Did anyone's dc do a Sport and Exercise Science degree?

[Thepleasureofyourcompany]

Where did they go and what they are doing now? Did they enjoy it? I'd be grateful to hear as dd is thinking about it. Currently doing PE, RS and Psychology A levels and working at AAB currently. Thanks!

@thing47 The big issue is that many of those jobs can be done by anyone with a degree. As you say. Thousands of sports science grads are competing with thousands and thousands of other grads who might well have far better skills for the jobs. The overwhelming reason given for students to do sports science is to work directly in sport. PR and events management is very far removed from this.

@moana1234 I do think we need to get away from unpaid internships. Most of us know they are for the better off! How can the poorer student afford them? A short paid stint is fair enough but working for nothing is not fair. Maybe your DH should re-evaluate his work practices?

Unpaid work experience, which typically lasts no longer than a week, is not the same as an internship @TizerorFizz

Most blue chip corporates still offer this model - primarily for those in lower 6th, who are trying to ascertain whether a particular profession is of interest to them, before they apply for university.

If you're lucky, you may be offered travel expenses

Thousands of sports science grads are competing with thousands and thousands of other grads who might well have far better skills for the jobs

Why would they necessarily have better skills?

Well obviously I mean specifically sports PR and event management as opposed to more generally. Who do you think organises tennis at Wimbledon, rugby at Twickenham, international cricket matches around the country, football at Wembley, not to mention multi-sports events such as the European football Championships/Olympics/RWC or tours to other countries? I think a lot of people do not realise the sheer scale of these events – they all bring in a number of specialist sports consultancies to handle them.

You're right that these jobs might go to any graduate, but having a good sports-related degree is going to give you a headstart over, say, an engineer, even one with a first from Imperial. That's not to say the latter isn't academically brighter, they probably are, but they aren't going to have the skillset a sports agency is looking for.

I always think of young men who have sports science degrees as also having good social skills…. Dunno why 🤷‍♀️.

It's not my child it's a friend of the family. My son will be doing the BTEC Sport Level 3 specialising in cricket next year at Edgbaston. He's doing BTEC Sport Level 2 ATM.

@moana1234, my son did 32 hours net bowling for the Commonwealth Games as work experience.

@caringcarer I know someone who works for a sports organisation earning over £50k. He did a sports management degree, there's lots of options. Maybe this young man isn't looking in the right places.

The following organisations are a good place to start:

https://sported.org.uk/

https://londonyouth.org/

https://londonsport.org/about-us/careers/

https://careers.adidas-group.com/jobs

https://uk.indeed.com/m/jobs?q=Sports+Marketing+Agency&l=London

I'll pass this on to him when I see him.

I did a sports degree. I now teach English! My peers ended up in a variety of roles:

-PT in the Army
-Nursing
-Sports development officer
-PE teacher
-Maths teacher
-Lecturer
-Olympic coach
-Swim coach
-Leisure manager

I really enjoyed my degree and it was so incredibly diverse (anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, education, psychology, sociology, history). I do often wish I had done something different though if I’m honest, but that’s mainly because of the snobbery I have encountered since. People think you run around a field and get a 2.1. It’s actually really hard to do well in something so diverse. That being said, I have never had difficulties getting a job. I always wanted to teach so I was less interested in sports related careers. I’m now contemplating a switch to psychological therapies at some point in the future.

My dd is starting a sports science degree as a mature student becasue she has a specific path in mind and she needs the degree for that.

A couple of weeks ago I saw someone I hadn't seen for years. His son had done a sports science degree several years ago t a not overly high ranking uni (ex poly). He went straight into a job at a a local private hospital/gym (the type of place you go if you have medical insurance). Various other jobs including travelling the world to various football cubs conducting research he now works for a company who make surgical equipment used in sports rehab and goes round demonstrating how to use it to medical professionals. He earns a lot of money.

But his dad also reeled off a list of his fellow graduates who are also working and earning a good living in various parts of the industry ranging from teaching, coaching, physio/sports therapy (Masters needed ) etc etc.

So I'm hopeful for dd.

Incidentally dd is not a sports person. She actually didn't do PE at all at school after Year 6 in primary school (she did dance instead) and although she does now run/do the gym various injuries sustained whilst dancing plus various other issues such as hyper mobility means she cannot do may sports.