Talent Pool Academy empowers regional youth through aquatic training

Over the past two weeks, Royal Life Saving WA’s Talent Pool Academy has been making waves across Kalgoorlie, Broome, and Port Hedland, providing 50 young people with the opportunity to gain essential aquatic industry qualifications. 

Through dedicated training sessions, participants have achieved qualifications in First Aid and Pool Lifeguard and have achieved their Bronze Medallion equipping them with the skills to support their communities and keep local pools operational.

The initiative has been led by Talent Pool Academy regional coordinators, including Talent Pool Senior Manager Tim Turner, alongside experienced Royal Life Saving WA trainers. Their guidance has helped participants develop the expertise required to maintain safe aquatic environments, ensuring recreational facilities in regional and remote Western Australia remain accessible and well-staffed.

“The Talent Pool Academy model is delivering both social and economic benefits to regional WA. These young people are the unsung heroes keeping our waterways safe and our townships liveable by ensuring pools and recreation centres stay open,” said Tim.

Among the standout participants in this training cycle are brothers Curtis and Aaron Winmar. In just two weeks, they successfully completed three courses: First Aid, Pool Lifeguard, and Bronze Medallion. Only three weeks ago, they didn’t have their Unique Student Identifiers (USIs), but with determination and support from the Talent Pool team and their involvement with the West Coast Eagles in Hedland, they have now achieved significant milestones in their training.

Their journey highlights how something as routine as obtaining a USI can, in reality, be a major hurdle for first-time students or young people entering this space. For some, like Curtis and Aaron, this was their first-ever qualification, and for others, simply securing a USI was a challenge in itself. What might seem like a minor administrative step can actually be a significant barrier- but once overcome, it unlocks the doors to learning and new opportunities.

Another inspiring story from the Talent Pool Academy is that of Yusef Tuando, a 2019 graduate who pursued his passion for graphic design at Swinburne University in Melbourne. Now, he’s reconnected with Talent Pool, using his creative skills to design a Pool Hazards safety poster- an educational tool that will help teach water safety in classrooms and poolside training sessions.

The poster also features his older brother, Dodi, who completed Talent Pool in 2019 and has since built a career in the aquatic industry. He has worked as a lifeguard and Duty Manager at Wanneroo Pool while pursuing postgraduate studies in psychology and philosophy. This story brings their journeys full circle, showing how Talent Pool equips young people with skills that create lasting opportunities, whether in lifesaving, leadership, or design.

“This collaboration highlights the ongoing impact of the Talent Pool program. Seeing former participants like Yusef and Dodi use their skills to give back to the community is a testament to the program’s long-term benefits,” said Tim. 

With continued support from funding partners including BHP, Lotterywest, Wunan Foundation, and WAPOL, the Talent Pool Academy is strengthening pathways for young people across regional WA. By fostering employment opportunities and equipping participants with valuable life skills, the program is helping to create safer and more connected communities.

Learn more about what Talent Pool has been up to recently by clicking the link below.