How do I become a Swim Australia™ Teacher?
- The first decision you need to make is who you want to teach, we have 3 entry-level courses that have no prior qualification requirements:
• Swim Australia™ Teacher (SAT) – learners from ages 2 ½ upward
• Swim Australia™ Teacher of Babies & Toddlers (SAT B&T) – learners from ages 6 months to 4 years
• Swim Australia™ Foundation Coach (SAFC) – Learn to Swim graduates usually around 10 years and up - Enrol in one of our courses, check out our Course Workshop Calendar
- Complete your Online Theory Modules
- Attend your Face-to-Face Practical Workshop
- Complete your on-the-job training
- Upload your current CPR Statement of Attainment and Working with Children Check to your online profile
- You will then be assessed and receive your qualifications if deemed competent
For further information please visit our website page here
What do I need before I can become a Swim Australia™ Teacher?
Before you are assessed as being competent you will need:
• Current Working with Children Check
• Accredited and valid CPR qualification
• Unique Student Identifier (USI) for further information on obtaining a USI please click here
You do not require these items before commencing your course, however you will not be deemed competent without them.
How long does my Teacher qualification last?
All Swim Australia™ Teacher and Coach qualifications are valid for 3 years from the date of the accreditation.
Please note that your Swim Australia accreditations and insurance will become invalid if either your Working with Children Check or CPR expires during this period. Please ensure to keep both up to date and a copy uploaded to your Dita Profile.
How do I renew my Teacher qualification?
You will need to purchase and complete an online Teacher Qualification renewal application form and the price varies depending on the period that your qualification has expired. For links and further information please visit our ‘Renewing Qualification’ website page here
The process is:
- Purchase an Application for Teacher Reaccreditation product from our website here, the price will be dependent on the period of expiration.
- Once your payment has been approved you will receive an email acknowledgment and login details to your Dita profile
- Log in to Dita
- Click on the ‘Application for Teacher Re-Accreditation’ form in your To-Do List on your Dashboard
- Complete all the details in your application form
- Upload all evidence (Current CPR certificate, current Working with Children Check, Letter of Teaching Hours and evidence of Professional Development)
- Read and acknowledge all Terms and Conditions
- Electronically sign and submit the form
- This will then be automatically sent to one of our Assessors
- You will be advised via email if you are required to submit anything further or you have been deemed competent
- Once you are deemed competent you will receive an updated electronic certificate
Documents that you will need to upload:
- Current Working with Children Check or Registered Teacher card
- Current accredited CPR Statement of Attainment (HLTAID009)
- Letter of teaching hours (minimum 100 hours over 3 years – Teaching Hours Information)
- Evidence of Professional Development (15 Points over 3 years – Professional Development Points Information)
I need to complete my Teacher qualification renewal and I don’t have enough PD points, what do I do?
Check our PD Matrix to ensure that you don’t have the required 15 points, if not you have a number of options all of which can be accessed from the PD Matrix document, some examples are:
- Attend a Swim Australia™ Teacher course practical workshop as a refresher
- Complete a number of different online home study courses
- Attend an SCTA approved State/National or International Swim Teachers Conference
- Attend a SwimINFO conference session
Please remember that you must accumulate 15 points in total over your 3-year qualification cycle.
I am a sole trader and have no employer to sign off my Teaching hours for qualification renewal, what do I do?
If you have an affiliation with a Swim School Owner or Manager, Pool Manager or Swim Club President ask them for a supporting letter verifying that they have witnessed you complete 100 hours of teaching throughout the 3 years of your qualification. If not, ask a few of your student’s parents to write you a similar supporting letter and another option is to record yourself conducting a class and sending us the link.
How do I keep my qualification valid?
Whilst your qualification may not have expired, you must ensure you keep your CPR and Working with Children Check current. If either of these are not current your qualification will lapse and your insurance will be invalid.
I am already a swim teacher with qualifications from another RTO, I want to bring them over to Swim Australia, what do I do?
You will be required to purchase and complete a Recognition of Prior Learning application form. The process is basically a desktop audit of your qualifications. For links and further information please visit our ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ website page here.
The purchase price will be dependent on the currency of your equivalent qualifications. On approval of your RPL application you will receive an electronic copy of your new certificate and for the life of your accreditation (3 years), SCTA Graduate Membership and COMPLIMENTARY $0 excess Teacher insurance.