woman holding a clipboard, pen and timer while she smiles at four people indoor cycling

Recreation, sports and fitness policy researchers, consultants and program officers

(NOC 41406)
Annual Earnings
$62,568
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
University Degree
Job Openings
(2024-2034)
720

Career Overview

People in this occupation:

  • Oversee and manage recreation, sports and fitness programs and activities
  • Offer consultation, do research and develop programs and policies related to recreation, sports and physical fitness
  • Work for federal, provincial and municipal governments, recreation, sports, fitness and health-care facilities, retirement homes, community centres, sports and fitness consulting firms and organizations
  • May be self-employed

 

Job Titles

Aquatic program coordinator
Arts and crafts programs coordinator
Community recreational and leisure programs consultant
Community recreational and leisure programs counsellor
Community recreation and leisure consultant
Community recreation and leisure counsellor
Community recreation coordinator
Employee fitness consultant
Employee fitness counsellor
Fitness analyst
Fitness consultant
Fitness coordinator
Fitness policy analyst
Fitness program consultant
Fitness programs supervisor
Geriatric activities coordinator
Geriatric recreational and leisure activities consultant
Geriatric recreational and leisure activities coordinator
Geriatric recreational and leisure activities counsellor
Leisure activities consultant
Leisure activities counsellor
Leisure activities program coordinator
Leisure analyst
Leisure consultant
Leisure coordinator
Leisure counsellor
Leisure policy analyst
Leisure program coordinator
Leisure services coordinator
Nautical activities coordinator
Nautical programs coordinator
Pool activities coordinator
Program supervisor - sports and leisure
Recreational activities consultant
Recreational activities coordinator
Recreational activities counsellor
Recreational activities program coordinator
Recreational programs coordinator
Recreation analyst
Recreation and leisure programs supervisor
Recreation and leisure supervisor
Recreation consultant
Recreation coordinator
Recreation counsellor
Recreationist - geriatrics
Recreation policy analyst
Recreation programmer
Recreation services coordinator
Recreation, sports or fitness policy analyst
Recreation supervisor
Recreologist
Sports activities coordinator
Sports analyst
Sports and leisure consultant
Sports and leisure counsellor
Sports and recreation consultant
Sports and recreation counsellor
Sports consultant
Sports coordinator
Sports counsellor
Sports policy analyst
Sports program coordinator - sports and recreation
Sports programs coordinator
Sports program supervisor
Sports projects officer
Sports, recreational and leisure programs supervisor
Sports, recreation and leisure supervisor
Sports supervisor
Teen club programs coordinator
Youth recreational and leisure activities consultant
Youth recreational and leisure activities counsellor
Youth recreational and leisure activities program coordinator

Duties

Exercise therapists:

  • Give fitness tests and assessments, and design, develop and deliver rehabilitative exercise programs in occupational and related health settings

Fitness appraisers:

  • Give fitness tests and assessments, and design, develop and deliver fitness counselling

Fitness consultants:

  • Offer expert advice and consulting services to community groups, corporations, schools and other organizations in the design and development of fitness programs and activities
  • May write proposals and press statements for corporations, industry and the fitness community

Kinesiologists:

  • Run fitness and human movement tests and assessments
  • Design and set up programs to maintain, rehabilitate or enhance movement and performance in the areas of sports, recreation, work and exercise

Recreation and sports program consultants

  • Offer expert advice and consulting service to communities, corporations, institutions and other organizations in the design and development of recreation programs and activities

Recreation, sports and fitness policy analysts:

  • Do research and develop government policies related to recreation, sports, fitness and athletic safety and standards

Recreation, sports and fitness program supervisors:

  • Develop, plan and coordinate sports, fitness and recreation programs, and special sporting events

 

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$62,568

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$37.17/hr
Median$30.00/hr
Low$25.64/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2024 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

1,365

% Employed Full Time

64%
Source: 2021 Census

Work takes place in a conventional indoor office, fitness or recreational setting.

 

Career Pathways

Recreation, sports and fitness program supervisors may progress to recreation, sports and fitness management positions with experience.

Movement among recreation, sports and fitness consultants may be restricted within individual area of expertise.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Enterprising
Enterprising

Education, Training and Skills

  • A university degree in recreation administration, sports administration, physical education, kinesiology or related discipline combined with some work experience in a related field
    or
    a college diploma in a recreation, sports or fitness program combined with some experience in a related field is required
  • Recreation, sports and fitness program supervisors require experience as program leaders or instructors in recreation, sports and fitness. Certification in program specialization, such as fitness or lifesaving, may also be required

 

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Human Kinetics/Kinesiology/Physical Education
  • Parks, Recreation & Leisure Facilities Management
  • Recreation Leadership Related
  • Sports and Fitness Administration/Management
  • Kinesiology/Physical Education/Sport
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

73%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

71%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

71%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

68%
Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

68%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

67%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

65%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

63%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

61%
Active Learning

Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.

60%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

1,365
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 30 2.2%
Kootenay 45 3.3%
Mainland/Southwest 765 56.0%
North Coast and Nechako 40 2.9%
Northeast 25 1.8%
Thompson-Okanagan 180 13.2%
Vancouver Island/Coast 285 20.9%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)

720
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 20 1.5%
Kootenay 10 1.8%
Mainland/Southwest 430 1.6%
North Coast and Nechako 20 1.4%
Northeast 10 1.1%
Thompson-Okanagan 90 2.1%
Vancouver Island/Coast 130 1.4%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2024-2034)
Information, Culture and Recreation460
Health Care and Social Assistance140
Public Administration60
Educational Services30
Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services30
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.