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Leisure centre managers look after the day-to-day running of sports and leisure centres.
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; flexibly
There will be
2.2% more Leisure centre manager jobs in 2027.
In your local area
In this role you could:
You could work at a fitness centre or in an office.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
You'll usually need:
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant subjects include:
You'll usually need:
You could get into the leisure industry through an advanced apprenticeship as a leisure duty manager.
This will usually take 18 months to complete. You'll do on-the-job training and spend time with a college or training provider.
You may be able to start off as an intermediate leisure team member apprentice and then apply for trainee management positions leading to the advanced apprenticeship.
Most people following this route have:
You could start as an admin officer, fitness assistant or management trainee in a leisure centre, and work towards professional qualifications to become a manager.
You could improve your chances of employment by getting practical experience in a leisure centre, either through seasonal work or by volunteering.
You could apply for a graduate management trainee scheme with one of the large leisure companies if you've got a degree.
You would work in different areas of the business while completing professional qualifications to become a manager.
You'll need to:
You may find it useful to join the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
You can find out more about working in leisure from the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity.
You're likely to have more opportunities for promotion in larger organisations. With experience you may be able to become an area or regional manager, with responsibility for service development among a group of centres.
You could use your experience in leisure centre management to move into related areas like sports promotion and development, or building partnerships with local authorities and national governing bodies.