The Opportunities for Work-Based Experience in Sport Essays

The Opportunities for Work-Based Experience in Sport Essays The Opportunities for Work-Based Experience in Sport Essay The Opportunities for Work-Based Experience in Sport Essay The sectors The sport and recreation sector is one of the fastest growing sectors within the I-J economy. With high levels of investment planned over the next five years (in conjunction with the 2012 Olympic Games) there will be more and more employment opportunities for people looking for a career within the field of sport. Health and fitness The health and fitness sector is a huge growth area within the sector as a whole. With over 2,000 private health clubs within the I-J, and with provision within the public ND voluntary sectors, this is a key area of employment for people looking for employment within the sector. This area is likely to grow as health and fitness has come to the forefront of the Governments battle with the populations obesity levels. Employment within this area focuses on the supervision, leadership and management of exercise and physical activity. People working in this area need to be physically active and healthy, as a large portion of the Jobs available will require practical demonstrations. Key Jobs within this sector include: Sport and recreation The sport and recreation industry now makes up a large proportion of the UK economy. Around 5% of the Auks gross domestic product is contributed by this sector alone. To get a clearer picture of the size and popularity of sport in the I-J, here are some facts and figures:- The sports sector accounts for around 2% of all people that are in employment within the I-J (around 550,00 people) Football is the most popular sport in the UK with 48,600 clubs, with over three million participants There are 2,000 tennis clubs with over two million players 43,000 working in the private sector 36,600 working in public sector leisure centers There are 3,738 public sports and leisure centers within the UK 20% of all health clubs are based in London, but key growth areas are in the North, East Anglia and Wales (Source: www. Prospectus. AC. UK) Key Jobs within the sector include: Sports development officer Sports attendant PEE teacher Sports centre management Sports ground facility worker Sports promotion Sports coach Professional sports performer Outdoor education With the Government proposing the opening of the country to all, this sector is again likely to see a growth in terms of employment. The outdoors offers a huge range of activities that cater for the novice hill walker to the expert rock climber. Not only has the opening up of the countryside given rise to a growth in the sector, but there have also been developments where people are now more willing to undertake outdoor explorations and even expeditions. These activities need trained professionals, and the employment vacancies are growing. Key Jobs within the sector include: Climbing instructor Sailing instructor Outdoor pursuits manager Water-sports instructor Canoe instructor Sport and exercise science Careers within sport and exercise science are all about the application of scientific reminisces to the promotion, maintenance and enhancement of sport. Sports Science has a become a popular course to undertake at under-graduate and post-graduate level, and with the increased need for sport and exercise scientists, the demand for trained professionals has increased. Key Jobs within the sector include: Sport bio-mechanist Sport dietician Exercise physiologist Sport psychologist General sport medicine Clinical cardiac physiologist GAP referral exercise consultant Who are the providers of sport and recreation? People who take part in sport and recreation do so because a wide range of sources, services and facilities are provided by a multitude of different providers. These different providers are needed because a range of facilities are needed. These could be indoor and outdoor facilities, or dry land or water. The providers offer services to try and meet a diverse range of needs and demands from individuals, families, clubs, groups and community users. The providers of sport and recreation services come from within the public, voluntary and commercial sectors. The reason why all these institutions have become involved in sport and recreation is the increased pressure placed on the sector. Indeed, in some areas of the sport and recreation sector organizations have been forced to pool their capital and resources and enter into partnerships in order to successfully provide a service. The sectors do try and offer different services and provisions, but is clear that there is over-lap between the public, voluntary and commercial sectors. They have had to increasingly become dependent on each other. Although they have different viewpoints, objectives and approaches, if the learner is to gain a work-based experience it is important that the distinction between the providers is understood. C Public sector The public sector is a major provider of sport and recreation facilities and services within the I-J. Public sector sport and recreation organizations are largely funded by local government, and will also have a huge influence as to the level of service and facilities they provide. Local government provides a huge range of facilities to which the public has access, at no direct cost. These facilities include urban parks, playgrounds, libraries, picnic areas, nature trails, beeches and country parks. Local government also provides facilities such as swimming pools, playing