Over the winter Land & Wave runs a 15-week Outdoor Instructor Training course which allows trainees to gain 16 NGB Qualifications.
NGB stands for National Governing Body. This means that the qualifications are accredited and recognised industry-wide (across the UK and many countries around the world).
This week sees the trainees entering their second week on the course.
They completed two qualifications in Week 1, Outdoor First Aid and NWSMP.
In Week 2 the 15-week trainees will be completing their Beach Lifeguard / Open Water Lifeguard, while the 7-week Paddlesports group get their first taste of Kayaking, Paddle boarding and Canoeing.
Open Water Lifeguard vs Beach Lifeguard
The reason we run both the Beach Lifeguard and Open Water lifeguard alongside each other is to give all trainees the best opportunity to gain valuable RLSS Lifesaving Qualifications.
The Beach Lifeguard requires trainees to be able to swim 200m in less than 5 minutes to start the training course.
If candidates are unable to reach that time or know that they aren’t going to be working near the coast then they will complete the Open Water Lifeguard Instead.
Both are amazing qualifications and are used widely across the Outdoor sector. With the increase in Water-based Inflatable Obstacle courses throughout the UK there is a constant need for Open Water Lifeguards.
Beach Lifeguard
The Beach Lifeguard course takes place over 6 days with the assessment being completed on the 6th day.
The course includes 4 modules:
- Module 1 – Beach Lifeguarding – Knowledge and Understanding
- Module 2 – Life Support and First Aid
- Module 3 – Ocean Skills
- Module 4 – Pool Skills
Jonny joined the trainees for a section of their Ocean skills training on Tuesday. The trainees were practising board paddling and starting to look at board rescues.
See what Jonny captured below:
7-Week Paddlesports course
Whilst the 15-week course trainees have been completing their Lifeguard qualifications, the 7-week trainees have been out paddling.
The trainees have been out in all three of the disciplines covered during the course; Canoeing, Sea Kayaking and Paddle Boarding.
Thursday saw the trainees head inside for their first pool rolling session.
Indoor sessions in swimming pools are an amazing opportunity for the trainees to practice some of the harder skills in a more controlled environment.
Rolling a Sea Kayak consists of capsizing in your kayak and then re-righting yourself by using your paddle or another boat without having to get out of your boat.
Check out a few some of their first attempts:
What’s happening next week for Outdoor Instructor Training
Week 3 of the course will see the Trainees getting split into their groups for the rest of the training course.
Groups 1 & 2 will be heading out Rock Climbing, Coasteering and completing their two-day Lowland Leader Training course.
Group 3 are in the water all week Kayaking, Paddle Boarding and Canoeing.
We are posting regular updates on our Instagram if you’d like to see what the trainees are getting up to day to day.
https://www.instagram.com/landandwave/
If you’d like more information about our Outdoor Instructor Training courses then please find more info below.
For more information about our 15-week Outdoor Instructor Training course then head here:
https://landandwave.co.uk/outdoorinstructortraining/
If you’re looking at just focusing on Paddlesports, then check out our 7-week Paddlesports course here:
