It’s such a massive area, and there are so many career options. So where do you start? Well, right here, of course. On your marks, and all that…
INTRODUCTIONS
Sport. We Brits love a bit of it, and not just the one with the ball. From the sublime to the sack race, thousands of men, women and children, all around the UK, embrace their competitive side in games of skill and athletic ability every day of the week. And behind every one of these people there is a coach, secretary, or sports centre manager helping them to improve, organising their club, or providing facilities for them. It’s these people who help drive sporting standards onwards and upwards. Sack racing can be very competitive, y’know.
DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES
Careers in sport are varied, but here are a few areas:
Development. Getting us up, out and onto those courts, tracks, and pitches. By setting up sporting programmes, providing information, and arranging training, sports development aims to improve access, generate interest and increase participation in sport.
Coaching. Whether it’s Wayne Rooney at Manchester United, or Wayne the roofer at Red Lion Wanderers, coaches and instructors help participants of all ages and at all levels of sport to reach their full potential, ensuring the best possible physical, psychological and practical conditions are met for everyone taking part.
Administration. The people behind the scenes, who manage, market and organise. Administrators’ responsibilities vary depending on the size and objectives on the organisation – from routine admin (filling out forms and filing), to managing big budgets and complex procedures (not just making the photocopier work, no).
Operations. They hold the key…literally! As well as letting us in and locking up after us, people in operations look after the day-to-day issues of running sports facilities. From recreation assistants at sports centres, to duty managers at larger facilities - safety, welfare and income generation is a big part of the role.
Of course, there are many more areas of sport to explore. It’s a huge sector, and whether it’s at community, regional or national level, as part of a small public sector team or a multi-million pound organisation, there are many challenging roles and potential careers.
THE SKILLS
The area you choose to move into will determine the more specific skills you learn – coaching ice-hockey or becoming a sports psychologist, for example – but some skills are relevant across the spectrum, like communication, leadership, problem solving and teamwork. Enthusiasm and confidence are also important, together with a commitment to sport and an awareness of the ethical and legal obligations of sportspeople. Love of cake and the settee may not help.
WAYS IN
There are several routes into sport:
• Degree
• Foundation degree
• Apprenticeship
Each option has different entry requirements and your path of study will differ accordingly, depending on the path you choose to take:
Degree study will involve theoretical work in the form of projects, tutorials, and lectures, together with practical work in a lab and/or gym.
Foundation Degrees combine higher-level academic study with practical work experience, which you get with an employer who works with your university.
Apprenticeships offer a combination of college based study with the on-the-job experience, so you’d be working with an employer and studying part-time.
QUALIFICATIONS
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
If you’re looking to study for a degree in sport – sports and exercise science, for example – you’ll often need at least one A level in Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry or Physics. An A level in Physical Education is also desirable, and you must have both GCSE English and Maths, but it’s always a good idea to check out the course you’re looking to take and find out exactly what they’re looking for.
As with most things, the more work experience and volunteering – the better. Universities and colleges want to see that you have a genuine interest in sport and an understanding of the work involved. You can get more information about work experience from the National Council for Work Experience – at www.work-experience.org
WHAT YOU’LL GET
At degree level, you could end up with an honours degree as either Bachelor of Science (BSc), or Master of Science (MSc), depending on the length and type of your course. From there, you can go into employment, or study further for a Diploma (PGDip) or a PhD.
You can probably guess what qualification a Foundation Degree course gives you – and you’ll have the option of upgrading to a full honours degree by studying for a further period of time.
Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships will get you S/NVQs at different levels, technical certificates, and you’ll gain practical on-the-job skills, too.
THE JOBS
Starting salaries for jobs in coaching, sports development, and sports administration, range from around £13,000 to £23,000, depending on location and qualifications. Management and specialist roles can command anywhere from £25,000 to £40,000.
Pay can also depend on the sport that you’re involved with. Football, rugby, cricket, tennis and athletics can generate a substantial income from sponsorship and televised events – and salaries may reflect this.
Coaches and instructors should expect to work evenings and weekends, come rain or shine, while sports development officers and administrators may find themselves primarily office based - although travelling to attend sporting events is common, and working hours may peak around the time of tournaments. (Like that little sports day we’re having in London in 2012. You know, the one with the rings and the medals.)
MORE INFORMATION
Skills Active – www.skillsactive.com - the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning where you’ll find information and advice on training, qualifications and careers.
Sport England – www.sportengland.org - a government organisation committed to creating opportunities for people to start in sport, stay in sport and succeed in sport.
Active Places – www.activeplaces.com - search for sports facilities anywhere in England by a number of different ways.
Foundation Degrees – www.fdf.ac.uk - the Foundation Degree Forward site will tell you all you need to know.
Apprenticeships – www.apprenticeships.org.uk - start here, or look in your careers library for The Apprenticeship Guide ’07, with love from us, to you, or get one from www.theapprenticeshipguide.co.uk.
Sports Coaching UK - www.sportscoachuk.org - guiding the development and implementation of coaching systems for all coaches at every level in the UK.
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