People attending last week's careers expo in Stratford were encouraged to "dive in" to new career paths by members of the TSB Pool complex team.
Stratford District Council's customer and leisure services manager Andrea Mathews was there to talk to people about the wide range of jobs and learning opportunities on offer at the swimming pool.
"From being a host for birthday parties at the pool, to teaching swimming, there's something for everyone."
Not all jobs at the pool require specific qualifications, she says, while others that do can come with the relevant training and support.
"Our birthday party hosts don't need a qualification to start, we will do all the training needed on the job so they can run a fun party and jump in the pool with the kids to supervise them.
"While qualifications are needed to become a lifeguard, swim school instructor, or to teach group fitness classes, we do run the relevant courses here frequently throughout the year and we have another course coming up in June."
Staff at the pool can also have help doing further studies that Andrea says can lead to qualifications for other career options.
"We have had previous staff use this as a base to become a physiotherapist and osteopath. We also receive a lot of training on how to deal with first aid and how to lead a response to an emergency situation. This provides experiences that can lead to a job as a firefighter, policeman, or paramedic as examples.
"Working at an aquatic facility is a great start into the workforce as there is plenty to learn to help with a range of different careers."
Working at the pool offers plenty of variety, she says.
"You're not just stuck doing one thing for the whole day. There is lots of learning experiences and career opportunities. It's a really fun job."
The pool currently has vacancies for birthday party hosts and lifeguards and Andrea says anyone interested can call in to talk to her or one of the other staff members.
■ For more information on careers at the TSB Pool Complex, visit the website or the Stratford District Council and TSB Pool Complex Facebook pages.