More than 1,400 swimming teachers across the UK will join a major new training framework designed to combat the national shortage in qualified instructors.

The Swimming Teachers Association (STA) has signed a three-year partnership with GLL, the UK’s largest swimming pool operator, to provide a new aquatics career pathway for swimming teachers working at pools run by the charitable social enterprise.

The UK has seen a shortage in qualified swimming teachers and 30 per cent of 10-year-olds leaving primary school unable to swim.

The new deal, unveiled at the London Aquatics Centre yesterday (30 October), means that from January, STA’s Level 2 swimming teaching qualifications, endorsed by CIMSPA, will be embedded into GLL’s 141 swimming pools nationwide.

Speaking at the event, Dave Candler, CEO of STA, said: “By working closely with CIMSPA and GLL to develop an aquatics careers pathway, our aim is to professionalise the industry so we can retain its workforce and attract more people to become qualified.

“The more trained swimming teachers we have the more people we can teach how to swim and be water safe, which wholly underpins our charitable objectives.”

Andrew Clark, GLL’s national sport and aquatics manager, said: “We’ve evolved the learn-to-swim sector enormously in the past 10 years, with more than 200,000 pupils each week, and this partnership will allow us to revolutionise the way its workforce is trained.

“By creating our own national training framework that is powered by STA’s swimming teaching qualifications, we’ll be able to open up new career pathways and grow a quality workforce that is work-ready – ensuring staffing demands are met.

“The move also supports our ambition of providing affordable, accessible and exemplar training and employment opportunities for local people.”

GLL will also extend its internal tutor network and the framework will support the GLL College’s ‘Better Apprenticeship’ agenda in aquatics and diving.