Sport and physical activity is both consumed and delivered in incredibly diverse settings. It’s vital that as a sector we can clearly communicate who we are, how we work and the impact we have in order to drive investment and continue to increase participation.
The sport and physical activity sector can be viewed through two distinct lenses: industries and occupations.
Industries
Defines sport and physical activity by the place services are delivered or the type of service or product being delivered.
Occupations
Defines sport and physical activity by the roles performed by the people delivering a service or product.
Dig deeper...
Explore our sector definitions report to fully understand both the industries and occupations that make up sport and physical activity.
Defining the UK Sport & Physical Activity Sector Workforce - Report
01/09/2023
A detailed view of the sector through two distinct lenses; industry and occupation linking to the government’s index of how we are viewed by the government.
CIMSPA insight FAQs
- Which part of the wider economy does sport and physical activity sit within?
- I have multiple roles and deliver a range of different services, where do I sit within this definition?
- How can I conduct research in-line with this definition?
- Does the government fully understand sport and physical activity and the workforce?
- How can I find out more about the sport and physical activity sector?
- How frequently is this definition reviewed?
- How can I find out about job opportunities in sport and physical activity?
Within the UK, sport and physical activity sits within the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation section of the governments Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system.
View a full hierarchy of the full UK Economy by Standard Industrial
You are not alone. Many organisations and individuals work across different areas within the sector and through this definition you’ll hopefully be able to appreciate the scope of practice that you have. If taking part in research it is recommended that you define yourself by your primary role or industry area.
If you are conducting workforce related research then there are some core questions to help standardise your insight in-line with this definition. By doing this you will be supporting a sector-wide approach to align how we categorise, talk about and measure the sport and physical activity workforce.
There is clear disparity between how the government views sport and physical activity and how the sector views itself. This is evident in the difference between the Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC) that the sector sits within and the CIMSPA definition that more closely reflects how the sector functions. CIMSPA is continuing to build evidence that can support changes in the Government’s view of the sector and more standardised research will significantly support this.
Access the most recent research on the UK’s sport and physical activity sector including the scope, the impact, the diversity, the trends and how the workforce may evolve as participation trends continue to change.
The sector continues to evolve adapting to changes in participation trends, technology and the way services are delivered. As such, this sector view continues to evolve with reviews conducted every 2-3 years.
Visit the CIMSPA jobs board to discover the latest jobs from leading organisations in the sector.
