Careers & Job Finder

Jobs and careers information for the Sport, Fitness, Leisure and Physical Activity sector.

Here's a wealth of information for anyone wanting to find out more about working in the sport sector with a focus on Leicester and Leicestershire.

Due to the extensive sporting ecosystem in Leicester and Leicestershire, the range of employers is more extensive than in other parts of the country. This therefore brings an increased range of career opportunities to the area.

  • Section 1 - Job Finder, Volunteering opportunities and Learn at Home
  • Section 2 - Helpful careers resources
  • Section 3 - Shares more information about some of the pillars of the sporting ecosystem based in Leicester and Leicestershire
  • Section 4 - Shares details about the employers in the leisure, health and fitness and sport sector which are similar to what exists elsewhere in the country
  • Section 5 - Shares top tips for securing the role you want in the sport sector.
  • Section 6 - Other Job Finders

Section 1 - Job Finder / Volunteering / Learn at Home

Section 2 - Helpful careers resources

  • Careers and Labour Market Overview 2022 Careers and Labour Market Overview 2022 (PDF, 3.2 Mb)

    An overview of what career choices there are across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.

  • Careers and Labour Market Information & Tasks Careers and Labour Market Information & Tasks (PDF, 4 Mb)

    Information on careers in the sport and physical activity sector across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.

  • Sport Sector Careers Presentation Sport Sector Careers Presentation (PDF, 6.4 Mb)

    What's in our area - Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland

  • Myth Busting Information Myth Busting Information (PDF, 437 Kb)

    Myths about working in the Sport, fitness, leisure and physical activity sector
    Click the attached to find out more about working in the sport, fitness, leisure and physical activity sector

  • Careers Lesson Plan Careers Lesson Plan (PDF, 302 Kb)

    A tool to kick start thinking and discussions about the extensive range of career opportunities in the sport, fitness, leisure and physical activity sector.

Section 3 - Links to some of the pillars of the sporting ecosystem based in Leicester and Leicestershire

Key national organisations based in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

The grid above shows how CIMSPA define different parts of the sector.

Other types of roles in the sector which may be linked to alternative chartered institutes:

Sports Physiotherapy | Sports Nutritionist | Active Design Architect | Sports Technology-Product Design/Development | Academic Research | Client Officers | Finance Director | Marketing and Communications Manager | Media and Broadcasting | Sales and Marketing | Project Management | Teaching/Tutoring at schools, colleges and universities | Business, Admins or Central Support | Data Analyst/Insight Specialist | Business Development | Training Provider

This list is not exhaustive but gives an indication of additional roles which are available.

Section 4 - Employers in the leisure, health and fitness and sport sector which are similar to what exists elsewhere in the country

  • Everyone Active run leisure centres in Harborough, Blaby, North West Leicestershire, Oadby and Wigston and Melton
  • Places for People run the leisure centre in Hinckley and Bosworth
  • Fusion run the leisure centre in Charnwood
  • Leicester City Council run the leisure provision in Leicester City
  • Stevenage Leisure Limited run the Catmose Sports in Rutland

Section 5 - Top tips for securing the role you want in the sport sector

1. Be clear about the type of work you secure and the training you need to complete

If you are going to invest your time and money in training and development, be sure to be clear of the type of work you are hoping to secure and which employers you are likely to approach once you are qualified. You could always have a conversation with a potential employer ahead of qualifying.

2. Make it easy for the employer to employ you

Employers should be working to the industry standards. If you meet these standards you are over the biggest hurdle.

If you don't meet the standards yet, but you have identified the role you want to do, explore how to gain the knowledge, skills or experience required to reach these standards.

Again speak to a potential employer and gain their feedback on the best pathways to take

3. If you meet the base line expectations, think about how you can make yourself the best choice for the role

Explore how your current experience might help you be the best person for the role, do you bring new skills/experience to an organisation which complements their existing skills mix?

If you need to gain more experience, try to identify what experience you need, leadership experience, working children, adults, older adults, work with people who are in-active through to competing athletes, is it experience of working with the press/media or running projects…..

4. Gaining extra experience

The great thing about the sports sector, is that there are sports clubs and businesses who have volunteers who work with them. You could put yourself forward to these organisations and see if you can gain experience with them.

Think about the way you can capture this experience to add to your CV or portfolio, think about photos, achievements and learning.

5. Put yourself in the employers shoes

How can you show them that you have the skills/experience they need and the motivation to deliver what they need.

All organisations have different cultures and different target audiences. Use the internet and talk to people to help you find out what area you would like to work in and what sort of role would suit your skills, knowledge, experience and aspirations.

Section 6 - Other Job Finders