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What we do

Research

Our work is underpinned and informed by the collation of up to date labour market information and analysis.

Our research team provides high quality Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) on the Active Leisure, Learning and Well-being sector which highlights areas for future development in relation to workforce development.

Below you will find SkillsActive’s research reports. Most of the reports can be downloaded for free while some will be for members only, so if you are a member please ensure you are logged in.

These reports are available through downloads only and we do not keep a stock of hardcopy research reports. 

Sector Skills Assessments

Sector Skills Assessments provide a detailed examination of needs, enabling SkillsActive to be the authoritative voice of employer skill needs in the sector. They provide informative evidence resources that can be consulted and used as the basis for policy development. They draw upon evidence from a range of the most up to date and reliable sources and also more in-depth, detailed research with employers.

Sector Skills Assessments are an update of the Skill Needs Assessments produced for the Sector Skills Agreements, a key process in ensuring that employers have the right skills to support the success of their business and individuals have the skills they need to be employable and personally fulfilled.

The external drivers which impact on the current performance of the sector vary considerably between countries, depending upon each country’s health, sport and play strategies and the structure of provision. To appreciate the specific differences it is best to refer to the respective SSA for each country.

We have recently produced Sector Skills Assessments for 2010:

Sector Skills Agreements

In partnership with a number of professional bodies and government offices, we have undertaken extensive consultation with employers and training providers across the UK to discover the skills gaps and shortages across the sector at a regional level.

Sector Skills Agreements (SSA) bring together employers, providers and funders of education and training, with the key purpose of developing a more demand-led system of public investment in skills for the sector. This is combined with an increase in employer commitment to workforce development.

Access all the Sector Skills Agreement reports and research.

Higher education provision

This research report provides an overview of the importance of higher education (HE) to the active leisure, learning and well-being sector. It reviews data supplied by the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS), Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and other Higher Education literature.

Access our UK and home country Higher Education research reports.

Outdoors survey

The largest research undertaken to date by SkillsActive of the outdoors sector.

The UK outdoor sector has long proved challenging to 'measure' with the system of industrial classifications failing to accommodate the sector's make-up and its needs. Despite the known hurdles, SkillsActive promoted a UK-wide survey during 2009 to try and rectify the lack of data available to map the sector and its workforce.

Full and summary reports available to download. 

Working in Fitness

We conduct the Working in Fitness survey annually, which presents a unique opportunity to gauge the views and opinions of the fitness workforce across a range of occupations in the sector.

The Working in Fitness 2010 survey is currently taking place, while you can download the Working in Fitness 2009 summary report and access research reports from previous years on our Working in Fitness research page.

Playwork People

Playwork People is our survey of the playwork workforce and is the largest dedicated survey of playworkers in England. It provides an invaluable source of quantitative information about the characteristics of the play workforce. The survey topics include skills needs and qualification levels, as well as salaries and career progression in the sector.

Playwork graduate research

Playwork employers and employees across England were surveyed for this research, which was commissioned by the Children's Workforce Development Council as part of the government's pledge to deploy graduate leaders within the playwork profession.

The report explores how graduates can be deployed within the workforce and recognises the benefit of more professional involvement but highlights a number of barriers to achieving this.

South West Sport and Leisure Progression Pilot

In 2008, SkillsActive were awarded funding by the Learning and Skills Council South West to explore the barriers to greater participation in Apprenticeships in Active Leisure and Learning.

The research report looks at Apprenticeship take up, Entry to Employment programmes, the Group Training Organisation and awareness by advisors of the Active Leisure and Learning sector. There are also three briefing sheets which set out the key findings and recommendations.

International benchmarking

A report comparing the vocational education and sporting systems, the role of the Sector Bodies and the sport and recreation standards and competencies of Australia and New Zealand with the UK.

Children's views

The children’s views report presents children and young people’s views on play and playworkers.