The qualification ladder
From first aid to the professional brevet.
Swiss aquatic qualifications form a ladder: each rung presumes the one below, and each has its own validity period. Here's how it fits together, and where you stand on it.
The rungs
| Qualification | What it allows | Validity | Prerequisite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | BLS-AED-SRC | Resuscitation and defibrillation. The base required before any aquatic brevet, and the document that lapses soonest. | Periodic renewal | None |
| 02 | Brevet Base Pool | Pool rescue. The entry rung for supervising a pool and for teaching in most settings. | Periodic refresher | Valid BLS-AED-SRC |
| 03 | Brevet Plus Pool | Advanced pool rescue. Expected in public facilities and for positions carrying responsibility. | Periodic refresher | Brevet Base Pool |
| 04 | Brevet Pro Pool | The professional pool supervision brevet, for permanent staff at public pools. | Periodic refresher | Brevet Plus Pool |
Names and validity conditions change. Always confirm the requirements in force with the Swiss Life Saving Society and with your employer before enrolling on a course.
Alongside
Teaching is not supervising.
The brevets above qualify you to keep a pool safe. Teaching adds a second track: the swimsports.ch qualifications and the Jeunesse+Sport training for working with children. Most teaching roles ask for a valid rescue brevet and a teaching qualification.
Expiry tracking
We warn you before it lapses.
Every document on file carries its expiry date. Sixty days ahead we send you the refresher sessions in your canton with the link to book — not a reminder, the answer. A lapsed brevet makes you unplaceable overnight, and it is entirely avoidable.
You hold no brevet yet
Start at the first rung.
The BLS-AED-SRC and then the Brevet Base Pool are enough to answer a good share of the listings. Join and say you are in training: your profile shows your exam date and you already see roles starting after it.
The register is open.
Whether you have a Tuesday morning to cover or a brevet to put to work, it takes minutes.