swim instructor

aquatics manager

customer service representative

customer experience specialist

instructor

British Swim School

I would give this job 0 stars.
I was let go due to the fact of being physically ill. 
You can’t call off within the first 60 days (note or otherwise). I was fired in an email, two hours before I had to work. I feel that if you get a doctor’s note it should be an excused absence. 
The management never showed up; and when they did, it was only for an hour or so. And they never provided me with the uniforms I was in need of. 
The rewarding part of this job is the kids, and seeing their growth and creating real bonds with them and their families. 
But I saw a lot of things within some of the instructors that were just there for money and didn’t seem to care about anything else. The owners really seem to have opened these locations just for money and some of the locations are really struggling with even having classes. I sat on deck one time for 4 hours (normally having 4-5 instructors in water) and having 20-25 classes in total split between instructors; that day  there was 8 classes split between 3 instructors due to cancellations and families pulling their kids from swim classes. 
The owners only seem to care about opening more and more locations rather than just focusing on the locations that are already open and trying to get those locations to thrive. They seem to be really money hungry and don’t seem to care about the genuine origins of BSS entirely. (Which was started to keep kids safe and teach them how to survive if they were to fall in a body of water.)  they don’t seem to care about their employees or the families in the program and leave all the decision making in locations up to shift leads (who, to my knowledge, get no extra pay for being shift leads) 
Management is so terrible that the girl that interviewed me left shortly after in an angry email.
Seems like you can call off as much as you want after you finish training, but god forbid you’re still training and you are physically (or otherwise) ill. 
If you can put up with management being completely non existent and just being left in the dark to everything I’d say go for it; but I’d just steer clear otherwise.  

Maintenance is very manipulative and condescending. Made up lies and used my health as reason to dismiss my position after 40+ hours of training and I was one of two instructors to open the company, and I was still not given the respect of basic necessities for my health. The kids were amazing and the only reason I enjoyed this position so much, other than my love for swimming and fellow instructors. 
They hold empty promises, require time off scheduled an entire season in advance. (had to submit any time off for sept-december in JULY!), they make up lies about you and gaslight you, they nitpick at every flaw, but only for select people. The job description says there is PTO and biweekly pay. There is not. Only PTO for the aquatics manager, and pay is semi-monthly. Instructors get the backlash for students that act out because they need to be able to handle their class, but then are told they are not to discipline kids. You’re expected to work nearly every day, but shifts can be as short as 2 hours, from 3-5, which throws off your entire day for $30 before tax. Speaking of, instructors are severely underpaid for the work required to be done, and the amount and depth of training they have to go through. 50 total hours, 10 hours of which is unpaid. Pools are dirty and cold which throws off paying customers abilities to learn because the water is freezing and babies and younger kids are in uncomfortable. chemicals are often off which cause irritation to skin and eyes, and they teach as young as 3 months old babies in water that is uncomfortable. No breaks whatsoever, no lunch, nothing. 

A typical day at BSS looked like coming into the location, setting up all the equipment, and then getting started with the classes, which go back-to-back - lots of times they're doubled up - until the end time. Then, you clean everything up, put away the equipment, and go change and clock out. I learned about communication with the office, families, and other coaches, and the lesson plans for each level. The management was great for the majority of the time I worked there, however there were quite a few times where the communication from the office was very lacking. The workplace at most locations I worked at/visited was fairly good however, I will say there were a few coaches who were mean and disrespectful to the other coaches. Generally, though, it's pretty light and friendly between coaches and overall. The hardest part of the job was the adults. Whether in the office or with some parents, it could be rough sometimes - they would sometimes get mad at you when you least expect it. The most enjoyable part of the job was the kids. It's super fun to see them learn and grow with each lesson, and they were so funny and clever. 

I have loved working at BSS, the kids are fun to work with and the coworkers help as best as we currently can. I enjoyed the teaching experience and that they work around your schedule. Just be honest with us about where you prefer to work and that’s where you can work. I hardly work outside of my comfort zone which has been very nice. Training is very informative and they prefer it if you ask questions while training; but that doesn’t mean you can’t refresh anything; refreshing your skills is encouraged. 

A typical work day can start with getting everything set up, such as toys; rings, noodles, benches, and teaching dolls (used for tadpole ((baby)) up to starfish). Getting ready to get in the water, into our swimsuits, get our gear together etc. Then we have 5-6 thirty minute classes with a max of 6 children. We have 5 minute periods for each skill and ending with playtime. After the classes it’s clean up, and we’re done. Occasionally we might have an in service which we get a paid lunch from subway, or you can bring your own and an extra hour or more for work. These are informative about what the company is going to do and making sure we’re prepared for the new implements, or for new skills. 

The hardest part is finding someone to take your shift if you are going to be missing, as you first have to find your replacement and if you can’t management might help you find someone. Currently it’s difficult cause we don’t have a lot of people. 

