Navigation trail

• Home page
• Types of jobs
• Leisure, sport and tourism
• Outdoor pursuits manager: Salary and conditions

Outdoor pursuits manager: Salary and conditions

• At a local authority centre, a manager would start on £22,000 to £27,000. An instructor can earn anything from under £10,000 to around £26,000, depending on experience and skills (salary data collected June 09).
• A centre manager with five to ten years' experience could earn in excess of £35,000. Seasonal instructors are paid on a weekly basis, anything from £100 to £200 per week, or on an hourly rate of anything between £9 and £17. If employed as a qualified teacher, you will be paid the same rates as teachers in schools (salary data collected June 09).
• Overtime bonuses and shift allowances may apply. Accommodation and meals are often provided free.
• Work is office-based and classroom-based, as well as outdoors.
• It is possible to set up and run your own outdoor pursuits centre. Self-employed managers may earn more, but working conditions will be less secure. Posts with local authorities may offer the best job security.
• Hours can be very long because of the residential nature of the work. You often need to be available 24 hours a day, so getting away from your work is not always possible.
• As an instructor, in the early stages of your career, work is often seasonal and many jobs are on temporary contracts. Work may be affected by conditions beyond your control or adverse weather conditions.
• Centres are usually in rural areas, which may be remote. The work is physically demanding, so fitness and stamina are essential. You often have to put up with discomfort, e.g. camping out, bad weather. However, many outdoor pursuits managers regard their contact with the outdoors and with clients (however minimal) as worthy compensation for their more time-consuming office-based work.
• Having overall responsibility for the safety, discipline and well-being of both staff and guests throughout their stay can be stressful. Some centres, particularly in more remote areas, offer full residential facilities where guests will stay whilst on a course. Most centres will provide meals for the duration of the stay.
• There are more men than women in this area of employment - 80% of managers and 60% of instructors are men (Source: SkillsActive - The Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning )

AGCAS

Written by Annette Millar, University of Plymouth

Last updated:

June 2009

© Copyright AGCAS & Graduate Prospects Ltd | Disclaimer