Following the announcement by CIMSPA last month that £1.5m of ReTrain funding is being made available to retool the sport and physical workforce, we can confirm that STA Excel has become an official CIMSPA Training Provider Partner in support of the initiative.
STA Excel is an international training provider and delivers Safety Training Awards’ full portfolio of regulated vocational qualifications; this includes STA’s pool plant operator, swimming teaching, open water swimming and lifeguard qualifications, which all qualify for the new ReTrain funding as they are all endorsed by CIMSPA against the sector’s Professional Standards.
Paula Chapman, STA Excel Business Coordinator, said: “We are delighted to become a recognised CIMSPA Training Provider Partner. We are looking forward to facilitating the delivery of STA’s CIMSPA endorsed qualifications through the ReTrain programme, and play our part in helping to plug the skill gaps that CIMSPA’s employer partners identify.”
Launched by CIMSPA on 8th September 2020, ReTrain is a new £1.5m training initiative that is being funded by the National Lottery through Sport England. The funding announcement followed a CIMSPA survey which indicated that up to 6% of the activity workforce (30,000) people are planning to leave the sector.
ReTrain has been designed to support employer partners of CIMSPA, CLUK and ukactive with sites in England, by providing free training – delivered via CIMSPA Training Provider Partners, like STA Excel – for new and existing staff, to enable them to work in new areas. CIMSPA state this will allow employers to continue providing valuable services to their local community, and that there will be a particular emphasis on areas of social deprivation.
During Phase 1 of the funding process, CIMSPA have confirmed the focus will be on courses that lead to CIMSPA endorsed qualifications – qualifications that are endorsed against the sector’s Professional Standards – to help businesses recover after lockdown.
STA’s qualifications that qualify for funding, and can be delivered by STA Excel, as they are endorsed by CIMSPA against the sector’s Professional Standards include:
- STA Award in Teaching Swimming
- STA Certificate in Teaching Swimming
- STA Pool Lifeguarding
- STA Pool Plant Operations
- STA Open Water Swimming Coaching
In subsequent phases, ReTrain will also be providing support for courses that deliver CPD points.