Want to to work in our aquatic centers or group fitness programs?
Explore the certifications available with Y Winnipeg and ignite your passion for helping others.
Aquatic Certifications
Open the door to employment possibilities. At the Y, we have been exercising, inventing sports and promoting an active lifestyle for over a century. In fact, the YMCA developed the first national aquatic program!
A career as a lifeguard and or swim instructor provides the opportunity for you to develop leadership and communication skills, and grow your athletic abilities, build your confidence and make an impact in your community.
Becoming a Lifeguard or Swim Instructor
As a certified YMCA Canada Swim Instructor, you are qualified to teach swimming lessons at Y’s across the country. We also offer a range of Lifesaving and Lifeguarding courses as a provincial and national affiliate to the Lifesaving Society of Canada.
Gain the confidence and skills you need to perform low-risk rescues. Increase your understanding of lifesaving skills and personal water safety while developing individual and group decision-making abilities. Designed to deliver high-performance training for skilled pre-teens, Bronze Star is an excellent preparation tool for success in Bronze Medallion and future lifesaving and lifeguarding courses.
Prerequisite: Ability to swim sufficiently and/or for 400m continuously. Suggested completion of Star 5 or Star 6.
This level is not a prerequisite for Bronze Medallion, though it is strongly recommended.
To become certified, candidates need to attend 100% of the course. No exceptions can be accommodated.
Enhance your understanding of the lifesaving principles that make up the four components of water rescue: judgment, knowledge, skill and fitness. Learn tows, carries and release methods in preparation for challenging rescues of increased risk. Lifesavers learn to respond to increasingly complex situations involving conscious and unconscious people in contact and non-contact rescues. Participants develop stroke efficiency and endurance with a timed swim.
Textbook and course materials will be provided by the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg.
- Prerequisites: Bronze Star by first day of course or 13 years old by date of exam
To become certified, candidates need to attend 100% of the course. No exceptions can be accommodated.
Designed for lifesavers who want the challenge of more advanced training, including an introduction to safe supervision in aquatic facilities as an assistant lifeguard. Bronze Cross teaches the difference between lifesaving and lifeguarding, the principles of emergency procedures and teamwork. Lifesavers and assistant lifeguards build on the skills from Bronze Medallion, gaining a better understanding of the management of an emergency situation. Bronze Cross is the stepping stone prerequisite for advanced training programs in lifesaving, lifeguarding and leadership (the Distinction Award, the National Lifeguard Service Award and the Lifesaving Instructor Award).
Please bring your Canadian Lifesaving Manual and a Fox40 whistle. Can't find your manual? A copy can be purchased through Lifesaving Society Manitoba.
- Prerequisite: Bronze Medallion
To become certified, candidates need to attend 100% of the course. No exceptions can be accommodated.
The National Lifeguard Pool certification is designed to develop the fundamental values, judgment, knowledge, skills and fitness required by lifeguards. The National Lifeguard course emphasizes the lifeguarding skills, principles and practices, and the decision-making processes that will assist the lifeguard to provide effective safety supervision in swimming pool environments.
All textbooks are included in the cost of the National Lifeguard course.
Prerequisite: current Bronze Cross, current Standard (Intermediate) First Aid* and 15 years of age by last day of course. Please bring all pieces with you to show instructor on day one of course.
**Important Note: Required Standard (Intermediate) First Aid must be from one of the recognized agencies in the Manitoba Public Health Act:
- St. John Ambulance Standard First Aid Certificate
- Red Cross Standard First Aid Certificate
- Lifesaving Society Aquatic Emergency Care Certificate
- Lifesaving Society Standard First Aid Certificate
- Criti Care, Inc. Standard First Aid Certificate
- Safety Services Manitoba Standard First Aid Certificate
- Heart Beat Inc. Manitoba Standard First Aid Certificate
To become certified, candidates need to attend 100% of the course. No exceptions can be accommodated.
Share your love of swimming with others! As a leader in the pool, you can play an essential role in helping others learn to swim and improve their health in many ways. You will learn a variety of teaching techniques, lesson planning, progressions, and more. You will complete your certification ready to teach swimming, lifesaving and aquatic activities for the YMCA Canada swim program. To become certified, candidates need to attend 100% of the course and complete Standard First Aid within three months of attending the course.
