Dedicated to adult education and aquatics, Aquatic Education was founded in 1997 with a resolute commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. As a company, we have always prioritized providing the best possible educational experience for our students.
Our journey began with a mission to spread our passion for training across the Greater Brisbane Region. Subsequently, we established our training facilities at the hub of Queensland Swimming, The Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Australia.
Throughout our history, Aquatic Education has garnered consistent recognition and accolades within the aquatics industry and the broader training sector, with awards coming from various segments of the aquatic community.
Today, Aquatic Education remains true to its core values, placing the delivery of exceptional quality and a personalized approach above all else. Our team has expanded, and our service offerings have diversified to meet the evolving needs of our clients. We proudly provide a comprehensive range of accredited and non-accredited courses, professional development sessions, consultancy services, staff resources, and product/service sourcing.
Backed by a vast network and a growing team of highly skilled professionals, we firmly believe that the quality of training and staff development directly influences the outcomes achieved by our clients. If seeking the best for your team, we invite you to engage with us. Together, we can elevate your organization to new levels of success.
Marcelle Renforth-Frederick
I grew up in the lovely beach town of Nelson Bay. My love for swimming and the local pool began at a young age. I remember how the pool would close every Tuesday for cleaning and open up fresh on Wednesday mornings. My first swimming teacher was Mr. Gillet, who taught me to swim and dive informally. We practiced every day.
When I moved to Newcastle for high school, Mr. McGarvey became my coach. He coached swimming, water polo, and diving teams that competed at the state level. His coaching style was exceptional.
I later moved to Brisbane for studies and work and started traveling around Australia. I joined an outrigger team on South Molle Island and met my husband, Chris. We explored Western Australia before returning to Nelson Bay.
After having my first son, I attended a Mum and Bub class that inspired me to become a swim teacher. The flexible hours worked well for me as a mom. I started sharing my swimming experiences and teaching practices as a presenter with guidance from my mentor, Gail.
This path led me to a degree in Adult and Vocational Education and the launch of my small business, Aquatic Education, in 1997. While teaching at Southbank TAFE with Queensland Ambulance, my mentor Julie provided valuable teaching strategies.
In 2005, Aquatic Education established permanent training rooms at Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler, expanding our training offerings.
In 2008, I had the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong and mainland China to teach vocational training.
I'm proud of the awards I've received for my contributions to teaching in the aquatic industry.
As we move forward, we're excited to expand our courses and collaborate with experts to provide the best education. My goal is to leave a positive mark on the aquatic industry by promoting professionalism and excellence.
NICK FOLLEY
Being around water has always been a draw for me. It has had that magnetic pull that calls for as long as I can remember, but I never imagined it would end up being such a significant part of my career.
When I stop and reflect on my journey through this amazing industry, I can’t help but smile. While it was not the path that I expected to travel but it has already been such a rewarding one, filled with great experiences, people and opportunities.
From that initial step of dipping my toes into the swim school world and becoming a casual learn to swim teacher over two decades ago, education, sharing and industry development has become my world.
While teaching swimming was initially a job of connivance the joy of seeing students develop new skills and grow in confidence and character took over. That thrill of seeing people grow never gets old and it why being in the water and teaching is still one of my favourite things.
Next to that on the favourite things list though is the opportunity to share my past experience and hopefully help others and the industry as a whole develop.
In so many ways the aquatics and swim school industry are still in the early stages and has so much potential to mature, evolve and shine. I love to envisage a world where more people can have the opportunity to make a full-time career out of this amazing industry and to be there for the ride.
TATE RENFORTH-FREDERICK
I’ve been working with Aquatic Education since 2010 as a swimming teacher and currently assist in CPR and First Aid courses. My career as an educator has been exciting and fulfilling. My time as a swim teacher was primarily dedicated to assisting adults and differently-abled students in their journey towards confident movement through the water. This earned me the 2015 award for Austswim's Queensland Teacher of Adults.
My work in first aid and CPR has been both practical and theoretical since I have spent many hours as the primary First Aid officer at major sporting events. The focus on education has been so important in my life that I’m currently working on my Masters in education. In my view, education is most useful when the students are engaged both mentally and physically through a combination of humour, good information, and useful, practical skills.
ROSA SANDERSON
I grew up in Toowong, a great little suburb near Brisbane City. Having always worked in administration and before joining the Aquatic Education team I was involved in the transport industry. I was ready to leave my previous job and Marcelle offered me a part time job doing administrative duties, we have been friends for years, so it was easy to join the AE team.
This was a big change from the transport industry, but I have enjoyed the change and the role. Being involved in the background of training courses and the outcomes has been rewarding for me. The various courses have given me an appreciation of the training and guidance given to participants to facilitate their needs.
At times I have been guided in basic learn to swim for adults with the AE team, mostly for educational videos - all I have to do now is participate in some learn some learn to swim classes to get past treading water!
