Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers

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Lifeguards watch swimmers, enforce safety rules, perform rescues and give first aid. It's one of the most common first jobs for teens, and it builds skills for EMS, nursing, teaching and coaching. Some move up to aquatics director.

Open the lifeguard guide

The guide checks the courses against your plan, with things to try each year. Free account needed.

High school courses that build toward it

• Physical Education · Health and PE

  Builds working with customers and clients, which this job uses.

• Child Development · Career and Technical

  Builds teaching and training, which this job uses.

• English 10 · English

  Builds reading and writing, which this job uses.

• Psychology · Social Studies

  Builds psychology, which this job uses.

• Anatomy and Physiology · Science

  Builds health and medicine, which this job uses.

• German · World Language

  Builds a second language, which this job uses.

Ranked by how much the job relies on what each course teaches, from O*NET's knowledge ratings. Your school's own courses and the counselor have the final word.