Industry employment and salary trends under the microscope

People working in sport, fitness and aquatics jobs in Australia and New Zealand are being called upon to participate in a national survey mapping employment and salary trends for the sector, which opens this week.

The 2008 Sportspeople Workplace Survey is managed by leading recruitment agency and job board operator, Sportspeople, in conjunction with the School of Exercise Science and Sport Management, Southern Cross University. The 2008 Sportspeople Survey is supported by a number of industry partners including Fitness Australia, Fitness New Zealand, AUSTSWIM, NSW Sports Federation, VicSport, Sport SA, Sports Federation of Queensland, WA Sports Federation, ACTSPORT, Institute of Sports Management and DSA Consulting Services.

Age, gender and education emerged as the hot spots for the industry in the inaugural 2003 survey. According to Sportspeopleís Managing Director, Robert McMurtrie the 2008 Sportspeople Workplace Survey aims to map any changes to the employment practices of 2003.

ìIn many ways the data collected from the 2003 Sportspeople Workplace Survey was designed to set the foundation for comparison in future years. The questions this year are consistent with the inaugural survey, ensuring Southern Cross University is able to provide direct comparisons across all areas. We have added a number of new survey questions as well as broadened the survey to include sport, fitness and aquatics across both Australia and New Zealand. We plan to conduct the Sportspeople Workplace Survey annually as the benchmark measure of employment and salary trends in the sector.î he said.

ìNaturally, all respondents maintain their anonymity when completing the online survey. Completing the survey from start to finish should take around five minutes. I would encourage everyone working in sport, fitness or aquatics in Australia and New Zealand to visit www.sportspeople.com.au or www.sportspeople.co.nz and complete the 2008 Sportspeople Workplace Survey.î he said.

Results from the 2008 Sportspeople Workplace Survey will be published jointly by Sportspeople and the School of Exercise Science and Sport Management, Southern Cross University later this year.