Workforce Development - who we are & what we do

We are responsible for the development and delivery of training for teachers and coaches for all aquatic disciplines:      

• Swimming
• Diving
• Disabilities
• Adult & Child Water Activities
• Water Polo
• Synchronised Swimming
• Aquatic Fitness

Courses cover a range of abilities and aspirations, from the Helper Certificate, which is aimed at those who wish to help their club or organisation under guidance, to the UKCC (UK Coaching Certificate) qualification for master coaches, for those wishing to coach competitive swimmers operating at the highest level.

Implementing UKCC qualifications is one of our key project areas. The whole ethos of UKCC is to put the right coach in the right environment with the right athlete, and we are working hard to implement this from levels one to four across diving, swimming, synchronised swimming and water polo.

Currently our work in the following areas also takes high priority:

• IoS – providing Institute of Swimming members with an annual programme of courses and CPD seminars in each ASA region
• Licensing schemes for tutors, teachers and coaches and officials
• AASE (Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence) – a structured national training and development route for talented young athletes
• Healthy Living education including developing courses for Aquatic Fitness Instructors, now launched and available
• Aquamark – quality scheme for all organisations involved in providing swimming programmes
• National Plan for Teaching Swimming
• School Swimming including the National Curriculum Training Programme for primary school teachers
• Team Manager Training & Development Programme for the ongoing support of volunteers

Our role as an Awarding Body

A clear separator exists between the role of the ASA as an Awarding Body and the delivery of training leading to an ASA certificate.  The delivery of training rests with centres which have met the Awarding Body criteria and have been accredited by the ASA for such purposes.

The Awarding Body Role covers the following areas:

• Monitoring the standards for the certification of teachers, coaches and tutors
• Development of qualification specifications including syllabuses, assessment procedures, assessment tools, notional hours
• Submission of qualification specifications to QCA and other appropriate national bodies for inclusion on the NQF (or equivalent)
• External verification of courses/assessments leading to an ASA qualification
• Training, employment, deployment and management of external verifiers
• Provision of guidance to centres including the process for approval
• External assessment of candidates including the marking of examination papers
• Administration of candidates/courses and the issuing of certificates
• Data reporting and analysis e.g. ethnicity, disability
• Development of qualification resources including log books
• Liaison with the sector, including employers
• Self monitoring and self assessment

If you have any questions please email us at workforcedevelopment@swimming.org.