A new Leisure Team Member apprenticeship is now available for funded delivery, giving the sports and physical activity sector a comprehensive qualification that covers the whole range of the leisure business.

Those going through the apprenticeship will become qualified as a gym instructor, lifeguard, swimming teacher and first aider. They will also need to show the ability to work with customers and as part of an effective team.

The availability of the scheme was announced on 6 March by CIMSPA (Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity), which will also act as the quality assurance agency for the award.

CIMSPA said its goal would be to "ensure that every apprentice has a fantastic learning experience and is assessed fairly". Its presence will also help employers to find quality assured training providers and end-point assessment organisations.

News of the availability of the apprenticeship scheme was welcomed by Everyone Active, which was involved in designing the award. Group training manager Harvey Gosling said the benefits of the new qualification would be threefold.

"Firstly, the multi-discipline training will provide apprentices with a broader set of skills and in-depth knowledge across our entire service offering.

"The second benefit will be felt by our customers, who are demanding increasingly personalised leisure experiences that incorporate elements of all of our services. The diverse skills taught through the Leisure Team Member qualification will support apprentices to meet these bespoke needs and improve the service customers receive.

"Finally, a well-rounded workforce with expertise in everything from personal training to swim teaching can only be a benefit to employers. It provides us with a core resource of multi-skilled colleagues. It also gives us the flexibility to adapt job roles in full confidence that each employee has the knowledge and ability to deliver high-quality support across a number of functions."