At the University of Tampa, 20-year-old student Joey Agresta is trying to blunt a national lifeguard shortage by running frequent certification classes on campus that supply local pools and beaches. Her program moves trainees from classroom to pool deck quickly, creating a pipeline of paid student guards just as summer staffing decisions are being made. The campus effort is one piece of a patchwork of fixes cities around the country are testing as they scramble for qualified staff.
Agresta, who first qualified as a lifeguard at 15, has already trained more than 250 new guards in recent years and now teaches a course at UT that runs about three days and costs roughly $200. As reported by Tampa Bay 28, she credits family nudges for steering her into the job and says she really found her footing once she started teaching others. Many of her students leave campus certified and ready to work through the summer.
The university has now formalized that pipeline, covering certification fees and hosting multiple trainings each semester at the Benson Alex Riseman Fitness and Recreation Center. According to University of Tampa, the program treats lifeguarding like an internship-style position and this year fielded 32 certified guards on campus. Administrators say a tiered ladder from entry lifeguard to head guard to manager helps keep students coming back season after season.
National Shortage Still Cutting Pool Hours
Industry groups say the gap is far from just a local headache. The American Lifeguard Association estimates that about one third of the roughly 309,000 public pools in the United States were forced to close or trim hours during the summer of 2025, and warns that the share could creep toward one half this year without more recruits and easier access to training. Similar reporting from CBS News points to visa backlogs, relatively low pay and limited training options as key drivers of the shortfall.
Why It Matters In Florida
Florida in particular has a lot riding on the lifeguard pipeline, since the state consistently records some of the highest drowning totals in the country, a trend that has pushed child safety and swim lesson proposals onto the legislative agenda. As reported by Tampa Bay Times, lawmakers and advocates have flagged stubborn child drowning rates as a top policy concern. Agresta told reporters that the shortage "breaks my heart," and that teaching her peers keeps more pool decks staffed and swimmers safer, according to Tampa Bay 28.
Campus Training As A Model
Advocates including the American Lifeguard Association say the fixes are not mysterious: lower barriers to certification, recruit from a wider pool and improve pay. The UT approach hits at least two of those points by offering frequent, relatively affordable classes and clear advancement paths. As outlined by the American Lifeguard Association, pairing flexible scheduling with paid roles and leadership opportunities is one way to turn short term hires into staff who treat guarding as a serious job rather than just a summer gig. Local recreation departments and YMCAs have tried similar strategies with mixed results, and the ALA is calling for a more coordinated push to make that adaptation permanent.
For now the payoff is straightforward: more certified guards mean fewer forced closures and more supervised swim time for families. Many students take summer positions in the region after certification, which helps ease pressure on municipal staffing and lets local agencies concentrate resources at higher risk beaches and waterfronts. Officials say those shifts can make a measurable difference in day to day coverage during the peak months.
Agresta says she plans to keep teaching as long as students want to learn, and campus programs like UT's show how local investment can soften a nationwide staffing crunch. While policy changes will still be needed to stabilize the workforce over the long term, Tampa's hands on approach offers a timely example of what practical fixes can look like this summer.
