By Ashley Miller
Nature of the Work: People in this category lead plan, organize and lead leisure activities and events at camps, parks, health clubs, recreation areas and private amusement companies. Recreation services of some kind are increasingly found in private companies where they direct fitness and recreation activities for employees. While the majority of jobs in the leisure industry are seasonal, career opportunities exist especially working for municipalities and private camps. Due to the nature of the work, much of their time is spent outdoors.
Within the larger demarcation of Recreation Instructor, there are many positions, which vary in pay and responsibility. Recreation leaders, for instance, are responsible for a recreation program's daily operation. Those who specialize in a specific activity, such as swimming or soccer, are called Activity Leaders. In the public sector, park directors plan and implement activities available in their park or recreation area and are often responsible for administering a budget. Also included in this category are less prosaic specializations, such as ski or snowboard instructors and river guides.
Tour guides require an excellent knowledge of the areas through which they lead tours and the confidence to lead others through places with which they are unfamiliar. Depending upon the type of tour, guides may need extensive experience as an outdoorsperson. For some expeditions the tour guide is a jack-of-all-trades and is responsible for everything from planning and leading the day's activities to setting up camp and cooking for the group.
Training and Education: Seasonal jobs, where personality matters most, may expect nothing more than a few years of high school. Professional positions generally require a bachelor's degree and, in some cases, an advanced degree in recreational and leisure studies; though a liberal arts degree may suffice. Hundreds of U.S. undergraduate institutions offer degrees in some kind of recreational and leisure studies or related fields, and many offer graduate degrees in the field. Part-time summer positions are a good entry into the field. They provide both experience and a window into the profession. Some positions such as Activity Leader require certification in a specific area. However, certifications in general are useful for advancement.
Job Outlook: The profession is expected to grow faster than the average for all jobs as parks and private companies expand their recreation offerings and the general public pours more money into recreation activities. Competition will remain tough as the number of professional positions remains small in relation to the total number of recreation jobs. Those with bachelor's or advanced degrees are best positioned for the full-time, professional track jobs. A niche, but growing, market in adventure tourism also provides opportunities to recreation instructors.
Salary Range: $21,000 to $100,000 per year.