Sports graduate jobs
If you're dedicated to helping and improving the fitness of the nation then take a look at the many roles on offer in the sport sector
Personal trainer
Creating one-on-one fitness programmes for clients, you'll motivate and encourage them to achieve their goals. You'll instruct and advise clients using workouts, plans and classes. You'll generally work in a gym, but can take sessions outdoors or to other venues.
You'll need a Level 3 personal training qualification, ideally one accredited by an organisation such as the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPS) or the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
You'll also need the ability to inspire, a friendly personality, excellent people skills, knowledge of the human body and nutrition and a love of health and fitness.
Find out more about the role of a personal trainer.
PE teacher
Working in secondary schools and colleges you'll teach sport and fitness to young people. Responsibilities include preparing lessons, teaching classes, managing student behaviour, organising teaching materials, marking work, setting up sports matches and attending parent and teacher meetings.
The most common way into PE teaching is by completing Initial Teacher Education or Training (ITET) and gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Newly qualified teachers earn between £28,000 and £34,502 a year depending on location.
Explore the different routes into teaching.
Sport and exercise psychologist
You'll work with athletes and teams involved in sport from amateur to elite level, with the aim of helping them deal psychologically with the demands of the sport, and to improve their personal development and performance.
Exercise psychologists work with the general public to increase motivation and participation in exercise, encouraging a healthy lifestyle and advising on the benefits exercise can offer.
Starting salaries range from around £20,000 to £22,000, while those with experience can earn £27,000 to £37,000.
You will need:
- an interest in sport
- excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- active listening and reflection skills
- patience and the ability to motivate others
- ability to work under pressure and cope with stressful situations.
Read up on the role of a sport and exercise psychologist and discover how to become a sport psychologist.
Sports coach
Helping people participating in sports to reach their full potential, you'll support professional sports people and teams, community groups and school children.
Responsibilities involve developing the participants' physical and psychological fitness and providing the best practical conditions to maximise their performance.
You will need:
- a desire to help other people succeed
- excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- team-building ability
- enthusiasm, flexibility and patience
- organisational skills.
While academic qualifications provide a useful background, you can only become a sports coach by gaining the appropriate coaching qualification, offered by the national governing body of your chosen sport.
Take a look at what you could earn as a sports coach and learn more about sports coaching courses.
Sports development officer
While open to all graduates, a degree in health and exercise science, leisure studies, physical education, sport development or management or sports science may be especially useful for a career as a sports development officer.
You'll make sure that everybody has the chance to take part in sport by ensuring that all sections of the community are aware of available activities and where they can go to get involved.
The central aim of the job is to increase participation in sport of all kinds, but you will also address issues of health, crime and social inclusion.
Starting as an assistant sports development officer, you can expect a salary in the region of £18,000 to £23,000.
Discover what it's like to work as a sports development officer.
Sports therapist
Working in a specialist sports injury clinic or directly with a sports club you'll help to prevent injuries, recognise, manage and treat them should they occur and then rehabilitate the patient back to full fitness.
You'll need the capacity to work well with groups, individuals and colleagues, a flexible approach to work, a positive attitude to problem solving, excellent communication skills, and a good level of physical fitness.
Salaries if you work in a clinic start at £17,000. With experience this can rise to £28,000.
Find out what qualifications you'll need to work as a sports therapist.
Fitness centre manager
Working in centres or clubs that contain gyms, swimming pools, sports courts or spas you'll market the facility and manage staff members. Working hours include regular unsocial hours, incorporating early starts, late shifts and weekend working.
A degree in business or management, sport, leisure or recreation management, leisure studies or sports science may be particularly useful.
New entrants are likely to start out as assistant or trainee managers, before working their way up to management positions. Starting salaries are between £17,000 and £21,000, but can rise to £35,000+ for those with significant experience.
Take a look at the skills you'll need to become a fitness centre manager.
Lifeguard
To ensure the safety of swimmers and to carry out a rescue in an emergency you'll need specific lifeguarding qualifications.
For a career as a pool lifeguard you'll need to be recognised by the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) or the Swimming Teaching Association (STA). To work as a beach lifeguard you'll need to study for the RLSS National Beach Lifeguard Qualification or the Surf Life Saving Beach Lifeguard Award.
Strong communication skills, the ability to keep calm and think quickly on your feet and excellent observational skills are what's required for the job.
Starting salaries are in the region of £13,000 to £16,000, rising to £29,000 for those in management positions.
Outdoor activities/education manager
You'll start work as a seasonal instructor at an outdoor centre before moving into a management role. Starting salaries for instructors are around £10,000, rising to £18,000 with experience. Senior instructors can earn £25,000, depending on their experience, while experienced centre managers can earn in excess of £35,000.
In this role you'll run a centre that offers facilities and classes in climbing, cycling, horse riding, mountaineering, orienteering and water sports. You'll have overall responsibility for the centre and will need to manage staff and ensure adherence to safety regulations at all times.
Outstanding leadership, team working, customer service and organisational skills are essential, as is an imaginative and innovative approach to work.
Find out what qualifications you'll need to work as an outdoor activities/education manager.
Find out more
- See what the leisure, sport and tourism sector has to offer.