The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management

Jobs & Careers

Train to Win

There are a wide range of career opportunities in the sport, recreation and leisure industry. This leaflet produced by the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management (ISRM), the leading professional body in training and education for the industry, provides an overview for those considering or starting out on their career.

A career in sport?

When people talk of a career in sport, the chances are they mean just professional sport, such as football's Premier League, Formula One or the elite pro-golf tour. Yet there are tens of thousands of people who work in, and owe their living to sport and are every bit as professional as David Coulthard and Wayne Rooney. Through coaching, physical education, leisure management, journalism, sports science and many other areas, the world of sport and physical recreation provides a rich variety of interesting and rewarding career opportunities. It is estimated that as many as 415 000 people are employed in the UK sport and leisure industry.

Before starting out on any career path, it is extremely important to seek professional guidance by talking to your local careers service which is listed in the telephone book. If you are still at school you should talk to your guidance teacher first.

Sports facilities are provided and managed by local authorities, private companies and trusts, each having their own advantages and disadvantages.

Areas of work and specific jobs include: centre assistant, swimming pool attendant, lifeguard, receptionist, crèche worker, health and beauty therapist, bar and catering assistant, cleaner, technical assistant, support services, sports coach / instructor, fitness instructor, sports development officer, supervisor / duty manager, centre manager, head of sport / leisure, assistant director, director.

The list is by no means exhaustive and locally there may be variations - the important thing is to ask and find out.

Whilst surveys show part-time working is almost twice as common as full-time for jobs delivering services, many of those often have a combination of other duties to perform which may equate to full-time hours, but it all adds to the variety of the job! Naturally, evening and weekend work is an integral part of the industry.

A career in sport is definitely not 9am to 5pm, but it is full of variety and opportunities. If you like working with people and relish a challenge, then a career in sport, recreation and leisure could be for you!

We hope the following outline of the great variety of jobs and qualifications required will help to guide you through the various options and assist you in setting out on the career ladder. The final section gives contact details for a range of organisations who may be able to help you further.

We wish you every success with your career!

Job outlines and qualifications

INTERESTED AND WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU CAN GET STARTED?

One of the most common routes is for people to take seasonal or sessional work. Opportunities can be in coaching, teaching, clerical or as general leisure centre assistants. Why not go down to your local facility and ask. It's a useful experience to really find out if you're suited to this type of work. Many senior people took this particular route into the industry and then worked their way through - few have ever regretted it.

Salary levels for all the jobs outlined earlier are best seen through current job adverts in leisure magazines and recruitment websites.

There are almost endless opportunities in this field of work, with a host of jobs and working patterns - almost to suit any lifestyle. So, if you like working with people, have a high sense of customer care and would like to know more, contact any of the organisations detailed in the final section of this booklet - in writing, by telephone - or even E-Mail!

Better still, go down to your local facilities and ask - you'll be amazed at the response.

Join us :: Tel: 01509 226474 :: info@isrm.co.uk :: Sitemap :: Copyright © 2003-2007 ISRM