Graduate special grad expectations


another batch of leisure graduates will enter the jobs market this spring. We look at the ways they can kick start their career and talk to graduates who have already found a job


tions during Freshers’ Week. But chances are it has come around a lot quicker than you would ever have imagined – it’s true: time flies when you’re having fun. While the prospect of completing your degree draws closer, the time is now to start thinking about where you turn to next in order to ensure you get the job that you want. Indeed, where to turn is the


G


question when media headlines seem to feature nothing but negative employment statistics and terms such as “double dip” and “slow growth”. A recent report from the Office for National Statistics showed that unemployment in the UK reached a 16-year high during January 2012, with the total number of people out of work currently at 2.67 million. Worryingly, the segment that saw the highest increase in unemployment was young people. Te ONS data shows that 1.04million 16- to 24-year- olds are do not have a job – amounting to nearly one in four! But the reality is that now is a fantas-


tic time to enter the leisure industry. It is among the few in recent years to continue


rajiv patel


Where and what did you study? I studied BA (Hons) sports management and golf studies at Bucks New University. Where and what is your current role? I’m the assistant county golf development officer for the BB&O (Buckinghamshire, Berkshire & Oxfordshire) Golf Partnership. What does your day-to-day role include? I manage a junior golf coaching programme. Between November and February, I put together the following year’s programme. Tis includes selecting new juniors, a team of around 40 coaches and venues that are going to be used. We have 280 juniors on the pro- gramme and they are coached between the months of March and October. Alongside the coaching we set up competitions for them to play in. I also help golf clubs through a national accreditation


16


raduating is not something at the forefront of your mind when enrolling on at one of the UK’s many higher education institu-


growing. While young people are finding it hard to find employment in areas such as manufacturing, IT and media, the sport and active leisure sectors especially have been bucking the trend. Te proof is in the pud- ding: students and graduates looking for a career within leisure on the prospects.ac.uk website increased 180 per cent between 2010 and 2011. And there are already plenty


“Your degree is the key that unlocks your potential - it’s now about choosing the door”


of things you do now to enhance your job prospects. Te leisure industry offers a vari- ety of opportunities to put your skills into practice such as seasonal employment, vol- unteer programmes, part-time employment and work placements. We’re not suggesting that it’s all plain sail-


ing, though. Te leisure sector may be going through a period of growth, but you still need to know which qualifications and skills will help you get your foot on the prover- bial ladder. Your degree is the key that helps unlock


your potential; the next step is now about choosing the right door.


Postgraduate study If you have become fond of university life during the course of your degree, you might not have to leave just yet. Tere are plenty of sector-specific postgraduate courses being offered across the country - perhaps even at the institution you’re about to grad- uate from. While most employers do not rely wholly on academic qualifications, it is easy to see why an applicant with a masters degree will look more attractive to an employer than an applicant with only an undergraduate degree. Postgraduate students who have made the effort to build


balanced CVs by taking advantage of work experience opportunities - either as part of their course or opportunities they create themselves - will stand an excellent chance to walk straight into a job. So how to become a post-grad? Well,


there are a couple of main issues you need to consider. Dr Richard Winsley, the director of education for sports and health sciences at Exeter University, reveals the level of interest that some courses can attract. “Te affordability of study is always an


issue,” says Winsley. “Every student will have to weigh up whether the benefits and enjoy- ment of postgraduate study justify the cost.


which allows them to be recognised as junior and beginner friendly facilities. What attracted you to the leisure industry? As an avid golfer I had my sights set on a job in this industry. How easy was it to find a job? Not easy at all. Ater finishing university, I applied for many dif- ferent types of jobs mainly so I could start building up experience in the field. Aſter a number of rejections a local online golf retail company offered me a position in August 2010 which I gladly took. However, when I went for the interview, the employers were more interested in the golf business volunteering that I had done at Bucks New Uni, which shows that employers aren’t just looking for job-related experience. Any advice for graduates looking to get into the industry? I can’t stress how important volunteering and getting involved in university initiatives are, even if it is a programme that doesn’t directly relate to your field or degree – it is still valuable experience.


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2012


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32