Sports apprenticeships

Don't let your love for sports remain a hobby - turn it into a career and earn while you learn with a sports apprenticeship

What apprenticeships are available?

On a sports apprenticeship, you can train as a:

• community activator coach
• community sport and health officer
• leisure duty manager
• outdoor activity instructor
• personal trainer
• physiotherapist
• sporting excellence professional.

Apprenticeships are available from Level 2 (intermediate) to Level 6 (degree) to suit your existing skills and qualifications:

• Intermediate (Level 2) - These apprenticeships, like the Community Activator Coach (intermediate), require GCSEs in English and maths.
• Advanced (Level 3) - This level offers apprenticeships such as a personal trainer or community sport and health officer. You'll need five GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and maths.
• Higher (Level 4/5) - apprenticeships at this level generally require four to five GCSEs and A-levels (or equivalent). While a Level 4 is comparable to the first year of a university degree or a Higher National Certificate (HNC), a Level 5 is an advanced option equivalent to a complete foundation degree or a Higher National Diploma (HND).
• Degree (Level 6) - is equivalent to a full Bachelors.

Discover more about apprenticeships.

Where can I study a sports apprenticeship?

• Bolton College - on the personal trainer (Level 3) apprenticeship, you'll learn to create exercise plans, share nutrition tips, and give general lifestyle coaching.
• South Devon College - as a school and community activator (Level 2) you'll get people in schools and communities moving more. You'll offer support for sports and other physical activities, intending to make people enjoy being active.
• University of Salford - The physiotherapist (Level 6) apprenticeship develops your expertise in physiotherapy to provide effective treatment to clients.
• Barnsley College - as a community sport and health officer (Level 3), you'll seek to create a more active population, investigating the design of successful sports and fitness programmes to see how they can reduce or prevent anti-social behaviour.
• Loughborough College - a sports coach (Level 4) apprenticeship develops your ability to create coaching programmes to develop participants' sports skills, leading to an improvement in their performance.
• Competence Development Ltd - on a sporting excellence professional (Level 3) apprenticeship, you'll pursue a professional sports career while developing your academic skills.
• Derby College - the leisure duty manager (Level 3) apprenticeship teaches you skills for managing a leisure facility, including leading staff, ensuring customer satisfaction, and health and safety.
• Kendal College - an outdoor activity instructor (Level 3) apprenticeship teaches you the skills and knowledge to lead safe and fun outdoor sessions in various environments and weather conditions, all following proper safety procedures.

Sports apprenticeships are sometimes available through local councils, allowing for valuable on-the-job training within a well-respected organisation.

You can research a full list of providers at gov.uk.

What's involved in a sports apprenticeship?

The programme you choose will impact your experience. For example, a sports coach apprenticeship will focus on training techniques and athlete development, while a physiotherapy programme will delve into anatomy, rehabilitation, and treatment practices.

On the four-year physiotherapist programme at the University of Salford, you will study modules on:

• spinal assessment and management
• neurological assessment and management
• cardo respiratory assessment and management
• discovering and evaluating health and wellbeing interventions.

As for sports coaching apprenticeships, Sport Structures offers an 18-month School Sports Coach Level 4 programme. You can choose from three pathways:

• school sports coach
• community sports coach
• high-performance sports coach.

During the apprenticeship, you'll receive support in developing your coaching philosophy, designing effective programmes, and fostering a positive learning environment.

The difficulty of your tasks and the level of responsibility you hold will increase as your apprenticeship progresses.

Who are they aimed at?

Level 2 apprenticeships focus on foundational skills and don't require formal qualifications like GCSEs. You'll need to be over 16 and not in full-time education to apply.

Programmes at Level 3 and upwards delve deeper into specific areas of sports and will require GCSEs in English, maths, and science for a strong foundation. You'll need to be 16 or over and you can't be enrolled in full-time education elsewhere.

How much will I be paid?

If in the first year of your apprenticeship, even if you're over 19, you'll get at least £6.40 per hour (as of April 2024). This applies to all your working hours, including training time.

Once you complete your first year and reach 19, you'll move on to the regular National Minimum Wage for your age group. You'll get a minimum of 20 days of paid holiday on top of your hourly wage.

Many employers pay above the minimum wage, so your earnings can grow as you gain experience. For instance, YMCA pays their personal trainer apprentices £224.00 per week, while the salary for an apprentice sports coach at Little Sports Group is £11,648 a year.

How do I apply?

When applying for a sports apprenticeship, understanding the specifics of the programme is key. Be sure to tailor your application to match the required skills and experience they're looking for.

Online applications are common but always check with the organisation first. Some might require a CV and cover letter highlighting your passion for sports and relevant experiences, such as volunteering with sports teams or coaching experience.

Assessment centres or insight days might be part of the selection process. These help employers assess your teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills in a sports context. Alternatively, some employers may use video interviews.

For guidance, take a look at our example apprenticeship cover letter or learn how to apply for an apprenticeship.

Find out more

• Explore sports coaching courses.
• See our overview of the leisure, sport and tourism sector in the UK.