Pros
	•	Positive environment: The energy is upbeat, and working around kids can genuinely make your day better.
	•	Meaningful work: You see real progress—kids learning skills and parents being grateful.
	•	Strong teamwork when staffing is solid: When everyone shows up and classes are running smoothly, the shift goes by fast.
	•	Good experience builder: You learn customer service, time management, organization, and how to stay calm under pressure.
	•	Clear responsibilities: The role is hands-on and structured—you always know what needs to be done.

Cons
	•	Fast-paced during peak hours: Overlapping classes + parents asking questions + kids moving around can get hectic.
	•	You’re pulled in multiple directions: Deck ambassador is a “do everything” role—check-ins, parent support, class flow, and troubleshooting all at once.
	•	Physically/mentally draining: You’re on your feet a lot, staying alert in a loud pool environment and constantly switching tasks.
	•	Mandatory extras can be annoying: Things like in-services/meetings don’t always feel worth it when you’re already juggling a lot.

Advice to Management
	•	Keep staffing consistent during busy blocks so the deck ambassador isn’t doing the work of multiple roles.
	•	Improve communication around inventory/supplies so needed items (caps, goggles, etc.) don’t run low.
	•	Make mandatory trainings more streamlined and directly helpful to day-to-day deck operations.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Willing to give you raises if you cover a lot and pretty much agree with everything. If they're short staffed, you're treated great. If they have enough employees, you're no longer important. Management is weak, chaotic, gossip-ridden, and spiteful at times. No one really has any idea what they're doing and the owner of the company isn't very involved. The only thing that makes it worthwhile are the students. However, be prepared to argue with hotel guests, swim in gross pools, and be immediately terminated if you call off three times without coverage.  Turnover rate is crazy so don't expect to work here long, even if you love it. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Management not caring or taking responsibility. Pools conditions and class conditions not suitable to the curriculum. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It really depends on who you're working with 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Again, it depends on the days and students. Most of the time it's very stressful but sometimes it's great.

Work with all ages and walks of life, great customers. Staff consist of mostly teens which they treat as though their the grown ones and adults like their children. Management has to be watched not only do they steal your time but your hours and pay never match. They make promises they don't keep. They have a lack of humanity as well and don't let a family member die while working here they make you work and act like it didn't happen. Ask for time off they're calling you asking you to come in even if you're in a whole other state. They don't give customers what they pay for, and most important two of the five sites are really in horrible conditions to work in for where they're located very disappointed. Not to mention too many staff have gone since I was there and all left for the same reasons poor management. They give promotions to people who did nothing for it. 

I worked at BSS for about a year and had a great time working with the kids and my coworkers. We all got along and with the exception of the occasional issue with a kid acting out the job ran pretty well. Unfortunately some of the people in charge had issues with the approach of work with kids on what they need instead of what they actually wanted which is to check a box and say they did it. The people are great and working with kids is fantastic and rewarding, but unfortunately i felt like they weren’t worried about teaching the kids to be safe and happy swimmers, but instead kids that can maybe do tasks. I had so many students who should’ve waited to go up, but because they on paper could do a task they were moved up. It broke my heart watching a young girl go up a class and struggle for months, only to be demoted back down to where she should have been while all her friends moved up without her. The issue isn’t anyone in particular, it’s a mindset and culture of good enough instead of excellence.

During the more than a year I worked here, there was a general feeling that workers weren't appreciated. There were almost no internal growth opportunities, indicating a paucity of workforce investment. I regularly witnessed the company's policies being applied inconsistently and unfairly, which created a distrustful environment. The company's procedures were quite impersonal and bureaucratic, even though the owner had spoken out against having a corporate atmosphere. An extremely stressful and eventually unhealthy work environment was created by the demanding workload, which continuously ignored any notion of work-life balance. Overall, I had a very bad experience. and I am unable to suggest this company as a place to work. It was a truly great turning point to be let go from this role.

I enjoy working at the British Swim School. The company is ALL about their mission to make everybody regardless of age or ability a safe and happy swimmer. This is where people go when they want to become safer in the water (or if they want their little ones to learn water safty). Each day you teach amazing classes. It's all about making the class a magical experience for your students. The company provides lesson plans that are progressive, so teachers can meet students at their level. Another aspect that I enjoy is the role of Deck Ambassador because I have a chance to provide outstanding customer service and build relationships with people in my community. Another thing to mention is the teamwork and bonding. The people in charge go out of their way to plan FREQUENT group outings. We do happy hour, escape rooms, and Christmas parties. Which are worth attending. Over all this place keeps you active And it's an awesome place to be. .

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Swim instructor 484 salaries reported	$18.15 per hour
Aquatics manager 34 salaries reported	$22.48 per hour
Customer service representative 29 salaries reported	$16.53 per hour
Customer experience specialist 31 salaries reported	$16.72 per hour
Instructor 16 salaries reported	$17.53 per hour

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