Coach leading group

Professions and pathways

The sport and physical activity sector provides an exciting, diverse range of career opportunities through a variety of different job roles.

To make finding information about different roles as easy as possible, CIMSPA have assigned each role to one of two categories.

Practitioners are the front-line workers of the sector. They work with participants in roles such as swimming teachers, gym instructors and personal trainers.

Managers and leaders are responsible for overseeing operations and managing the workforce on a day-to-day basis. CIMSPA have categorised managers into aspiring, entry, general and senior levels to ensure that you have access to the right support at the right stage of your management career.

Our professions profiles provide a brief overview of each role, expected working patterns, education and possible career pathways alongside CIMSPA professional status.

Practitioners

Practitioners are the face of the sport and physical activity sector. They deliver sessions to participants and provide invaluable support to people on their physical activity journey

Practitioners work in a wide variety of roles across all industry areas and often across more than one role within their career.  

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Swimming Teacher

Assistant Swimming Teacher

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Coaching Assistant

Coaching Assistant

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Exercise Referral

Exercise Referral Practitioner

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Spin Class

Group Exercise Instructor

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Gym Instructor

Gym Instructor

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High-performance Coach

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Lifeguard

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Personal Trainer

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person testing pool water

Pool Plant Operative

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Recreation Reception

Recreation Assistant

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Swimming Teacher

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Tai Chi Group Class

Tai Chi or Qigong Instructor

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Yoga Instructor

Yoga or Pilates Instructor

Managers and leaders

Managers and leaders are key to the sport and physical activity sector, overseeing everything from staffing and resource planning to overall site management and strategic planning.  

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Aspiring Manager

Aspiring Manager

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Entry Manager

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Manager Header

General Manager

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Senior Manager

Senior Manager

We understand that each role is different, and that people will have different experiences within their job role. If you feel that we have missed some key information, please contact the careers hub team and we will review this.