YOUNGSTERS from East Renfrewshire schools are making waves after signing up for lessons on how to be a lifeguard.

The National Pool Lifeguard Qualification is being offered to local pupils through East Renfrewshire Council for the first time.

Six pupils from Barrhead High, Williamwood High and Mearns Castle High are taking on the course, which combines class-based learning on skills such as first aid with practical pool-based training.

Lewis Brown, 17, has already secured four Highers and is combining the lifeguard qualification with another three Highers in his final year at school.

The sixth year Barrhead High pupil said: “I was really excited to take on this course, as I thought it would give me good employability skills. It also gives me that balance of focusing on my traditional subjects with this course, which gives you a skill for life.

“As it’s a national qualification, if I go on to university I’ll have the option to get a job as a lifeguard alongside my studies. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I’m enjoying every minute of it.”

The lifeguarding course, being staged in partnership with East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure, is just one of more than 50 vocational options that S4, S5 and S6 pupils at local schools have to choose from.

Each year, almost 400 pupils take on these courses, giving them the opportunity to study for a vocational or national qualification together with their other subjects and helping them gain skills that will help them enter the workplace or further education in the future.

In 2019/20, the percentage of East Renfrewshire school leavers who left with one or more vocational qualification was around 16% – almost double the national average.
Councillor Alan Lafferty, East Renfrewshire’s education and equalities convener, said:

“We are committed to supporting every pupil to achieve their very best and prepare them for making the next step after school.

“Our vocational programme continues to contribute to the achievement and attainment of young people in the senior phase and supports them to develop skills for work.

“The broad range of vocational opportunities on offer provides valuable opportunities, targeted to meet the needs of as many pupils as possible.

“I am delighted to see the ongoing success of our vocational offer."