fields, golf rouses, sports centers, athletic tracks, art centers and museums where there is a direct charge to the user. However, it should be understood that these charges are usually highly subsidized. The public sector is really important to the sports sector as a whole as it is usually the enabler between all the sectors, especially when a partnership is developed. Below is a list of facilities and provision that would be lost if the public sector ceased funding sport and recreation within the UK: There would be no urban recreational land (playing fields, football pitches, cricket pitches etc. As they would be sold for more profitable ventures like supermarkets and housing Swimming pools would be closed as these are not commercially viable. Only fun pools would be left which would be expensive to use and offer little benefit in terms health and fitness Sport and recreation facilities would only offer profitable sessions. These facilities would fill up with 5-a-side football sessions as these make money. Sports like badminton would be marginals Access to the countryside would be restricted as there would be no one to maintain the paths Museums and art allergies would close, or offer art displays that only the very rich could afford to see Arts like opera, ballet and the symphony would disappear as these are not commercially viable. They may gain sponsorship from large firms, but access to these events would be greatly restricted There is no danger of the public pulling out of sport and recreation. However it should be noted that funding for local government has fallen and sport and recreation departments have suffered. This short fall in provision is being taken up by the voluntary and private sectors. The diagram on the low gives some examples of the types of facilities. The private sector The major difference between a private organization and a public or voluntary organization is that the primary objective of the private organization is financial profit, or to make a return on its investment. The voluntary and public sectors do not seek to make a profit; they are established, built and run for other reasons. The private sector does not have any real interest in providing sport and leisure provision; it is only really interested in making that all important profit. It is trying to exploit peoples Willingness to pay for sport and recreation provision, by providing facilities that the voluntary and public sectors cannot afford to deliver. This usually means that private sector provision is provided for people at the higher end of financial earnings. Listed below are some strengths and weaknesses of the private sector: Straightforwardnesss can quickly identify and respond to peoples demands It focuses on the consumer There is quite a wide range of provision It is marketed in a more professional manner It provides mass provision and does not cater for specialist provision The market determines the prices Not everyone can afford it Minority groups will always get neglected Listed below are some examples of the types of provision the private sector provides: Pubs, bars and restaurants Betting and gambling Multi-leisure parks Night clubs Ten-pin bowling Cinemas Childrens indoor play centers Hotels Holiday centers Health and fitness centers Theme parks Professional sport Tourism Transport airlines The voluntary sector The voluntary sector within sport is actually quite difficult to define. It is self organized, informal and usually run by people who give up their spare time for free. All the sports clubs that operate within this sector have to raise their own sources of finance, but they can also receive government grants or lottery funding. Listed below are some examples of sport and leisure organizations that operate within the voluntary sector: Badminton clubs Amateur football clubs Village cricket teams The Boy Scouts The Girl Guides This sector is primarily concerned with grass roots participation, and rarely gets involved with elite or professional athletes. The vast majority of provision is provided through local community groups, providing access to sport for people in villages, owns and communities. Probably the most important thing about the voluntary sector is that it operates outside of politics, and operates its own agenda. Listed below are some of the benefits of the voluntary sector: Provides facilities and coaching for everyone within local communities Usually cheaper for people to participate in sport and leisure Can apply for grants and lottery funding Fills the gaps left behind by the public and private sectors Involves local people meeting the needs of their own community Partnerships It clear that the different providers have different aims and objectives, but as overspent funding falls the sectors are becoming increasingly dependent on each other to survive. Partnerships are becoming more and more popular within the sectors, usually between two or more providers, which usually lead to a result that could not be achieved otherwise. Dual use and Joint provision are Just a few examples of how partnerships have been used to provide sport and recreation. Dual use is seen as long-term, regular use of a facility by the general public. This facility is funded by the public sector however, the general public who use the facility are not the people for whom the facility was intended. The most common example of this is where schools let the public use their facilities when they are not being used by the school itself. Sports halls and swimming pools are common examples of this dual use policy. This