AusLeisure

Australia’s first ever report on careers pursued by exercise and sports science graduates shows that 70% go on to be employed within the exercise and sports science workforce.

The Exercise & Sports Science Australia Graduate Destination Report shows that the primary occupation of those in the workforce were predominantly accredited exercise physiologists (29% of all graduates), personal trainers/fitness instructors (9% of all graduates), teaching and/or research academics (8% of all graduates), occupational rehabilitation consultants (5% of all graduates), strength and conditioning coaches (4% of all graduates), exercise scientists (3% of all graduates) or sports scientists (3% of all graduates).

All other exercise and sports science professionals (including high performance managers, sports administrators, sports coaches, sports trainers and cardiac scientists) had a distribution of less than 2% each.

Of the graduates who were not working in the exercise and sports science workforce (30% of all gradates), 16% were identified as having a ‘skilled’ occupation and 14% were identified as having an ‘unskilled’ occupation according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations.

The most common skilled occupations included ‘PDHPE teacher’ (3% of all graduates), ‘secondary school teacher (non-PDHPE)’ (2% of all graduates) and ‘physiotherapist’ (2% of all graduates). The most common unskilled occupation included sales representative (4% of all graduates), hospitality worker (2% of all graduates) and administrative assistant (2% of all graduates). Less than 1% of all graduates were unemployed.

The Report also showed that a total of 16,671 individuals completed an exercise and sports science undergraduate course in Australia between 2006 and 2015, with the gender divide showing a total of 7,795 females (47%) and 8,876 males (53%) having completed the course.

The major factors that enhanced progression were personal skills (31%), gaining experience (20%) and networking (20%). The major barriers to progression were a lack of jobs (29%) and a lack of recognition from employers (16%).

A total of 41% of graduates had to volunteer in their current role (in addition to undergraduate course placement requirements) before gaining paid employment in the exercise and sports science workforce.

Commenting on the Report, Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) Chief Executive Anita Hobson-Powell stated “the Exercise & Sports Science Australia Graduate Destination Report is a significant step forward in assisting ESSA to understand how graduates manoeuvre into and around the industry “ESSA wants exercise and sports science professionals to feel supported and represented, but we recognise that the industry is broad and currently extends beyond our accredited professionals.”

With discussions around flexible workforces remaining a dominant feature in addressing workforce shortages, ESSA - as the peak professional association representing exercise and sports science professionals - sees the value of being able to identify the utility of the exercise and sports science industry.

Hobson-Powell added “even recently, from ESSA’s involvement with the National Sports Plan, it is clear that exercise and sports science professionals have an important and extensive role in disease prevention, right through to high performance.

“This report shows that a large number of graduates are not either members nor accredited with ESSA. Bringing our industry together will help in our ongoing efforts to get physical activity, sports and exercise high on the political agenda.”

The Report was based on 747 responses to a survey of exercise and sports science graduates.

72 courses across 28 universities hold the status of full accreditation under ESSA’s National University Course Accreditation Program (NUCAP).

Click here to access the Exercise & Sports Science Australia Graduate Destination Report. 

22nd July 2017 - OLDER AUSTRALIANS HEALTHIER AND MORE ACTIVE BUT STRUGGLING WITH FITNESS 

24th May 2017 - ESSA REMINDER ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISING FOR A HEALTHY HEART

22nd May 2017 - STUDY SHOWS EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGISTS GREATLY ASSIST PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC DISEASE 

16th February 2017 - VICHEALTH SUPPORTS DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THROUGH INNOVATION IN SPORT

8th February 2017 - ESSA CONCERN OVER FALLING FITNESS LEVELS AMONG AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN

31st October 2016 - EXERCISE RIGHT SHOWCASES STRONG WOMEN IN LATEST CELEBRITY EXERCISE CAMPAIGN 

26th February 2016 - STUDY FINDS PERSONAL TRAINING SET TO BE A STABLE FUTURE JOB

12th October 2014 - 24/7 FITNESS TREND SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWING

10th September 2013 - AUSTRALIAN HIGH PERFORMANCE AND SPORTS SCIENCE WORKFORCE SURVEY 2013 

28th June 2012 - EXERCISE PROVEN TO REDUCE AUSTRALIANS’ DIABETES RISK 

21st October 2011 - FITNESS NOT FATNESS SHOULD BE MANTRA ​

2nd September 2011 - GLOBAL GOVERNMENTS MUST ‘GET TOUGH ON OBESITY’

19th August 2009 - ONE MILLION MORE AUSTRALIANS DO REGULAR PHYSICAL EXERCISE 

Asking a small favour
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

The news we publish at www.ausleisure.com.au is independent, credible (we hope) and free for you to access, with no pay walls and no annoying pop-up ads.

However, as an independent publisher, can we ask for you to support us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine - if you don't already do so.

Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printed Australasian Leisure Management differs from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

Subscriptions cost just $90 a year.

Click here to subscribe.

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.