MAX MICHAEL
I grew up on the Sunny Coast and have been involved with the ocean and swimming for as long as I can remember. As the third kid out of six I was exposed to club nights, swim meets, and every possible water sport from a young age. Throughout my life, I’ve never felt more at home than when I’m around water.
While studying at UQ I had an adventure during the first summer break to become a PADI Divemaster. After returning home with no money I became a part-time swimming teacher, this was my first glimpse into the Australian aquatics industry. Seeing the growth of students and how water safety can impact people's lives I became more interested in the possibilities that could be ahead.
After attending various teacher and coaching courses to gain some valuable knowledge I hoped to pursue a career around the pool. The learning hasn’t stopped but it has certainly changed my life.
As an AUSTSWIM presenter for Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety, Infants and Preschool Aquatics and Competitive Strokes I also get to travel around Asia working with a variety of new and experienced swimming teachers. On one of those occasions, I was lucky enough to meet my wife Betty who also works in the swimming industry.
LYN O'BRIEN
I am one of the lucky people who work in their passion. My passion is teaching, whether it be Physical Education, Primary school education, teaching children Swimming and Water Safety, teaching courses for people who want to become teachers or upskilling teachers through Professional Development. I have been so fortunate to have done all of these. My passion is fuelled by the “buzz” of seeing someone learn and seeing their delight in achieving their goals. The challenge of constantly seeking ways to improve my skills to convey this learning, simply and effectively, continues to keep me motivated and striving for improvement.
JAMES RENFORTH-FREDERICK
I have been working with the swimming industry since 2007 when I worked with Aquatic Education out of high school as part of a work placement. Since then I have attained a Bachelor of Arts while working as a swimming teacher and lifeguard in Australia, and later in China’s aquatic industry.
In Australia, I worked at a learn to swim school for 8 years where I was able to work with children from toddler age up to the squad level and learned how to meet my obligations to ensure students were progressing in their swim journey.
In 2016 I was given the opportunity to live and work in Shanghai, China, as a swim teacher Sports World TongLi. With SWTL I have updated the swimming program and trained coaches to ensure that the quality of swimming education that exists in Australia can be taught for Chinese families to enjoy.
Young children in learn to swim are my favourite group to teach, at that age children easily absorb information and their excitement in the water can be contagious.
MATTHEW EDDY
Being born in Tweed Heads and growing up on the Gold Coast I was involved in swimming, surf lifesaving, and football. I first received AUSTSWIM qualification in 2008 and in 2020 completed the AUSTSWIM Presenter qualification.
My first move overseas was to Shanghai, working as a swimming and sports teacher, in 2011. Amazingly I have remained in the swimming and sports education in China ever since which was never envisioned on the initial move. It was here that he developed mandarin language skills and a greater understanding of the possible pathways swimming and sport can provide.
Presently I am the general manager of SWIMLAND China, and I'm looking forward to where it will take me next. Developing my aquatic knowledge, though sharing experience with others has always been my passion.
MAIR SKELTON
I never imagined I would be in the aquatic industry. It was when our son was 2 yrs old and needed something to assist his body to move and aquatics was the ideal environment. Our son has Spina Bifida and I came across an amazing lady living in the area who taught a form of moving in and through water, which is called the Hallowick concept. From then I became intrigued by how amazing the powers of water can offer the body.
I enrolled and gained my first swimming teaching qualification whilst living in South Africa in 1993. Our family then moved back to England and from 1996 I continued my passion for teaching swimming & movement in the water to children, infants and challenged students both physically & intellectually impaired. Finally moving to Australia in 2002, where over the years I worked in many roles within the aquatic industry from swim teacher of all ages/abilities, swim school coordinator and aquatic centre manager.
What I enjoy the most is sharing my passion for the industry, my knowledge of moving in the water and the properties it offers through assisting new teachers at the start of their journey. Even more enjoyable for me is watching and learning from others within the industry as I feel this assists with my development in theory and practice. What do I enjoy about my day is seeing a person smile and feel excited with a sense of achievement in what they have accomplished and their confidence in the pool growing.
BETTY ZHAN
Spending most of my life in China, having the largest population in the world with unfathomable drowning statistics, I grew up hearing about accidents around water all the time. In the beginning swimming to me was mainly limited to watching the Olympic games on TV. But then I was introduced to Marcelle when I interpreted for a TSW course in Beijing, China.
With a solid background in translation and interpretation, I have worked in different industries since I graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University. I've been with Aquatic Education since 2016 translating between English and Mandarin for almost every AUSTSWIM course in China mainland since then. I never stop trying to improve the delivery of accurate information to our Chinese candidates. Knowing that every swimming teacher we get to meet is potentially educating thousands of students who would otherwise be put in risk, it is truly one of the most meaningful things to do.
Since 2017 when Aquatic Education China was founded in Guangzhou, we have been working on developing lesson plans and training swimming teachers for local companies, as well as educating Chinese families about water safety. Being able to witness the growth of our teachers and their students makes every effort worthwhile.