OMG how do you manage - financially

Broomstick

Has he got basic sports coaching qualifications for swimming (and the associated paperwork eg current CRB, First Aid, proof of insurance, Sports Coach UK Welfare course attendance etc) and is he a qualified life-guard?

If not, why not see if he can get these in place over the summer - they shouldn't be too hard to acquire. I don't know about swimming but do about other sports and assume that they all work in similar ways. Given his obviously high competitive standard, he ought to be able to get casual or part-time work easily by coaching beginner classes or giving one-to-one lessons or by life-guarding. It could add another useful line to his CV as well.

B x

TDQO

Broomstick you beat me to it...

He's a swimmer so he should get his lifeguard qualification ASAP... lifeguards can earn up to £10ph and there is always a demand. This should also give him free access to the pool he works at for training etc.

Unfortunately these days most students need to work so he'd best get in gear and go jobhunting! Another top tip is the day he arrives at uni, go straight to the student union bar/campus shop etc and hand over his CV and express interest. At my uni they interview for campus jobs within 48hrs of the year starting so he'd best get in quick!

Simon11

I work as a casual lifeguard and I get £8 which is rather good and is with the council. But now a private company has come in and new casuals get £6.40. No chance of even getting close to £10 an hour as a casual lifeguard.

However during term time, I spent more time lifeguarding than in lectures. I had to be very organised but averaged doing 25 hours at the swimming pool a week (up to 36hrs sometimes ), and it didn't affect my uni grades atall.

However I'd suggest if he wants to be a lifeguard to get his qualification ASAP, as it could take a month to get on a course, then it takes time to complete it ect. Then it took myself 3 months to get on the books, sign contract and complete CRB.

Any questions about casual lifeguarding send me a private message

Simon

ps I'd also think about being a swimming Instructor, they can get £12-14 an hour, however its expensive to get trainined and you need to complete 2 courses to become one. Also you only have small shifts of 4 hours instead of 8 lifeguarding.... Plus you have to do the same hours every week when you're teach however with lifeguarding you get lots of flexibility

lrlrip

My daughter is a qualified life guard and swimming teacher. She works both in her home town(weekends when she is home and holidays) and in her Uni. town (during term time). She saved all her money for halls last year(her first year) £3700 and she has already saved all the money for next years halls £4200.

minerva_windsong

The lifeguarding/swimming instructor plan sounds good, and will look good on his CV for future reference - anything that makes him look more rounded is good. Ditto the suggestion about signing up to the uni careers service for the on-campus jobs, although if he doesn't get bar work there are other things he could be doing. I had friends who were campus guides on open days for instance, and others who worked in the alumni office ringing up former students for donations.

I do however agree with those who've said he might have to choose between his two swimming clubs, unless there is a way he can only be involved with the swimming club at home in the holidays. If he's going to be living some distance away from home then getting back and forth is going to be taxing and may well distract from the uni experience.

Also to the person who said 15 week terms aren't that common, I believe that there are some universities in Scotland where that's the case - my cousin goes to Stirling and has two semesters (mid-September to Christmas and mid-February to the end of May) and longer holidays. On the opposite end of the scale, terms at Oxbridge are about six to eight weeks, but they tend not to let students have jobs in term time on the understanding that all their time is supposed to be spent studying, and then they can work more hours in the holidays.

johnswife

minerva I have sent you a PM

bodmil

I saved up my money from working part time and in the holidays since I was 14. The mind boggles at why kids don't do that these days.... they're making me feel a lot older than 24!