The Lifeguard Academy – a scheme run by Greenwich Leisure (GLL) in conjunction with Hackney Training and Employment Network (HTEN) – to get young unemployed people into leisure industry careers, has completed its pilot phase.

The programme, base on a US-style military boot camp, lasts five weeks and provides basic literary and numeracy skills alongside vocational training.

All participants were required to be able to swim and be passionate about sports and health.

Of 17 people who began the course, 13 completed it and are now qualified National Pool Lifeguards. Each was guaranteed an offer of employment with GLL upon completion and all 13 have begun work at GLL-managed leisure centres throughout Greater London.

The scheme, which cost approximately £14,000 to run, was funded by HTEN through Team Hackney (Hackney's Strategic Partnership).

James Drummond, Skills for Life co-ordinator for HTEN, said: “Approximately half of all adults in Hackney have low literacy skills, about one-third of households speak English as a second language and almost 90 per cent do not have numeracy skills equivalent to a pass at GCSE.

“By helping people gain the skills needed to work in the leisure industry, and at the same time addressing their language, literacy and numeracy needs, we have gone some way in successfully removing one of the major barriers many people face when entering sustainable employment.” Details: www.gll.org or www.hten.org