Lifeguarding credentials are an essential stage for employment in aquatic environments like neighborhood pools, beaches or water parks. However, one of the first questions asked by applicants is often: “how much does lifeguard certification cost?” Being aware of the expenses involved with becoming certified as a lifeguard is important not only for budgeting purposes but also to ensure you make informed decisions about your training options.
This post will break down all the costs associated with lifeguard certification so that you can understand what each part means financially.
Course Fees
The main cost for lifeguard certification courses is usually just paying for them. Depending on where and who you get trained through determines how much this will be. Here are some examples:
American Lifeguard USA (ALUSA): This provider has been around since 1987 offering comprehensive courses designed to teach candidates everything they need to know. Courses range between $200-$350 on average but include everything from instruction manuals up until final certifications tests.
Location-based pricing: Sometimes prices can vary depending on where someone lives because bigger cities may have higher demand or more people competing against each other trying become guards while smaller towns might not be as competitive leading prices being lower than expected.
Additional Costs
There are additional costs that many people do not consider when planning their life-guarding careers which we’re going to talk about now!
Materials & Equipment: Sometimes you will have buy certain equipment needed during your training like CPR masks or whistles. While some providers include these costs within course fees others charge separately adding anywhere between $20 – $50 onto overall expenditure.
Certification Fees: Most organizations require students pay an additional fee upon completion signifying they’re officially certified guards (usually comes with cards). This fee covers things such as processing paperwork so it gets mailed back quicker plus printing out fancy plastic cards showing off our achievements (these can sometimes look pretty cool).
First Aid/CPR/AED Certification: Many courses include First Aid/CPR/AED training but if not, these skills must be learned elsewhere. In such cases one can expect this portion alone costing anywhere from $40-$75 depending on where taken.
Recertification Costs
Once certified, lifeguarding is not a “one and done” deal. Certifications last two years so every other year guards need go through the re-cert process to keep their credentials current. Also expect this part being cheaper due less material needing covered during lectures/lab time. Course pricing ranges $100-$200 typically.
American Lifeguard USA streamlines its re-cert courses making sure everyone stays up date with what’s new in water safety while saving some cash too!
Discounts & Financial Assistance
To make life guarding more affordable there are sometimes discounts available like group rates (if signing up as part of school or swim team) or certain organizations offer financial aid programs/lower prices for those who qualify based on income restrictions etcetera..
Scholarships and Grants: Some communities at the local level, non-profits, and employers may offer scholarships or grants for lifeguard certification. These are often given to students, those with low income, or people who agree to work for a specific organization upon becoming certified.
Early bird and seasonal discounts: The timing of your registration can also affect how much you pay. Many providers have early bird specials for those who sign up well in advance. They also run seasonal promotions, especially in the spring and early summer when demand is higher.
Long-Term Investment
It might seem like getting certified as a lifeguard costs a lot upfront, but it should be thought of as an investment in one’s future over time. This qualification opens up many different jobs such as working part-time at local pools or full-time at major resorts/beaches; moreover; swimming instruction; aquatics management; emergency response – all these careers are available within the scope of this certification once received.
The money earned through being employed as a lifeguard outweighs what was initially paid out so therefore makes financial sense too because even though some areas only pay $10-$20 per hour there still might be other places where more can be made due to competition among applicants or requirements needed by employer.
Conclusion
To know about lifelong savings related with becoming a lifeguard is important for anyone considering entering into this satisfying profession.According to various determinants, initial costs range anywhere between 200 dollars up tp400 dollars or even more sometimes but keep in mind that gaining these skills pays off not only personally but also professionally therefore it cannot be treated solely ton personal gains only.
American Lifeguard USA offers top standard training which covers all aspects necessary for successful completion while teaching candidates practical abilities required during their service as guards.Additionally such certification provides you with best value possible from your investment because apart from qualifying yourself financially there are other ways like discounts ,financial assistance ,group packages etc., that may be used so as to reduce overall expenditure.
In the end, it is not about how much does lifeguard certification cost but rather what valuable skills you will learn and the opportunities that can arise from having this qualification. Whether somebody wants work experience as they study or are looking forward to joining among those professionals working towards ensuring safety in aquatic environments – getting certified as a lifeguard remains a good investment for years ahead