Tony Bell from Pool People Ltd Cyprus has been appointed Vice Chair of the CPO Council of Advisors to the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA). The PHTA is the world’s leading aquatic training organisation and has taught over 750,000 people in over 85 different countries.
In 2021, the PHTA, in conjunction with the CDC, launched a 14-point model guideline for countries throughout the world to follow aimed at synchronising aquatic training. The CPO (Certified Pool and Spa Operators) training course is the base of this model. It gives all participants industry-standard information to allow decisions to be made and operations of any aquatic facility to run smoothly, with the emphasis firmly on Health and safety.
Tony steps into his new role as vice chair, having spent the last three years as a board member of the council of advisors. At that time, Tony was part of the team responsible for rewriting the 300-page CPO course manual, including altering the PowerPoint presentations and exams.
Tony says,
“The challenge was set out 3 years ago with the inception of the CPO Council of Advisors. As a team, we achieved this within the first 12 months; it’s just taken time to verify and correct a few final points to allow the CDC and WHO to accept the new manual. I have worked with some very knowledgeable and professional people on this project, and I feel extremely privileged and honoured to be tasked with taking it to the next stage as vice chair”.
In the past 24 months, Tony has opened up 3 new countries that have taken the CPO training as their base model.
Tony says,
“Europe is starting to understand the benefit of a common training course, one that all students with varying levels of competence can understand and benefit from. The aim is to improve H&S in all pools and help them recognise the importance of education in any aquatic facilities.”
If you want to know more about the CPO training courses, Call 26 623 342 or e-mail tony@thepoolschool.net. We will be holding 4 CPO training courses in Cyprus between February and May 2024. We also offer tailor-made packages complete with Human Resource Development Authority (“HRDA”) funding to individual companies or groups who wish to participate; ask for details!
