Sports

Leisure centre assistant

Leisure centre assistants set up and supervise activities like fitness and exercise classes, gym sessions and swimming lessons.

Annual Salary

£19,000 to £27,000

Working hours

30 to 40 a week

You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; on shifts

1.4%
Future employment

There will be 1.4% more Leisure centre assistant jobs in 2029.
In your local area

What's it all about?

Day-to-day tasks

As a leisure centre assistant, you'll:

  • set up, dismantle and maintain equipment
  • supervise activity sessions
  • manage records on a membership and booking system
  • deal with customer enquiries and pass on feedback to managers
  • promote events and classes at centres and through social media
  • show people how to use sports equipment safely
  • respond to emergencies and give first aid if required
  • keep areas and facilities clean and tidy

Working environment

You may need to wear a uniform.

You could work at a fitness centre or at a gym.

Your working environment may be physically active.

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly
College

You could take a college course, which may help when looking for work.

Courses include:

  • sport and fitness
  • leisure operations
  • active leisure and learning

Other sporting qualifications, for example in fitness, swimming and coaching, will also be acceptable to employers.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Leisure Team Member Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.

As well as learning how to support the daily operations of a leisure centre, you'll also cover areas like:lifeguarding duties; swimming teaching; gym instruction; leading group activities

This apprenticeship can take up to 2 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
Volunteering and work experience

You could improve your chances of employment by getting practical experience in a leisure centre, either through seasonal work or by volunteering.

Direct application

You can apply directly for jobs. You'll find it useful when looking for work if you've got customer service experience and an interest in sport, exercise and fitness.

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

More information

Career tips

Some employers may prefer you to have a qualification in first aid, gym instruction or lifeguarding.

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) for professional development and learning opportunities.

Further information

You can find more information about working in leisure from CIMSPA.

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With experience, you could become a leisure team supervisor or manager. You could also move into fitness instruction, lifeguarding, swimming teaching or sports coaching by taking the appropriate qualifications.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

  • customer service skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to sell products and services
  • administration skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
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