There is a wide range of sports-related, full-time further and higher education courses. Depending on the role that interests you, courses in coaching, sports leadership or refereeing offer ways to get started. Many of these jobs are to do with helping other people enjoy their spare time. Some involve making a living out of something you love, such as playing professional football or working in travel. For certain careers, you need particular qualifications, but the right personality is also very important.

Apprenticeships can provide a training route into many sports-related jobs.

Below you'll find links to videos created by employers and organisations in the sector to help you get a taste of what working in this sector is like.

Videos: 

Ever wanted to hear key advice and guidance from the professionals themselves on how to get a job in the sports business industry? Check out these webinars.

Careers in sport coaching  

Careers in sports science

Careers in sport business

Subject Guide Videos:
An impartial guide to university courses - featuring expert speakers and on demand webinars.
These impartial videos support students who are considering university to make informed future subject decisions. They feature guest speakers from a range of different universities, who are always experts in the subject being explored.

Unifrog Free Webinars:

Live webinars across a variety of careers - requires booking.

Adviza Podcasts and Past Webinars:

Podcasts for Leisure, Sport and Tourism

We have recorded many useful webinars with a huge variety of employers and sector champions. Have a look in our Past Webinar section.

The webinars are in date order. You may want to check out these dates to find webinars in relation to leisure, sport and tourism:

• 25th April 2023 - Armed Forces Webinar- Army
• 12th November 2021 - Employer Webinar (NHS)
• 27th June 2023 - Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA)

Don't forget to have a look at the upcoming webinars in our Events section!

Virtual work experience opportunities:

Videos and worksheets from the Virtual Work Experience Services on:

Sports Massage Therapy
Sports Coaching Careers
Careers in Football
Sports Physiotherapy Careers

Speakers For Schools

Try different jobs in real life through free VWEX so you can find the best fit for you.  Speakers for Schools are a non-profit organisation offering free UK-wide work experience. 

Explore Forage Work Experience Programs  

Media to Explore:

Many young people have been inspired by TV shows, movies etc. to follow a particular career. We have collated some resources here for you to discover. We have included podcasts because they are the best way to get real insight into the industry’s current dynamics and are a great way to demonstrate knowledge and passion in personal statements and interviews.

Please note, we have not specified the platforms for these resources as they can change over time. We suggest you do a web search for the title – you will often find them on YouTube in their entirety. Some titles will only be available for a fee or subscription.

Please be aware that not all of the titles below are appropriate for all ages. Please check the age appropriateness before watching. Common sense media are a good resource to use to do this.

TV Factual:

Travel: Travels with my Father, World’s Most Amazing Rentals, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Race Across the World, Down to Earth, Somebody feed Phil, Joanna Lumley’s adventures, The Trip, Travel Man – 48 hrs in….

Sport: Last Dance, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Cheer, I am Bolt

TV Drama: Ted Lasso, Red Oaks, The English Game

Film: Moneyball, Field Of Dreams, Jerry Maguire, I Tonya, Rush, Cool Runnings, Invictus, Seabiscuit, Bend It Like Beckham

Radio & Podcasts: The Sports Career podcast, GoingUp, How I got Here (travel careers), The Future of Travel, Inside Travel trade, Feel Good

Plus:

BBC Sounds - Travel

BBC Sound - Sport

Useful Websites:

eCLIPS Leisure Sport and Tourism

Sport and Leisure

CareerScope  From Springboard UK. Has information on the leisure sector and related industries, job opportunities and links to employers.

Careers in Sport  Profiles of people whose work is related to sport, career advice, job vacancies and information on courses and events.

Sports Leaders

CIMSPA (Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity)

UK Coaching

UK Sport  Website carries job vacancies in sport and news.

The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).

British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Promotes student participation in sport.

FitPro (Fitness Professionals) An association for people working in the industry.

ukactive  An industry organisation that aims to get people active.

Swimming and life saving

Institute of Swimming (IOS) - Information on teaching and coaching.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) 

Surf Life Saving GB 

STA (Swimming Teachers' Association) Examples of organisations where you can find out about refereeing and umpiring

Professional sport

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)  The MCC funds six university cricket academies (based in Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Leeds, Loughborough and Oxford) that give talented young players the opportunity to develop their cricketing skills while at university.

Sport and Recreation Alliance - A national alliance of sport governing and representative bodies; links to individual bodies can be found in the 'Member Directory'.

Sport England

SportsAid

Women in Sport

Football and Rugby

The FA (The Football Association)

Premier League  Information on developing young elite players.

League Football Education

English Football League (EFL) - the EFL Youth Development Department produces a Charter for Academy Players and Parents.

Professional Footballers' Association - Details on alternative careers and welfare.

For information about refereeing in football in England see the FA website. 

For refereeing in rugby union in England see England Rugby.  

For courses in umpiring cricket see the England and Wales Cricket board. 

Coaching

UK Coaching Includes job opportunities, information on workshops and various resources.

Outdoor pursuits

Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL) - offers a professional recognition process for outdoor learning professionals with case studies and job vacancies. 

The Outward Bound Trust - click on 'About' then 'Work for The Trust' for instructor vacancies and to find information on the graduate trainee outdoor instructor scheme (when running).

Sport and Recreation Alliance - a national alliance of sport governing and representative bodies; links to individual bodies can be found in the 'Member Directory'.

The following are just some organisations that can offer information on qualifications and careers in their specific outdoor activities:

British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI) 
British Canoeing 
British Caving Association 
British Cycling 
British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC)
Mountain Training 
Royal Yachting Association (RYA) - covers a range of water sports 
Snowsport England 

Sports Science

The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES)  Information on membership, job vacancies, and courses and careers (for the latter, click on 'Students').

The British Psychological Society (BPS) Details on becoming a sport and exercise psychologist.

British Association of Sport & Exercise Medicine (BASEM):

International Sports Engineering Association (ISEA)  For careers information, click on 'Students' and for job vacancies, click on 'Careers'. 

English Institute of Sport  Works to improve sporting performance through science, medicine, technology and engineering.

Travel and Tourism

The Institute of Travel & Tourism (ITT) - the professional body for the travel industry; membership at different levels is available and the website has links to careers information.

Institute of Tourist Guiding

British Guild of Tourist Guides

Springboard UK - promotes hospitality, leisure and tourism careers.

Take off in Travel - a digital careers magazine from Travel Weekly.

Look in travel agents and on their websites to get an idea of what they offer.

ABTA - for information on education and career development in the travel industry and to search for ABTA member travel agents. 

AITO - The Specialist Travel Association - you can search for the contact details of travel agencies (who may advertise vacancies on their websites) by clicking on 'Find a member'.

The Business Travel Association (BTA) - the representative body for the business travel community and travel management companies. For information on members, events, industry and news.

The Institute of Travel & Tourism (ITT) - the professional body for the travel industry.

Carnival - operates a group of cruise companies, including P&O Cruises and Cunard.

Princess Cruises.

Specialist recruitment sites include:

All Cruise Jobs
Cruise Job Finder
Kings Recruit (for childcare, entertainment and sports staff)

Anywork Anywhere - for job opportunities, and information on working at campsites, holiday parks etc in the UK and abroad.

Season Workers - you can search for campsite and holiday park jobs and summer jobs in childcare, hospitality and outdoor sports.

The following are examples of some well-known holiday centre companies; there are others, and inclusion in this list is not a recommendation:

Bourne Leisure - owns Butlin's, Haven and Warner Leisure Hotels.
Center Parcs - operates five centres in the UK.
PGL - outdoor adventure holidays for children, young people and families, mainly in the UK and France.
Pontins - runs six holiday parks in the UK.