Graduate Employability in the Sport and Recreation Industry: An analysis of the transition from Higher Education to the workplace.

Over the last 15 years there has been a rapid expansion in sport related degrees with
concerns raised about the appropriateness of sport graduates to the sport industry. In
contrast, a number ofreports have identified the need for a higher skilled sports
workforce. Consequently, the aim ofthis study is to investigate the employability of
sport related graduates in the sport ind~try, through an analysis ofthe 'factors
affecting the transition of the graduate from undergrilduate studies to employment in
the sport industry.
This study comprises of two phases. Phase One used surveys to examine the patterns
of employment and experiences of sport graduates (n=294), and the attributes and
career expectations of sport students (n= 585). Focus groups of sport students (9
groups) and HE staff (4 groups) were undertaken to gain further insight into the
motivations and expectations of students and the nature of sport courses. The surveys
found that 37% of sport graduates were employed in sport and these tended to be low
level jobs that did not tend to utilise graduate attributes. Sports graduates were also
successful in finding jobs in bther industries. The results also showed that the initial
sport graduate career was dynamic with a number ofjob changes.
Phase Two of the study used four case studies of graduates and found that their
transition into sports employment was influenced by the interaction between the
nature of the graduate, the nature ofthe job and the nature ofthe employer. A major
outcome ofthe study is the development of an Interaction Model and Theory of
Graduate Employability in the Sports Industry which, in contrast to other theories,
suggests that graduate employability is located external to the graduate, as a synthesis'
of the inter-relationship between the nature of the graduate, job and employer.