Guidance.help

Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers

The occupation Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers covers people who monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes, to provide assistance and protection to participants. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on monitoring, speaking, and social perceptiveness. A regular part of the work is to patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers. With a code of RSC, this is mostly a job for people drawn to hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Social interests also help, rated 4.2 out of 7. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.

What they do

Monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes, to provide assistance and protection to participants.

Main tasks

  • Patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers.
  • Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment.
  • Contact emergency medical personnel in case of serious injury.
  • Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
  • Warn recreational participants of inclement weather, unsafe areas, or illegal conduct.
  • Maintain quality of pool water by testing chemical levels.

Skills

  • Monitoring
  • Speaking
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Service Orientation
  • Learning Strategies
  • Active Listening

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You get energy from helping other people move forward.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on monitoring and speaking.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RSC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Less than a High School Diploma. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Beach Attendant
  • Beach Lifeguard
  • Lifeguard
  • Marine Safety Officer
  • Ocean Lifeguard

Related careers

Is this your direction?

See how your interests line up with RSC and 906 other careers.

Take the career test

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.