Graduate Case Studies - (Unusual) Job of the Week 3
Name: Janine Guyatt
Age: 22
Degree and University: BSC Sports Science, from Sheffield Hallam University
Job Title: Swimming Instructor for First Choice Holidays, based at the Holiday Village, Red Sea, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
A passion for swimming combined with a degree in Sports Science from Sheffield Hallam University has landed Janine Guyatt the opportunity of a life time.
Janine, 20, from Loughborough has her summer, as well as her career sorted as she puts her swimming teaching qualifications to excellent use in Egypt, as an instructor for First Choice Holidays.
Janine had always envisaged travelling after university, but when she found out that she could be making money from teaching swimming at the Holiday Village Red Sea in Sharm el Sheik there was no stopping her from jumping on the next flight out.
She explains that the lifestyle is not easy as the days are long, and you need to be comfortable communicating with new people. Most mornings are spent attending welcome meetings for new customers about the swimming lessons. This is followed by the actual teaching of six to eight half hour lessons, which cater for all age groups and abilities. Finally at the end of the day there is no time to relax by the pool, but instead Janine is busy completing paperwork. Some nights even continue on till late with Janine seeing off the customers going home, and often holding presentations for the children to celebrate their achievements at the end of their stay.
However, Janine says that although it may be hard work there are so many highlights, from meeting new people to learning to scuba dive, encountering Bedouin people in the desert and visiting the Pyramids in Cairo. She particularly emphasises how rewarding the job is, to pass on your skills to those eager to learn is a priceless feeling, and the children's excitement is infectious:
'I think I have the best job here as I spend most of my days outside in the sunshine teaching children how to swim. It's amazing to watch their skills develop over their holiday and send them home doing something they couldn't do when they first came.'
Janine is certain that everything she has experienced in Egypt has been highly beneficial and will add something to her CV when it comes to future employment. Developing her confidence, public speaking, and teaching skills are invaluable life lessons, things which she states she never had before taking the job. She can even imagine continuing to work for First Choice after the summer and making her way up the ladder in the business.
Janine cannot speak more highly of her experience, and encourages everyone to get out there and try it for themselves.
By Helen Knapman
Add to
Send to a friend
Post a comment
Comments
No comments....
Graduate Employers
| TravelWorks | TravelWorks offers a myriad of volunteer and paid work opportuniti... | more |
| BUNAC | BUNAC’s overseas work and volunteer programmes offer adventu... | more |
| Camp America | It's a chance to do something different with your summer and spend... | more |
| Community Service Volunteers - CSV | Community Service Volunteers (CSV) was founded in 1962 by Mora and... | more |
| Traveller's World | "Traveller's World" - the first guide to bring together travel, to... | more |
Graduate Case Studies
|
Benita Sabharwal - Costa Rica & Nicaragua - 2009I had just finished my psychology degree and I was unemployed, searching for jobs and getting nowhere. Not even recruitment/temp agencies would take me on because I had no experience. I applied to the Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award because I have always wanted to volunteer abroad where I could make a difference... ... more |
|
Charlotte Paddock - Harnas Wildlife Foundation, NamibiaI decided to take some time out following my degree, because I knew I would be going on to complete further studies, and really wanted a nice break in between! I couldn’t manage a gap year, but enjoyed the time I spent away... ... more |
|
Julia Sloboda - TravelWorksI spent eight weeks in various national parks across Costa Rica as part of a TravelWorks gap year. Costa Rica: the best thing I have ever done in my life! I worked a total of eight weeks in various national parks - searching for turtle nests in the night, digging out eggs and burying them again in a safer place, bringing hatched turtle babies down to sea ... more |
|
(Unusual) Job of the Week 3After graduating from University I had always planned to take some time out and travel. However, when I found out I could use my skills and work abroad for a UK based company I decided that this would be the best way to see and experience life in other countries and get paid whilst doing it. ... more |
Graduate Advice
|
Gap Year Safety: One Student's Experience Taking a gap year or shorter break should be the experience of a lifetime,... more |
|
10 Gap Year Safety Tips... more |
|
Part of the point of a gap year is to get yourself out of your comfort... more |
|
A constructive gap year after uni can be a shrewd career move, as well... more |
Comments