Skills Courses

Open water swimming is one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK. The OWL qualification has been specifically designed to equip open water lifeguards with the skills required to supervise and provide rescue cover for planned, organised and risk assessed activities in still or non-tidal water.

The National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) is a well-recognised qualification that will provide you with a gateway into the leisure industry. The course will teach you the practical skills of lifeguarding, such as water rescue, casualty recovery, CPR and first aid. The NPLQ is the most awarded lifeguard qualification in the UK and Ireland and is also internationally recognised. More than 40,000 pool lifeguards qualify with the RLSS UK every year, and there are currently more than 90,000 pool lifeguards qualified in the NPLQ – 95% of all UK pool lifeguards.

You will do a minimum of 36 hours of learning, followed by a practical assessment on swimming pool theory, water safety and how to spot potential hazards. Skern Training and Skills provide a programme at one of our sites in Devon, but we can deliver across the UK.

The NPLQ and AED certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of successful completion of the course.

The NVBLQ is a national standard for beach lifeguarding. On completion of the course, candidates will have the skills and knowledge to protect the public at the beach. NVBLQ is also endorsed by the National Water Safety Forum and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

The Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) qualification enables a first-aider to give emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work. This one-day course covers a range of CPR and first aid skills, providing you with the skills to ensure a safe working environment.

The qualification is Ofqual accredited and valid for three years, making it suitable for all industries and enabling you to meet HSE requirements. The award is valid for three years as of the date of assessment.

The Emergency First Aid at Work course is six hours and can be delivered in one day or split into smaller sessions over a four-week period from the start of the course. The course comprises of practical work and theoretical classroom work, including practical assessment on CPR and first aid.

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This course is the most comprehensive first aid course for the workplace. It covers a wide range of CPR and first aid skills and equips first aiders with the ability to apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illnesses. The course is suitable for all industries and enables employers to meet HSE requirements. On completion of this course, candidates receive a Level 3 First Aid at Work Qualification.

Defibrillators (AEDs) have been proven to significantly increase the chances of survival in cases of cardiac arrest. This course teaches candidates how to give effective CPR and use an AED to feel confident if an emergency occurs.

This course is designed to give individuals the tools and knowledge to make a difference to a vulnerable person’s life. It will also let the practitioner reporting the abuse know how they can safeguard themselves in everyday work, while seeking help and reporting the incident identified. It is aimed towards safeguarding leads or appointed persons within a business, and any individual who works with children or adults at risk. This can be an in-person or online course. 

This qualification gives participants an understanding of safeguarding which can be used while working with children or adults at risk, in a workplace, support or activity group. The qualification equips people with the skills to identify a safeguarding concern, record a disclosure and report to the appropriate person.  This can be an in-person or online course. 

This 2 day course is designed to teach and develop your technical and environmental climbing skills for intermediate climbers.

This is an ideal course for beginner climbers with little to no experience climbing on rock. We’ll explore the basic skills that will progress you into becoming a more competent climber; from understanding technical rope work skills to utilising the fundamentals of movement and balance. This course is aimed at people looking to get into climbing on real rock.

This is a 2-day course providing you with plenty of opportunities to learn, practice and get climbing and will take place in the beautiful Dartmoor National Park. You must be at least 18 years old and have an average fitness level with respect to being able to walk a short way to the crag and partake in climbing. You must be at least 18 years old and have an average fitness level with respect to being able to walk a short way to the crag and partake in climbing.

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This is a beginner navigation course ideal for those who are new to map reading or someone with minimal experience. We’ll decipher the lines and symbols on a map and introduce you to useful navigation techniques to build your confidence and understanding. This is a 1 day, practical course aimed at people that wish to gain confidence within navigation in low-level terrain and there will be plenty of opportunities to practice in Lowland countryside.

No previous hill walking experience is required. You must be at least 18 years old and have an average fitness level in respect to being able to walk on tracks and paths in a moderately hilly, countryside setting.

The qualification provides an introduction to teaching and aims to meet the needs of a range of trainee teachers, such as:

• individuals not currently in a teaching or training role
• individuals currently teaching and training (including those who have just begun teaching and training)
• individuals currently working as assessors who wish to achieve a qualification that provides an introduction to teaching

This qualification is suitable for learners aged 19 and above.

This qualification is intended for those who assess both occupational competence in the work environment and vocational skills, knowledge and understanding in environments other than the workplace (for example a workshop, classroom or other training environment). This qualification is for learners aged 19 and above.

The Canoe Open Water Leader is aimed at paddlers who wish to lead groups on open water river journeys in canoes.

The Paddlesport Touring Leader is aimed at paddlers who wish to lead groups of mixed craft on inland open water.

The White Water Leader supports paddlers who wish to lead groups of white water boats on grade 2(3) white water rivers.

This award gives paddlers ownership; allowing them to choose where they move next in the world of paddlesport. Participants will develop a programme that suits their needs and learn to make confident choices recognising their ability to independently paddle your chosen craft in a sheltered water environment.

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The Paddlesport Leader is aimed at paddlers who wish to lead groups of mixed craft on both wind affected and slow moving sheltered water. These courses typically cover leadership skills, and the associated personal skills, safety and rescue skills. We run both training and assessments for the Paddlesport Leader Award.

Provides the skills and background knowledge needed by the competent powerboat driver and is the basis of the International Certificate of Competence. It aims to teach boat handling and seamanship in powerboats.

Provides a practical introduction to boat handling and safety in powerboats. It covers boating techniques for launching and recovering a boat from a road trailer, everyday boat handling and the use of safety equipment.