My name is Jordan, but my online alias is Dudey Rhino. I am a content creator for YouTube and Facebook, creating videos based on true crime and the paranormal. I also have a podcast called APMA (Allegedly Possibly Maybe Army), where we talk about all sorts, from conspiracies to mind-blowing facts about the universe, to filming eating challenges! 

Naturally, I love true crime and the paranormal but in my spare time I also love getting to the gym, gaming, and collecting nostalgic items such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokémon cards from back in the day! 

I started out my professional career at the age of 16 as a Lifeguard...

Why did you choose to be a lifeguard?

A lot of my friends from school were lifeguards and the opportunity came up to do the course. What attracted me was you were guaranteed a job at a Haven holiday camp after completing the training. It was the first time I was taking responsibility for my life; I even sold my beloved Xbox to pay for the course because I wanted to pay for it myself!

Where and how long were you a lifeguard?

I did three seasons, from March to November, at Haven holiday parks in Norfolk. 

Do you still use the skills that you learned as a lifeguard?

I am still so observant when I go to pools. The instinct always kicks when whenever I am at a swimming pool. 

Would you recommend lifeguarding as a career and why?

I would definitely recommend becoming a lifeguard. I think it was a fantastic foundation for me, from a character-building perspective it was massively important. Unfortunately, there was an incident with a little girl at the pool I worked at. Fortunately, she made a full recovery, but at the time I had to comfort her mother and it was a harrowing experience. Even so, I don’t regret it for a moment. I hope that something like that never has to happen to anyone else, but at least if it does, I know that the training works.

I feel like it's a very important role; the level of responsibility will shape you. It's an incredibly necessary role and anyone thinking about becoming a lifeguard needs to go into it for the right reasons; you can't just think, "I'm going to get a tan and lounge around" as you're dealing with people's lives.

Do you have any words of advice for anybody thinking of starting a career as a lifeguard?

Be open to your team and build a good team atmosphere. The hours can be long so having good morale is important. If there is ever an incident in the pool, it's the team, and their training, that is everything.

What did you enjoy most about being a lifeguard?

The holiday camp had different people arriving each week, so I loved meeting new people. Everyone was there to have a fun time, so I enjoyed the atmosphere. It was great having fun with the team and with the patrons.

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Find out about our National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ)

Find out about our National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ)

Find out about our Open Water Lifeguard Qualification (OWL)