Programme Timeline<\/p>\n
Week 1: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 King\u2019s Trust Team Building & Employability Skills Workshops at King\u2019s Trust Venue<\/p>\n
Week 2:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 NPLQ course week at Edinburgh Leisure Venue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Week 3: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 King\u2019s Trust CV and Interview Preparation Workshops at King\u2019s Trust Venue<\/p>\n
Week 4: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Work Placement Week at Edinburgh Leisure Venue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Week 5: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Guaranteed Interviews & Celebration Event with Edinburgh Leisure & King\u2019s Trust<\/p>\n
Franek Karwacki, 18, from Trinity, is one of the previous cohort\u2019s success stories.<\/p>\n
He left Trinity High School in the summer of 2024 with outstanding A-grade Highers and had been working part-time in a fish and chip shop.<\/p>\n
Unlike many of his peers who pursued immediate university education, Franek chose an alternative path. Encouraged by his father, he applied to the \u2018Get Into Lifeguarding Course\u2019 offered by the King\u2019s Trust in partnership with Edinburgh Leisure, viewing it as an opportunity for professional development and personal growth.<\/p>\n
Unlike his university-bound friends who were burning through their savings, it was an opportunity for him to earn a steady income in his \u2018gap year\u2019. The shift work didn\u2019t bother him either, with him enthusing: \u201cI quite enjoy the earlies, starting at 5:30 am and ending at 2 pm, as it gives me time to pursue my passion for basketball,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
The programme opened a door he hadn\u2019t even considered before. \u201cI hadn\u2019t necessarily thought about lifeguarding as a career path,\u201d Franek admitted, \u201cbut now I\u2019ve gained skills that were completely paid for and got a job. The support from both Edinburgh Leisure and the King\u2019s Trust transformed what could have been an uncertain period into a real opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
A year on, having worked as a lifeguard at Leith Victoria, the qualifications have springboarded him into his next chapter.\u00a0 He has recently left Edinburgh Leisure to finally join his peers by heading to university in Sweden to study Economics and Society. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m going to be looking into lifeguarding opportunities while I\u2019m in Sweden to support my studies, so the qualifications have definitely come in handy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Karen West, Manager at Portobello Swim Centre, emphasised the programme\u2019s broader mission: \u201cThis initiative is a win-win. We\u2019re providing young people with a unique opportunity to learn, grow, and potentially launch a career in the leisure industry. For many young people, like Franek, this could be life-changing for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
How to Apply<\/p>\n
For Programme-related enquiries and to apply, email by 7 August:<\/p>\n
[email\u00a0protected]<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Spaces are limited to 12 participants. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Leith-pool1-1-1000x665.jpg\")
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<\/a>Like this:<\/p>\n