I got my job, and I’ve been here ever since.
The main qualification I need for my job is the lifeguard certificates. These come with first aid and CPR training. I also have a blue card as well.
The favourite part of my job would have to be a toss between the venue and the people. All our customers are lovely, they all have a story to tell, and you get to know them on a personal level. Also, our venues are so lovely. They’re all historic and it’s such a special place to be.
I think a misconception is that people think you have to be an Olympian swimmer to work here. For our lifeguard certificates, all you have to do is be able to swim 200 metres in under 6 minutes. You don’t need gold medals or anything like that. Another thing people might not know is that we have to be able to do almost everything. As the duty manager, I have to perform my roles in customer service and lifeguarding. This means we have to be trained in all positions. I also have a swim teaching qualification as well. This means that if there’s any complications in the water, I can help out the swim teachers.
It’s all about attitude. We’re the face of the company. Skills can be trained, they can be taught, but you’ve got to have a friendly attitude. We’re the family swim school. We want everyone that comes through to feel welcomed. That goes for our coworkers as well. We want everyone to be happy within their team.
Just do it. It’s a really fun job. There’s always so many interesting things to do and people to meet. You never know who’s going to come through the door. There’s always a different job to be done each day. Sometimes you’re working in the cafe, and other days you’ll be coaching. It’s just a really fun job.
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Active Queenslander Industry Alliance
This project is proudly funded by the Queensland Government through its Workforce Connect Fund.
