CIMSPA welcomes Sporting Future annual report
CIMSPA has welcomed the publication of the first annual report for the government’s Sporting Future strategy.
The annual report reconfirms CIMSPA’s role as a lead partner for both government and Sport England in the delivery of the strategy’s five key outcomes, to ensure that everyone in the UK can benefit from the power of sport and physical activity.
The report highlights how CIMSPA’s work to develop both a single set of professional standards for the sector, as well as a single qualifications system, is “well advanced” – a success due in no small part to the investment of time and resources made by CIMSPA employer and awarding organisation partners.
Looking forwards, the annual report signposts the key role CIMSPA will play in developing Sport England’s forthcoming workforce strategy, and applauds CIMSPA for its early achievements in building insight and understanding of the sport and physical activity workforce through effective labour market intelligence research.
On apprenticeships, the report stresses how closely government, CIMSPA and Sport England are working, with employers and a range of partners, to ensure a successful reform of the apprenticeships system and the delivery of “three million starts by 2020.”
Commenting on the report, CIMSPA interim chair Andy Reed OBE said:
“The underlying theme of this annual report is how effectively our sector has engaged with the government’s strategy and is already hard at work transforming strategy objectives into projects, programmes and progress.
“CIMSPA is both proud of the contribution it has made to the first year of the Sporting Future strategy rollout and keen to step up the pace of our workforce development project.
“Much of our focus in year one has been on developing the underlying infrastructure to support a professionalised workforce in sport and physical activity. By its nature, this has been a ‘behind the scenes’ process, and one key ambition for 2017 is to ensure our progress is signposted and shared more effectively.
“Most importantly, the realisation of the CIMSPA professional standards matrix will stake out the boundaries of the sector for the first time and give those working in sport, fitness and activity clear pathways to high-quality, high-status careers.
“As we look forward to year 2 of the Sporting Future strategy, CIMSPA would like to thank government and Sport England for their support of the sector’s chartered institute, but we must also thank the many employers, awarding organisations, training providers and HE/FE institutions who, through partnership working with CIMSPA, have driven the successes already achieved.”
FIND OUT MORE: DCMS Sporting Future annual report