type of provision usually involves some kind of liaison between the local government, local voluntary organizations and the local education authority. Joint provision is where two bodies have equally access to the facility. So for example a school has a sports hall, where the general public can use at any time of the day or night, then this is called Joint provision. Opportunities in health and fitness, sport and recreation and the outdoors There is a wide variety of possibilities in terms of getting a work-based experience in sport. This section will only give a brief overview of four different Jobs within all of the sectors. What careers are there out there? Health and fitness Physical activity development manager This post can cover a wide variety of roles responsibilities, but generally speaking it will involve the individual working in partnership with a range of organizations to develop the physical activity agenda within communities. One of the fundamental oleos of this post is to try and encourage organizations to adopt physical activity policies. Because of the wide scope of this post it means working with organizations in the health, sport, environment, transport, education, regeneration and many other areas to get the Job done. The overarching aim of this post is to try and encourage all organizations to build physical activity into their planning by emphasizing the potential gains for each individual organization. Tasks that may be part of the Job description include:- Securing funding Developing new projects Project management Research and evaluation Liaison between partners Requirements Potential employers look for people from a wide range of work experience, which includes sport, physical activity and sport development. A higher level qualification is desirable, but not always essential. Skills that a potential employee should have include: Staff management Being very organized Excellent communication Presentations skills Employers and pay This type of post, even within the field of sport, is relatively new so it is difficult to give a direct answer. Principal employers include Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts. The post may also include involvement with other agencies, such as the Countryside Commission (Walking Coordinator) and the British Heart Foundation (Cycling Coordinator). Sport England also has area of employment within the physical activity development area, including regional development posts. There is no definitive starting salary, but salaries usually vary between EYE,OHO EYE,OHO. Sport and recreation PEE teacher Depending on the courses and qualifications sports science learners complete, they can teach on a range of qualifications in primary, secondary schools or in further and higher education. A teacher who specializes in physical education (PEE) will concentrate on the delivery of both practical and theoretically based physical education lessons. These need to be tailor made to the individual learner, irrespective of ability. A PEE teacher needs to be aware that he/she will probably have extra curricular activities, such as managing the schools sports teams. He/she may also have other school responsibilities which may include class and tutoring duties. Schools will require that you have studied a relevant undergraduate course which enables the individual to teach (B De in Physical Education), or completed a relevant undergraduate course and also completed a relevant teaching qualification (PACE). Schools may also ask for some teaching experience, which should be gained through a placement on the undergraduate courses completed. Further education colleges will ask also for a teaching qualification (7301 Stage 1 as a minimum) but also be looking for sports coaching experience. The gaining of relevant sports coaching qualifications would also be of benefit. Universities would expect potential employees to have at least completed a post graduate qualification in Sport. They may not however, ask for a teaching qualification. Employers and pay Typical employers are: Primary schools Secondary schools Further education colleges Sixth form colleges Universities The starting salary for a newly qualified teacher is about EYE,OHO. A college lecturer within their first teaching post would expect to get in the region of EYE,OHO. A university lecturer within their first lecturing would get in the region of EYE,OHO. These salaries are dependent on qualifications and experience, but most of these professions offer progression through the main pay scale. Outdoor education The outdoor pursuits manager runs facilities that are used for the delivery of outdoor eased activities. These activities may include climbing, mountaineering, water-sports and orienteering. He/she will not only be responsible for the facility but also the management and supervision of staff. The outdoor pursuits manager has become more educational, particularly as schools, college and universities make use of these facilities. The manager will also have to supervise and manage users with specialized needs including people with special needs and even young offenders. The manager may also have to cater for corporate groups who would expect a high level of customer service. Requirements Potential employees will be looking for skills experience and qualifications within at least one outdoor pursuits area. The more qualifications that you have the better, as this will give you the ability to teach different areas of outdoor pursuits. You will need practical experience, along with a qualification from a