The sport and active leisure industry is constantly evolving and offers a wide range of career opportunities. To succeed, you need the right behaviours, values, skills, and techniques.

In this unit, you will explore how the UK industry is organised, research career options across public, private, and voluntary sectors, and identify the qualifications and experience needed for each. You will also complete an application and interview process for a chosen pathway, evaluating your performance to recognise strengths and areas for development.

This unit equips you with the knowledge and skills to pursue a career in sport and active leisure, whether you choose to enter employment straight after your qualification or continue with further study.

Health and wellbeing is an increasingly important focus within the UK sport and active leisure industry. Growing awareness of the effects of physical and mental health on daily life and sport has highlighted the need to address these areas.

In this unit, you will study key aspects of health and wellbeing, national benchmarks, and why government and sporting bodies prioritise them. You will examine how different factors affect participation in sport and physical activity, and apply your knowledge by assessing your own health and that of another individual. From this, you will identify strategies to improve wellbeing.

This unit prepares you for employment in sport and active leisure or further study in health, wellbeing, and sport-related fields.

Assistant coaches play a key role in developing athletes, performers, and participants, supporting high-quality coaching across different disciplines.

In this unit, you will learn the roles, skills, and responsibilities of an assistant coach, along with the legislation and guidelines that shape practice. You will explore methods to improve skills, techniques, and tactics, then plan and deliver coaching sessions under the supervision of a qualified coach.

Through reflection and evaluation, you will create a development plan to improve your future coaching.

This unit prepares you for employment in coaching and education or progression to higher education and professional qualifications in coaching, physical education, or sports management.

Sport development is a vital and evolving part of today’s sports industry, influencing athlete performance, healthy living, and key life skills.

In this unit, you will explore the role of sport development officers, key concepts such as the development continuum, target groups, and barriers to participation, as well as the wider agendas sport development supports. You will examine how cultural, financial, and other factors affect participation, and study how local authorities, governing bodies, clubs, and organisations deliver sport development in practice.

You will also develop project management skills, learning how to design and deliver multi-agency projects with stakeholders, funders, and volunteers.

This unit prepares you for careers in sport development, health, or education, as well as progression to higher education or professional qualifications in sport development, coaching, and health promotion.

Self-employment is common in the sports industry, whether as a coach, trainer, or instructor, or in supporting roles such as nutritionist or physiotherapist. Opportunities range from part-time portfolio work to full-time careers.

In this unit, you will explore types of self-employment, the skills and behaviours required, and how to meet client needs. You will create and present a self-employment strategy and business plan, then review your approach for improvement.

This unit prepares you for self-employment or work in sport, fitness, and outdoor activities, as well as further study or professional qualifications.

The human body is made up of interconnected systems that enable us to take part in sport and exercise. The musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems work together to supply energy, oxygen, and movement for performance, whether sprinting at high intensity or sustaining endurance over hours.

In this unit, you will study the structure and function of these systems, exploring bones, joints, muscles, fibre types, the heart, and blood vessels. You will investigate how the body responds to exercise in the short and long term, including how energy systems interact, and take part in practical activities and physiological tests to see these responses in action.

This unit prepares you for careers such as personal training, football coaching, or fitness instruction, as well as further study in higher education or professional qualifications in sport and exercise science.