Prerequisites: 15 years old (must be 16 years old by certification date) and Bronze Cross
The Lifesaving Society’s Distinction Award encourages a maturity of response to demanding aquatic emergency situations and is designed to develop advanced water rescue skills and knowledge and an understanding of the principles of fitness training. Distinction challenges include implications of assuming responsibility in an emergency, how to deal with two victims at once and rescue of a non-breathing spinal-injured victim. Inherent in the name of the Award, lifesavers must perform every item with distinction.
- Prerequisite: Bronze Cross
Learning First Aid
This comprehensive first aid course provides CPR skills for those who need training due to work requirements or who want more knowledge to respond to emergencies at home. You will learn emergency first aid skills as well as how to respond to sudden medical emergencies, head and spinal injuries and environmental emergencies. A manual and a certificate are provided upon completion.
Prerequisite: 16 years old
An 8-hour course for people who want a general knowledge of first aid principles and the emergency treatment of injuries, this course includes CPR C and AED training. Recognized by Manitoba Workplace Health and Safety, certification is valid for three years.
Fitness Instructor Certifications
Empower your passion for fitness by becoming a Fitness Instructor. Experience the community and fun of fitness instruction while inspiring others to achieve their health and wellness goals. Begin your journey to Group Fitness:
Step 1: Check out the upcoming Fitness Leadership Courses
Step 2: Register on-line or in-person at any one of our 4 locations
Step 3: Complete your course and apply for a Fitness Instructor job
Why Become a Y Fitness Instructor?
Our Fitness Instructors are the ambassadors of Y Winnipeg's health and fitness programs. Fully-certified in group fitness leadership, our instructors lead a variety of drop-in fitness classes including Body Sculpt, HIIT, Synrgy, Aqua Fitness, Group Cycle, Gentle Fit, and more! In addition to helping participants achieve their wellness goals by delivering fun, safe, and effective group fitness programs, our Fitness Instructors create a welcoming environment that helps build a sense of community.
Our Y Fitness Instructors report a great sense of satisfaction in giving back to their communities by inspiring active lifestyles. They also express appreciation for the sense of belonging they feel at the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg as well as the opportunities for continued growth. In addition, Fitness Instructors receive:
- Complimentary individual Y membership
- Free continuing education workshops throughout the year
- Free annual CPR C recertification, and
- Mentorship, coaching and professional development opportunities
We ask that Fitness Instructors commit to teaching a minimum of one regular class per week for one year. Classes are typically 45 minutes long with an additional 15 minutes before and after class for set up and tear down, plus preparation time in advance of your class.
We offer the following certification courses at various times:
- YMCA Group Strength & Cardio Instructor
- YMCA Group Aquatic Fitness Instructor
- YMCA Group Cycle Instructor
- YMCA Personal Trainer
Basic Fitness Theory and theory components for the Group Fitness Leadership Courses are self-directed and on-line. This allows flexibility to work at your own pace within the course term. Course Instructors and Adult & Senior Program Coordinators are available to support you if you need assistance. Practical application occurs in-person in the company of your peers. The final component is to complete your practice-teaching apprenticeship and, when you are ready, request a certification observation from a YMCA Fitness Champion or Educator to complete your certification.
YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg mandates Fitness Instructors to meet these standards:
- Criminal Record Check (renewed every 3 years).
- YMCA fitness evaluation (renewed every 3 years)
- 20 Continuing Education Credits (CECs) required every 3 years
- Renewal of CPR level C every 3 years
Enhance your teaching skills through ongoing education.
As a Fitness Instructor, embarking on a journey of continuous growth is essential to honing your skills and staying at the top of your game. Our program requires instructors to accumulate a total of 20 Continuing Education Credits (CECs) over a span of three years. These CECs not only serve as a requirement but also as a fantastic opportunity to enhance your expertise and expand your modalities. Embrace the chance to invest in yourself, refine your abilities, and keep your teaching skills at their best.
If you have received fitness certification to teach or lead a class from outside of the YMCA, you can still apply to be a Fitness Instructor with YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg. In this case, we require all applicants to be evaluated and challenge the YMCA fitness certification. Once passed, you will receive a YMCA fitness certification in your designation.
If you are already a certified or licensed instructor (YMCA, Manitoba Fitness Council, CanFitPro, ZUMBA, Yoga, Pilates etc.) and want to be a part of a thriving community that's dedicated to creating a healthier, happier world, one person at a time, apply to join our team today!