Approximately how long is the initial training program for a Big Blue Swim School franchise?
Big_Blue_Swim_School Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If this is your first BIG BLUE Swim School, your Managing Owner must attend a 2-day initial orientation session on the BIG BLUE Swim School franchise system at our principal business address or another designated location before you open the School. Your Managing Owner and a School general manager and assistant manager also must attend and complete to our satisfaction our initial training program before opening the School for business. The School always must have on staff at least 2 fully-trained (or "certified") managers for the first 6 months of operations; after that, the School must have on staff one person who is fully trained. (Franchise Agreement—Section 6.A) We will conduct the initial training program at our designated training location and/or through video and other electronic means. We expect training (which currently is approximately 4 weeks long) to occur after you sign the Franchise Agreement and while you develop the School. We plan to be flexible in scheduling training to accommodate our and your personnel. There currently are no fixed (i.e., monthly or bi-monthly) training schedules. We use a learning-management system and other training aids during the training program. Your training attendees must complete training at least 60 days before the School's scheduled opening date.
If you replace an existing Certified Manager, the new manager must attend and satisfactorily complete initial training within 90 days after being hired in order to become a Certified Manager. You must pay our then-current training fee to provide initial training to your new manager.
We provide the initial orientation and training programs for your Managing Owner and 3 other people for no additional fee. We have the right to charge our then-current training fee for each person (after 4) you send to initial training. You must pay your employees' wages, benefits, and travel, hotel, and food expenses while they attend training. Our training program may include a "train the trainer" module so your senior-level personnel can learn how to train your other employees in our Brand Standards.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 37–51)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Big Blue Swim School's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial training program is approximately 4 weeks long. This training is expected to occur after the Franchise Agreement is signed and while the franchisee develops the school. The training program's scheduling is flexible to accommodate both the franchisor's and franchisee's personnel.
Before opening a Big Blue Swim School, the Managing Owner must attend a 2-day initial orientation session. In addition to the Managing Owner, a school general manager and assistant manager must also attend and complete the initial training program. Big Blue Swim School uses a learning-management system and other training aids during the training program.
Big Blue Swim School requires that training attendees complete training at least 60 days before the school's scheduled opening date. For a new manager replacing an existing Certified Manager, the new manager must attend and satisfactorily complete initial training within 90 days after being hired to become a Certified Manager. The franchisee must pay the then-current training fee for the new manager's initial training.
Big Blue Swim School provides the initial orientation and training programs for the Managing Owner and 3 other people at no additional fee. However, the franchisee is responsible for employees' wages, benefits, and travel, hotel, and food expenses while they attend training. The training program may include a "train the trainer" module so senior-level personnel can train other employees in the Brand Standards.