AusLeisure

The number of people working as fitness instructors, managers and outdoor adventure workers in their main job grew by over 50% between 2006 and 2011, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) this week.

Using Census data to highlight the number of people in sport and recreation occupations, the ABS' Employment in Sport and Recreation publication showed that in the 2011 Census 95,590 persons were employed in sport and physical recreation occupations, an increase of 17% compared with the 2006 Census.

Within these figures there was a 66% rise among outdoor adventure instructors in Australia, from 833 in 2006 to 1,382 persons in 2011; a 56% rise in fitness instructors, from 13,800 on 2006 to 21,514 in 2011; and a 51% rise in numbers of fitness centre managers, from 1,663 in 2006 to 2,519 in 2011.

Of those employed in a sport and physical recreation occupation, fitness instructor numbers were the largest numbers, followed by greenkeepers (11,345 persons) and swimming coaches/instructors (10,281 persons). Since 2006, the number of swimming coaches/instructors had increased by 26%, while the number of greenkeepers fell 7%.

The publication showed that there were more males (58%) than females (42%) employed in sport and physical recreation occupations while the 2024 year age group had the largest number of persons (18%) employed in sport and physical recreation occupations, of which 23% were fitness instructors.

The most common sport occupations held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons are greenkeepers (22%), fitness instructors (11%) and recreation officers (9%).

The private sector engaged over 90% of persons employed in sport and physical recreation occupations.

Just over half (55%) of persons employed in sport and physical recreation occupations worked part-time (i.e. less than 35 hours), with 30% working 15 hours or less.

This publication presents summary data on selected sport and physical recreation occupations from the 2011 Census of Population and Housing. The occupations included are derived from those that appear in the Australian Culture and Leisure Classifications (ACLC), 2008 (Second Edition) (cat. no. 4902.0).

The tables show the number and selected characteristics, such as sex, age, state of usual residence, Indigenous status, industry, industry sector, hours of work and income of persons in Australia employed in a sport or physical recreation occupation as their main job at the time of the 2011 Census.

Further details are in Employment in Sport and Recreation, Australia (cat. no 4148.0) available for free download from the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au

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