recognized governing body. Applicants must also demonstrate that they have a strong interest in not only outdoor pursuits, but the countryside in general. Employers and pay Local authorities Private organizations At a local authority centre, a managers starting salary would be between EYE,OHO EYE,OHO. An instructor can earn anything from under EIA,OHO to around EYE,OHO, depending on experience and skills. Hours can be very long because of the residential nature of the work. You often need to be available 24 hours a day, so getting away from your work is not always possible. Sport and exercise science Sports dietician Sports dieticians usually go through the process of becoming qualified dieticians, and then undergo further training to make their knowledge and understanding more sports specific. The qualification is governed by the British Dietetic Association (BAD) ND sports dieticians have to undergo re-accreditation every five years. The vast majority of sport dieticians are self employed, and work on a consultancy basis. Only a few organizations will require the services of a sports dietician on a full-time basis. This allows the work of the sport dietician to be varied ranging from working with individuals and groups, and liaising with caterers for recipe development. Sport dieticians are using their knowledge and understanding to help sports performers in achieving their potential through modifying their diet and eating habits. Potential sport dieticians have to be accredited as sports dieticians after successfully completing a BAD validated course. The profession is highly regulated, and individuals will have to undertake a process of individual professional development to ensure their skills and knowledge are of the highest order. Employers and pay Opportunities do exist with sport governing bodies, professional sport organizations and sport institutions. Opportunities may also exist with catering firms and food companies. It is difficult to say how much a sports dietician will earn as most are self employed, and salaries will vary greatly. A sport dietician working for English Institute for Sport would earn in the region of EYE,OHO EYE,OHO. Considerations of a work- based experience in sport How to find a work placement Most learners who undertake a work-based experience usually have three underlining reasons to continue to their education, to use their work-based experience as a trial period or to gain management experience. Generally the learner will be responsible for searching, screening and selecting his/her work-based experience. It is important that when the searching for work-based experiences nominees the lecturer supervising the module takes an active and supportive role during the search and selection stage. The benefits and disadvantages of the learner being in charge of the entire procedure is printed below: Benefits of learner leading prestidigitations of learner leading the preadolescence is usually highly motivated It actually helps the learner prepare for employment Learner can conduct in-depth research on a particular employer they are interested in Learners can discuss their work-based experience with their peers Learners can conduct a skills matching procedure with potential employer Learners may be able o negotiate a better placement than the lecturer in charge Learners search for a work-based experience may be based on convenience The learner may miss potential opportunities The search may be influenced by friends and family Decision for work-based experience may be solely based on getting paid Learner may have unrealistic expectations Learners may not be able to Judge expenses accurately Where to look for a placement Probably the most difficult steps are actually starting to look for a work placement and more importantly knowing where to look. Here are some ideas as to where to tart looking:- Go to the careers office in the College. It will have a variety of books and leaflets on how to find a work placement. If that fails speak to the careers officer Newspapers all have Jobs sections. Local newspapers will have a Jobs paper on a certain night, as will national newspapers. Newspapers are also good for getting contact information about companies There are also dedicated websites designed to help people find a work placement. Log onto www. Prospects. AC. UK and follow the links to the National Council for Work Experience page Professional bodies are also a good source of work placements. They are likely to produce a Journal that usually advertises Jobs from the sector. For example the Institute for Sport and Recreation Management publishes The Recreation Journal which has Jobs in the sports sector Careers and Connections centers Job Centers Magazines Recruitment agencies Newsgroups Listed below are some websites that will help you find a work-based experience in the area that you are interest. Sport and Reconciliation and Fitness. Illustriousnesss. Co. UK www. Supplementation. Org. UK www. Sportsperson. Org. UK www. These. Co. UK www. ]biathlons. Com www. Leisure]bobs. Co. UK www. Springboards. Co. UK www. Lam. Co. UK www. Illustriousnesss. Co. UK www. Lasciviousness. Co. UK www. Peremptoriness]bobs. Com www. Circumferentially. Co. UK www. Devilishnesss. Co. UK www. Overreacting. O. UK www. Fitnesss. Co. UK Countryside educationalist and exercise conscience. Countryside-]bobs. Com www. Countryside]obsession. Co. UK www. Nature. Net/people/careers. HTML www. Blossomed. Co. UK/Jobs/Jobs. HTML www. Nonhereditary. Com/]g_active. HTML www. Cobweb. Org w ww. Bases. Org. UK/newsiest/bohemianism. Asp