Monday, 1 June 2009
SkillsActive’s annual conference, Reaching Higher – A Well Trained Workforce, provides Minister for Public Health and Sport, Shona Robison with the platform to launch a brand new sports industry initiative.
The ‘Lecturers into the Sports Industry’ programme, developed by SkillsActive in partnership with sportscotland, encourages lecturers from universities to continue their professional development by spending time with employers in the sport and recreation sector, facilitating enhanced interaction between the university sector and employers.
SkillsActive’s national manager for Scotland Pam Scott said: “We’re delighted that the minister can launch this initiative today at our conference. With the mounting number of sports graduates leaving university each year, it’s essential that university lecturers get a full picture of what it’s like to work in the sports sector. The programme allows university lecturers to get firsthand experience of working in the sector to help their continuing professional development and find out about the careers their students will follow. Working with sportscotland, will ensure the initiative will have a successful outcome.”
Reaching Higher, the strategy for sport in Scotland emphasises the need for a well trained workforce for the sports sector to flourish. The programme will allow lecturers to get a firsthand experience of job roles within the sport and recreation sector, allowing them to contextualise their teaching.
Launching the programme, Sports Minister Shona Robison said: “Training and employment are extremely important for creating a vibrant, sustainable, modern Scotland with increased economic growth and opportunities for all. This is particularly true in the current challenging financial climate.
“The skills of Scotland’s people are one of our key economic strengths and I would like to thank SkillsActive for its valuable contribution to nurturing and developing this talent. We will continue to work together to harness the unique employment and volunteering opportunities our plans to build a lasting legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games will bring.
“The pilot project I am launching today will equip the next generation of our sports workforce with the skills they need for their future careers, providing a valuable contribution to our economy.“
Louise Martin CBE, chair, sportscotland endorsed the scheme: “As the national agency for sport, sportscotland is pleased to support this important new initiative with SkillsActive to strengthen links between universities and employers.
“Success in sport is underpinned by well trained people. This programme will provide an opportunity for knowledge and skills exchange between universities and employers across the sporting infrastructure to meet the specific needs of Scottish sport now and in the future.”
sportscotland is the official funding partner for the Lecturers into Sports Industry programme.
SkillsActive research states that 70% of employers feel the need to train new recruits in vocational skills.
Universities report a difficulty in finding appropriate work placement opportunities for their students.
Employers report that many graduates from sport and recreation degrees have unrealistic expectations of what it is like to work in the sector.
SkillsActive
SkillsActive is licensed by government as the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning. Led by employers, SkillsActive works across the sport and recreation, health and fitness, outdoors, playwork, and caravan industries – known as the active leisure and learning sector – to increase the demand for, the quality and the supply of skills provision, and to lobby funding agencies and policy makers for improvements to the sector.
SkillsActive is dedicated to the needs of business and organisations by helping to improve their competitiveness and productivity; and aims to bring together employers, educators and government, and unite them with a common, employer-led agenda for action on skills.
SkillsActive operates as part of the SkillsActive Group. For more information about SkillsActive, please visit: www.skillsactive.com.
sportscotland
sportscotland is the national agency for sport. Our mission is to encourage everyone in Scotland to discover and develop their own sporting experience, helping to increase participation and improve performance in Scottish sport.
sportscotland invests Scottish Government and National Lottery resources to support people in Scotland to participate and develop in sport. We continually strive to ensure these resources are invested wisely so as to achieve best value and maximum impact.
In everything we do we aim to add value to our partners and maximise our contribution to the health and vibrancy of Scotland as a nation. We always aim to work in the best interests of Scottish sport – we put sport first.