Case studies: Assistant sports centre manager: Dan

Dan is an assistant sports centre manager (currently acting manager) with the University of Cumbria in Carlisle.

At school I was always interested in sport and fitness and completed a degree in sport in the community at Durham University. I got a job as a fitness instructor at Living Well (now Bannatyne's) in Carlisle and then spent eight months coaching football in California. Then I was a sports development officer for Carlisle City Council, where I helped teach athletics to the PE/sport students at the university, and this is how I found out about the vacancy for my current job.

The job is really all about encouraging students to participate in physical activities, so we run special initiatives such as a Vitality Week and taster sessions at the start of term. These might involve anything from taster training sessions or yoga to health checks or advice on healthier eating. I run the sports hall, manage the activities, take enquiries and bookings, do the day to day administration, run sessions and do the gym maintenance, so it's a very hands-on role. Unlike private centres, our key performance indicators are all about increasing participation rather than maximising budgets. 

I really enjoy interacting with and meeting people from all kinds of backgrounds and helping them with their training. I'm also a qualified strength and conditioning coach at Carlisle Rugby Club and have a special interest in improving sports performance.

I really enjoy my job and working for the university but, as with any role, there can be frustrations. In the current economic climate, budget restraints can make it more difficult to get the equipment and accessories we need. If I were to move on from my job, I'd like to continue my interest in strength and conditioning in a hands-on role.

Although I found my course very useful in helping me build up social skills and learning about how to plan my time and work to deadlines, it wasn't specific to any particular job in sport. I'd advise sport students looking at a career in fitness management to get as much relevant work and voluntary experience as they can while still at university. Start creating a CV that will make you stand out from the others and work towards getting as many sports-related qualifications as you can. You won't have time to do it once you've started working.