www. Bad. UK. Com www. Eddies. Org wry. Sport. Com www. Sewing. O. UK www. Involvement. Com mm. . Sported. Net www. Affective. Org. UK Considerations to take into account Location When deciding on where to do their work-based experience, learners need to take into account the location of a potential work-based experience. When deciding how far to travel they will have to consider the following:- Do you want to stay at home? This may limit your opportunities, but will be cheaper Moving away from home may increase your opportunities, but will also cost more money If you have to move do you have any friends or relatives you could stay with to keep the costs down? Do you have a car? If not what is the public transport like to get to the placement? The final decision will probably be based on what you want to achieve from the placement and how long you are willing to spend within the placement. Cost will be a factor, but look at the whole picture (benefits/weaknesses of the placement) before deciding. Hours It is important that learners are aware that the vast majority of people who work in the sport and recreation industry, work unsocial hours. The main reason for this is that the learner will have to work when other people are free, which is usually first hint in the morning, last thing at night and at the weekends. Learners should also be aware they maybe asked to work a Rota-system which will have an impact on their social life. It will also mean that they will have to plan their studies around their work commitments. Regulations Even though learners are only on their work placement for a limited amount of time, they are still protected by employment law. Nearly every part of the Job they undertake during the work-based experience will have rules and regulations that the learner must follow. The learner should expect from their employer: Some kind of contract/Job description that explains what is expected of them, and what is entitled to them The learner should be given some idea of working hours If there is a problem during the placement, the learner should inform their tutor immediately The learners should be aware that because they are under 18, they have additional regulations that they have to follow due to their age. These include: If the learner is over 18 they only have to work a maximum of a 48-hour working week. If the learner is under 18, still at school and working there are some legal restrictions on their hours. They are not allowed to: -Work before am or after pm Work for more than two hours on a school day or for more than one hour before school Work for more than eight hours on Saturdays or holidays, or two hours on Sundays Work for more than 35 hours a week during the holidays Also the employer is bound by Equal Opportunity legislation. Again if the learner feels that the employer is acting in an inappropriate manner, he/she should inform his/her tutor immediately. It doesnt matter what your sex, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability is, the employer should always treat you equally and with aspect. Some of the facts of the legislation include: All employers have to operate an equal opportunities policy its the law. Equal opportunities start with recruitment and cover the treatment of all employees Everyone has the same rights, regardless of gender, ethnic and religious background, sexuality and disability Health and safety There are two parts to the health and safety process that learners need to be aware of. Firstly the College has a duty to the learner and should ensure that he/she is not in a work-based experience that may expose him/her to health and safety risks. The second part of the health and safety process lies with employers. They are bound under health and safety law to conduct a risk assessment of the learner within the new work place. They will have to look at the work the learner will be undertaking, and weigh up whether they have enough safety precautions in place, or they should do more to prevent harm. The employer will need to take into account the following: The placement provider must comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act The employer needs to take into account that the learner is likely to be inexperienced, unaware of health and safety risks and physically or mentally immature Put in place measures to control the risks which will reduce them entirely, or reduce them to the lowest possible level. The employer needs to keep a record of the risk assessment and record the control measures put in place The placement provider must comply with any restrictions or prohibitions on work for young people One of the learners key responsibilities during their placement is their duties under health and safety. The learners duties include: To take reasonable care of their own health and safety To take reasonable care not to put other people fellow employees and members of the public at risk by what they do or dont do in the course of their work To co- operate with their employer, making sure they get proper training Not to interfere with or misuse anything thats been provided for their health, safety or welfare To report any injuries, strains or illnesses they suffer as a result of doing their Job To tell their employer if something happens that might affect their ability to work Roles and responsibilities The roles and responsibilities of the learners work based experience, as outlined on heir Job description, will set out their key tasks and services they will have to perform whilst they are undertaking the work based experience.