After graduation this May, I will be moving down to Orlando and participating in the Disney College Program, which I was recently accepted into. I’m looking forward to this once in a lifetime opportunity to work for a world-renowned company, build transferable skills, meet people from around the world and live in Florida, where guards can actually work year-round outdoors.
This Disney Program offers everything from networking seminars to leadership workshops. As part of the program, students live and work inside the park, in order to further become acquainted with the company and receive a weekly paycheck. My job with Disney World? Lifeguarding, of course. While I won’t be assigned to an official guard post until I actually get to Disney, I’m excited that I’ll be earning money by guarding in a location like Blizzard Beach or the Walt Disney World Resort.
Even though lifeguarding will just be a part of my Disney College Program experience, it will undoubtedly be the most intense guarding I’ve done yet. Disney requires its lifeguards to become certified through Ellis and Associates, which according to the company includes everything from surprise auditing (testing guards without their knowledge to make sure they know how to scan and rescue properly) to its own style of water saves. I’m sure I certainly won’t remain a lifeguard for the rest of my life, but I’m happy I don’t have to give it up yet…maybe I’ll even save Mickey Mouse someday!
