Leisure Team Member

Apprenticeship summary

The Role

You’ll gain hands-on experience in every part of a leisure facility, from the gym floor to poolside and front-of-house. You’ll learn to deliver great customer experiences, support safe and effective gym sessions, assist with pool or facility operations, and maintain high standards of cleanliness and safety.

The role of a Leisure Team Member is to support, enhance and deliver the day-to-day operations and operations and services of a leisure/ fitness facility. Working as part of a team, it is the responsibility of the leisure team member to undertake a range of operational duties. Leisure team members will offer excellent customer service because they are the first point of contact for customers, they will be responsible for answering queries and they will also deal with straightforward complaints. Alongside their operational duties, there are five key areas of work all leisure team members will cover: leisure and fitness operations, lifeguard duties, swimming teaching duties, gym instruction and leading group activities.

Key Responsibilities

• To undertake all duties and fully comply with all of the Company’s general standards and those relating to the specific requirements of the role.
• To co-operate with managers and colleagues to ensure environmental responsibilities are complied with.
• To take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions at work, and to co-operate with health and safety matters to help everyone meet their legal requirements.
• To carry out tasks at a range of sites that are either operated or managed by the Companies / Trusts or where services are delivered by the Companies / Trusts.
• To interact positively with customers adopting a friendly and professional approach at all times.

Day to Day Activities

• Undertake duties directly associated with the roles of Lifeguard, Swimming Teacher, Gym Instructor, and Group Activity Leader.
• Setting up equipment for activities, events and competitions.
• Ensure customers receive an excellent level of service.
• Contribute to raising standards by demonstrating and promoting high expectations.
• Working across multiple sites (travel required to The Alan Higgs Centre and Xcel Centre in Coventry)

What You’ll Learn

You’ll attend College one day a week and learn how:

• The businesses organisational structure, its vision, values, missions and goals.
• How own area of work and that of colleagues contributes to achieving business targets.
• The Sports and Leisure activities, products and services offered by the leisure facility, and how to match them to different types of customers’ needs.
• How to assemble, dismantle and store different types of equipment both simple and complex ranging from badminton nets to trampolines and powered equipment.
• Key legal and regulatory requirements within the leisure industry. e.g. Health and Safety, Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), Safeguarding and Protecting Children.
• How technology is used in the industry e.g. front of house systems, IT systems, cash handling procedures, social media, digital channels.
• How exercise plays a role in improving public health and the impact of a sedentary lifestyle on physical and mental wellbeing.
• How to work with people from a wide range of age groups, backgrounds, cultures and abilities and with different needs and motivations and how to support them in the safe use of sports and fitness activities which support customer retention, product sales and a long-term improvement in the customer’s lifestyle. Know how and when to refer customer feedback / questions to colleagues.
• How to perform all the duties of a swimming teacher including; develop water confidence, core aquatic skills, safety and technical skills across a range of participants of different abilities from non-swimmer to advanced. Support with the promotion and awareness of swimming opportunities and supervise and lead swimming teachers’ assistants.
• How to perform all the duties of a lifeguard to; work as part of a team to provide safe supervision of swimmers and prevent accidents. How to intervien providing rescues and life saving techniques when necessary.
• How to perform all of the duties of a gym instructor including; induction processes, conducting, client consultations, assessment and review and health screening. Use underpinning knowledge of anatomy, physiology, human movement and biomechanics and applying fitness training techniques. Planning, reviewing and delivering safe and effective gym-based exercise programmes with individuals and small groups.

Requirements

• Must be able to swim and pass a swimming test to show you can:

• • Jump/dive into deep water
  • Swim 50 metres in less than 60 seconds
  • Swim 100 metres continuously on front and back
  • In deep water, tread water for 30 seconds
  • Surface dive to the floor of the pool
  • Climb out unaided without ladder/steps and where the pool design permits.

• You should have competent in literacy and numeracy to Level 2 (GCSE Grade 4)
• You must have held residency in England for the last three years and have the right to work in the UK.
• Enhanced DBS clearance. (Will be undertaken if successful).
• Interest or experience of swimming and water safety skills.
• Determined and committed to learn and succeed.
• Commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
• Enthusiastic.

Skills

• Good communicator.
• Well organised and adaptable.
• Able to use initiative.
• A good team player.
• Able to adapt approach to meet needs of the target group.

Progression

When you complete your Apprenticeship, you’ll be ready to work as a:

• Gym Instructor
• Leisure Team Member
• Recreation Assistant
• Activity Leader

You can then continue developing your career through:

• Level 3 Personal Trainer Apprenticeship
• Level 3 Leisure Duty Manager Apprenticeship
• Level 3 Exercise Referral Qualification

About This Employer

CV Life provides the opportunity for Coventry residents and visitors to have an improved experience of sport, culture and leisure within the city.

CV Life provides a vast leisure and cultural offer to all communities in Coventry and visitors to the city, offering everything from attractions, museums, leisure centres, educational programmes to community outreach projects.

• Apprenticeship Level: 2
• Weekly Wage: 
• Working Week: 37.5 hours
• Starting Date: September 1, 2026
• Employer: CV Life
• Duration: 12 months