Water Safety Instructor Training

Earn your certification to teach American Red Cross swimming and water safety, and gain the skills needed to teach courses and make presentations to swimmers of every age and ability. The Water Safety Instructor course trains instructor candidates to teach children and adults fundamental skills that will help them stay safe in, on, and around water. This certification is the gold standard and provides the most comprehensive training available for swim instructors.

What You'll Learn

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During the Water Safety Instructor course, you'll learn class management techniques, lesson planning and execution, and observation and assessment skills. Your training will focus on a number of key areas that will help you succeed as an aquatics instructor, such as:
  • Water safety at public pools, homes, natural bodies of water.
  • Basic safety, survival, and swimming skills to help children gain water competency.
  • Helping people with disabilities and other health conditions enjoy the water safely.

​With this advanced certification, you will also learn to teach:
  • Learn-to-Swim courses, including Parent and Child Aquatics, Preschool Aquatics, Learn-to-Swim Levels 1-6, Adult Swim, and private lessons.
  • ​Stroke mechanics for all competitive strokes as well as starts, turns, and headfirst entries.
  • Water safety certification courses, including Basic Water Rescue.
  • Fundamentals of diving from a diving board.

Learn more about this course at the American Red Cross Swim Instructor Certification page.​​
Note: In order to participate in Water Safety Instructor certification classes, participants must be at least 16 years of age by the end of the course.

Employment Opportunities

​​​MCC is hiring lifeguards and water safety instructors! ​Click the button below to view job descriptions and apply online.
Available Positions