Young people and the unemployed are being offered the chance of a career in the leisure industry through a raft of new initiatives.

The leisure industry has a long tradition of creating employment and helping people into work, serving as one of the key creators of jobs and opportunities during the depths of the recent recession.

Job seekers looking for employment at gyms are being given the chance to broaden their skill sets through a swimming training initiative.

From June, SWIM UK will be giving free places on its new Level 2 Exercise and Fitness courses to those over 19 and receiving Job Seekers Allowance or similar benefits. Applications are also welcome from school and college leavers.

“The eight-day course we are running will give learners the skills they need to apply for jobs in the fitness sector,” said SWIM UK managing director Paul Smith.

“We want to help everyone get trained and are also offering our first course at a discount price to anyone who doesn’t qualify for a fully funded programme.”

Meanwhile, Oldham Community Leisure (OCL) has embarked on a similar scheme to give career training and job opportunities to unemployed residents in the town.

The Fit4Work scheme offers unemployed individuals free training in careers such as swim instructing and pool lifeguarding, as well as a dedicated work experience placement and a guaranteed interview for casual work.

The aim is to try and decrease unemployment within Oldham, while also benefiting the company by identifying talented local individuals who can be trained to work within OCL.

Elsewhere, the Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust (DCLT) launched its Sector Based Work Academy roughly a year ago, with the scheme recently attaining a 96 per cent learner satisfaction rate.

The structured five-week programme takes successful applicants aged 19 and above through accredited first aid training, national pool lifeguard training, pre-employment classes and practical work experience, before putting them forward for a guaranteed job interview after the final week.

The scheme partners with local colleges and has secured extra financial support from the government’s’ Skills Support For The Unemployed Fund.

Anthony Crosier, who signed up to the scheme a year ago and is now employed by DCLT at Armthorpe Leisure Centre, said: “The training, guidance and confidence instilled throughout the course by DCLT staff made me excited to be there and I became a fully qualified and first aid trained pool lifeguard in two weeks.”