Why it's time to consider a career in the leisure industry

To celebrate the Queens Baton coming to Sandwell, we have produced a small video to inspire more local people to consider a career within the leisure industry. (At the top left-hand corner of the website we have added some new functionality whereby if you wish to read this article in another language you can by selecting any of the twenty languages available).
Our social media team spent the day with Tashan & Chantelle who are both key members of our team at Smethwick Swimming Centre & Langley Swimming Centre. Both have had long careers with SLT and we were keen to find out why.
Tashan’s Story
I began working for SLT in 2010, after passing my pool lifeguard exam. I started as a Leisure Attendant at Wednesbury Leisure Centre, before going on to work at other SLT centres around the borough.
In my role as a Leisure Attendant, my main duties are keeping our swimmers safe and patrolling the swimming pools, keeping all areas of the centre clean and well-presented and offering good customer service to all our members and customers.
To maintain my pool lifeguard qualification, I undertake monthly training in the pool, refresh our CPR skills and run through several emergency scenarios. This ensures that I am ready and able to respond should an emergency arise.
I enjoy working for SLT who through the years have invested in my career development. Since I started, I’ve become a qualified Swimming Teacher & a Relief Duty Manager. Teaching swimming is very rewarding and it’s always great to see the young swimmers move up through the stages.
Being a Duty Manager holds a lot of responsibility and I’m grateful for all the time my line managers have invested in me. They have given me all the tools I need to ensure I can keep the building and my team safe and deliver a great experience to the customers every day. I really love the variation in my roles, and I have a great team of people around me.
I have enjoyed supporting the organisation at many outreach events including The Sandwell Show and Strongman. You meet lots of different people, and this variation gives me added motivation and lots of job satisfaction.
Myself and the teams I work with have been recognised by SLT as part of their Annual Staff Awards and I am grateful for the feedback my manager gives me throughout my shift on jobs well done.
If you are thinking about a career in leisure, I’d urge anyone of any age to visit the SLT recruitment webpage and apply. I get paid well, have uniform provided and get holiday entitlement. It’s great to be part of a large team and it doesn’t matter what age you are, we have a great team spirit.
Chantelle’s Story
I’ve always loved working with people from the local community throughout my career. I started working at Smethwick Swimming Centre as a receptionist in 2003 and time seems to have gone very quickly since then.
I love my job because I get a lot of satisfaction from helping people. Smethwick Swimming Centre is like one big family; we have lots of customers who visit at the same time every day for their swim or fitness session and its great to build a good rapport with them and we share a lot of smiles together. We have a very diverse customer base and it’s important that our team can support all our customers, especially those who may have language barriers. It’s great to make a difference with customers.
I used to work in a school as a lunchtime supervisor and whilst I loved that, SLT offered me an opportunity to grow my career. After working in reception, I then became a qualified gym instructor and an activity coordinator where I look after the swimming lesson programme.
I enjoy all roles equally however; I do enjoy delivering one to one sessions in the gym and helping our members achieve their personal goals, that is very rewarding.
Continuous training and development are offered whilst working for SLT. There is an online training tool which makes it easy to complete all necessary essential training as well as the weekly training at the centres. As a team, we regularly meet together to share good practice and discuss any challenges which are presented; it all helps us to deliver increased customer satisfaction.
Working for SLT is great because it offers fair pay, the opportunity for development, we are treated fairly and have holiday, sick pay, and flexibility.
I’d urge anyone to apply to work at SLT, there are so many roles, and many have different shift patterns that can fit in around your own lifestyle.