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Sean Mitchell CASE STUDY
will look more attractive to an employer than an applicant with only an undergrad- uate degree, however it is unlikely that an employer only looks at academic qualifi ca- tions,” he says. “Postgraduate students to should make
sure they are building a balanced CV by taking advantage of work experience oppor- tunities either as part of their course or opportunities they create themselves.” T ere are a couple of main issues you need
to consider before deciding to embark on a postgraduate course – the cost and the com- petition. 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. Dr Winsley explains: “T e aff ordability of
study is always going to be an issue. Every student in their own circumstances will have to consider that and weigh up whether the benefi ts and enjoyment of postgraduate study justify the cost. For sport and health sciences, we get about 8-10 applications for every avail- able place, so we expect that we will be able to fi ll our places with calibre students.” T ere are ways of coping with the addi-
tional cost burden of postgraduate study. T e fact is that there are less funding avenues open to you, but some High Street banks off er career development loans for vocational courses, while universities may also provide bursaries and scholarships in some instances.
Out of the frying pan... t’s an inconvenient truth that higher educa- tion costs money, especially with the future
© CYBERTREK 2011
Leisure management graduates who have gained work experience often have the edge over those who haven’t
increase in tuition fees looming. “T e increase in University tuition fees will
inevitably raise a question mark over whether entering higher education to gain a career in fi tness is a fi nancially viable option,” says Stephen Studd. T e rise will also impact upon the number of people seeking postgraduate qualifi cations. However, SkillsActive urges graduates to consider returning to study for such qualifi cations, for example in sports management, at a stage in their career when they intend to use them immediately.” Figures calculated for the BBC in March
2011 revealed that the new fees system may see students paying back double their initial student loan, dependent on future earn- ings. While that won’t be the case for this year’s cohort of graduates, it is a reality that may deter some from opting to continue into postgraduate study. Dedicated training providers off er a useful way to acquire the industry-accredited skills, most prominently in the fi tness sector. Firms such as Lifetime and Premier Training International off er an extensive range of courses that will equip you with the skills needed to become a hefi tness professional. Some companies, such as the Fitness Training Company, even provide a purpose-built graduate training programme to help you on your way. However, the result will oſt en be the same – sector-recognised qualifi cations.
Twitter: @leisureopps
What university course did you take? I did a BSc Business Administration course in London back in 2007 How did you hear about the emerging managers programme at SLM? Aſt er apply for an operations manager role within SLM I was then informed about the programme. What is your current job with SLM? In November of last year (2010) I was promoted to general manager What does your job include? I monitor the fi nancial performance of the centre whilst at the same time man- age a team of just under 100 employees. I’m actively involved in increasing aware- ness of SLM in the local community and regularly meet with the council and local organisations to build partnerships. What is the best part of your job? T at every day is diff erent. One day you will be talking to a parent about their child’s swimming lesson and the next day you will be discussing partnership opportunities with local business direc- tors. ‘Boring’ is not a word I use! What attracted you to leisure? I’ve always been involved in sports and I think exercise is the best way to escape from the stress we endure daily, not to mention the health benefi ts of an active lifestyle. When you look past the daily operations we do, you realise what a great sense of achievement it is when you can physically see the service we provide change someone’s life in a positive way. Was it easy to secure a place on the emerging managers programme? T e interview process was lengthy but securing a place wasn’t that diffi cult once SLM knew I was fully committed to the programme and the company What would you do differently? Nothing really. As long as you learn from your mistakes then it can only make you a stronger person and actually give you an advantage over your competition What advice would you have for gradu- ates looking to get into the industry? In the current climate staff turnaround has reduced, therefore there’s more pressure on candidates to impress. As somebody who’s recruited, my advice is to be overly passionate and enthusiastic. As an interviewer you could have the best qualifi cations on paper however if I don’t feel inspired you won’t get the job.
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