News

Help Shape the Future of STA!

As part of our commitment to raising standards, STA is introducing a new education review process, which will involve the STA technical team working alongside volunteers on specific specialist areas.

We are starting the process by introducing a working group for aquatics, for lifesaving & first aid, and for pool plant; and we would like to invite people that represent different areas of the industry to volunteer and apply to become involved.

STA is recognised as leading the way in developing quality qualifications that are relevant to the needs of our learners and in line with modern-day thinking and practices. To further this and ensure our qualifications and codes of practice continue to represent the needs of our members, tutors and the leisure industry, the education working groups will be crucial in our long term development.

In addition to reviewing STA’s resources, working group members will also be given the opportunity to share their own ideas and make recommendations on new ways STA can progress.

Limited places are available for these select working groups and we unfortunately can’t guarantee a place for everyone that applies. The chosen working group members will be rigorously selected by STA with the aim of ensuring we have at least one member representing the different needs of the industry in each group.

It is anticipated that meetings will be held at STA head office every three to six months, with opportunity for members to attend remotely if required. Depending on the volume of resources that are being reviewed at any given time, volunteers will also be expected to undertake work outside of meetings and adhere to strict deadlines. All travel expenses associated with this role will be reimbursed.

If you would like to offer your time and expertise and become a member of one STA’s education working groups, please email sta@sta.co.uk to indicate your interest and detail the working group you would like to join. In support of your application, please also provide a brief summary of your area of expertise and why you would like to help shape the future of STA. The deadline for applications to be submitted is 8th May 2016.

Thank you in advance!

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Member News, Opportunities

Dave Candler FCIMSPA (Ch)

Dave has been involved in teaching swimming and leisure management for over 25 years. Prior to becoming CEO of STA in 2016, he worked for ten years as the Operations, Swimming and Training Manager at one of the largest publicly run swim schools in the country, where he gained valuable, insightful front-line experience of the leisure industry. Dave also worked as an STA tutor, training many hundreds (if not thousands) of teachers, and gained multiple qualifications that support his role today at STA. In 2021, Dave was named one of the "Top 20 Dynamic CEOs" in the UK because of the work he did to support the aquatics industry through the pandemic. This leadership also led to STA being awarded ā€˜Education Provider of the Year’ by ukactive in 2022 and receiving ā€˜Innovation of the Year’ at the 2023 Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) Awards. Professionally and personally, swimming is Dave’s lifelong passion. In his spare time, he is a keen open water swimmer and successfully completed a Channel swim relay with Team STA. Dave has also recently been granted Chartered Manager Fellow status by CIMSPA, the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector. Chartered status is the pinnacle of professional recognition awarded by CIMSPA and is a nationally recognised hallmark of a qualified professional who has demonstrated excellence and impact in their field, backed by their qualifications, experience, and expertise.

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