Council to run intensive lifeguarding qualification course

Canterbury City Council is delivering a full RLSS UK National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ) as we seek to add more staff to our lifeguarding team.

This is the core qualification for anyone seeking employment on UK beaches and will be an intensive six-day training course running from Monday 14 to Saturday 19 July. The cost is £150.

To pass the course and achieve the certificate, candidates must attend 100% of the course and pass all assessment criteria.

The course content includes beach lifeguarding – knowledge and understanding, life support and first aid, ocean skills and pool skills.

To be eligible, candidates must be aged 16 or above at the time of taking the NVBLQ final assessment (the last day of the course) and demonstrate a good level of fitness, ability to surface dive to a depth of two metres and competence at swimming in the sea.

Candidates must also be able to swim 400 metres in a pool in eight minutes or less using a continuous front stroke and showing urgency.

Places on the course are limited. For more information or to register, contact Port and Foreshore Services on 01227 266 719.

Applicants may be asked to attend a pre-course swimming session on Wednesday 25 June at Whitstable swimming pool.

Published: 17 June 2025