CIMSPA response to IFA occupational maps consultation
The Institute for Apprenticeships is currently conducting a consultation regarding draft occupational maps for UK plc.
CIMSPA is responding to this consultation on behalf of the sport and physical activity sector, and is mobilising its employer and education partner network to support our proposed changes to the draft maps.
CIMSPA’s response to the consultation is below:
- Background information and draft occupational maps
- IFA consultation survey
CIMSPA’s response:
Note: The consultation closes on 25 January 2018
Question 5: Which of the 15 occupational maps are you commenting on?
Response: Health and Science (Career Pathway: Community Exercise, Fitness and Health)
Question 6: Are there any skilled occupations you would expect to see on the map which are not currently included?
Response: The sport and physical activity sector’s employers have been working closely with our professional body – the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) – to develop a clear occupational map with common terminology and which is understood by all sector employers. However, the Health and Science draft occupational map as issued does not align to the map, occupations and progression opportunities already under development and well understood by our sector’s employers.
It is important the career pathway is named within the occupational map title. We recommend this is changed to “Health, Science and Physical Activity”.
The existing career pathway title of “Community Exercise, Fitness and Health” is restrictive and not reflective of the roles listed. Exercise fitness in health happens in a variety of environments – not just the community environment. For example, a sports scientist normally works in a performance sport environment not in the community.
It is important to include the word sport in the career pathway title to reflect the occupations of sports coaches, sports scientists, and sports therapists. We would recommend the career pathway title is “Sport and Physical Activity”.
There is no reference to wellness occupations e.g. yoga, pilates and tai chi. These are significantly different to exercise and fitness occupations as listed in Standard Occupation Codes. We would recommend these are included in the technical occupation cluster.
Whilst there is a reference to the role of “advanced coach”, there is no reference to “coach”. We would recommend this is included in the technical occupation cluster.
Question 7: Should an existing occupation be assigned to a different route, or a different pathway or cluster within the route?
Response: The community exercise, fitness and health occupations listed are confusing and do not fully reflect the career pathways in the sport and physical activity sector.
1. The titles of the clusters do not accurately reflect the roles within them. We would suggest the following amendments.
- “Cluster: Exercise, Fitness and Health Assistant” to “Cluster: Sport and Physical Activity Practitioner”.
- "Cluster: Exercise, Fitness and Health Specialist” to “Cluster: Sport and Physical Activity Advanced Practitioner or Specialist”.
- "Cluster: Exercise, Fitness and Health Professional” to “Cluster: Sport and Physical Activity Professional”.
2. There needs to be a clearer definition of what is required to be an occupation and not just an apprenticeship. See point 3 (below) for an example.
3. There is confusion between the occupation and apprenticeship standards. For example the Leisure Team Member apprenticeship standard is listed as an occupation but includes four standalone occupations, one of which is listed separately – Gym Instructor, Recreation Assistant, Swimming Teacher & Lifeguard. We would recommend these are listed as separate occupations (see response in question 8).
4. There is a lack of consistency when an occupation should be listed within another sector’s occupational map. For example, the community sport and health officer is listed in the Health and Science occupational map despite the primary objective of the role being managerial. Whereas the Leisure Duty Manager occupation is listed in the Business and Administration occupational map despite its context being sport and physical activity related. We would recommend bringing all occupations where employees are employed by employers in the sport and physical activity sector into the Health and Science Occupational map.
5. It is inappropriate that “Sporting Excellence Professional” is listed as the highest level of profession in the sector as this role is an apprenticeship for young people in the talent pathway to maintain their opportunity to be a sportsperson, rather than a professional occupation. We would recommend moving this role to the technical occupations cluster.
Question 8: Are there any clusters, pathways or routes that have been deemed appropriate for apprenticeship only that could be taught in the classroom, and should potentially form part of the T level programme?
Response: We are greatly concerned that, for the technical occupations listed as community exercise, fitness and health assistants, both are not fully defined (as question 7) and are listed as “apprenticeship only”.
We would recommend removing the “apprenticeship only” tag from the technical occupational cluster, removing the apprenticeship titles and adding the occupations that sit within them. As below:
Cluster: Sport and Physical Activity Practitioner
Recreation Assistant, Lifeguard, Swimming Teacher, Gym Instructor, Group Exercise Instructor, Health Navigator (All level 2). Coach, Personal Trainer, Wellness Practitioner, Elite Sports Performance Assistant, Sporting Excellence Professional, Recreation Maintenance Specialist (All level 3). In addition the following amendments are required to the Higher Technical and Professional clusters.
Cluster: Sport and Physical Activity Advanced Practitioner or Specialist
Advanced Swimming Teacher, Advanced Gym Instructor, Advanced Personal Trainer, Advanced Coach, Advanced Wellness Practitioner, Advanced Elite Sports Performance Specialist, Sports Therapist.
Cluster: Sport and Physical Activity Professional
Chartered Personal Trainer Practitioner, Chartered Wellness Practitioner, Chartered Coach, Sports Scientist.