Introduction and guidance

In today’s dynamic job market, possessing a well-rounded skill set is essential for career success. This course aims to bridge the gap between sports and employability, recognising the unique value that participation in sports and physical activities can bring to your professional development.

Throughout this course, you will explore how engaging in sports and physical activity cultivates a wide range of transferable skills highly sought after by employers. You will delve into key area of the Open University’s Employability Framework and address skills such as: communication, problem solving, collaboration, self-management, resilience, and much more.

Through interactive activities you will learn how to articulate and showcase these skills effectively on your CV, during interviews, and in the workplace. Whether you are an athlete, coach, or simply passionate about sports, this course will equip you with the tools and knowledge to leverage your sporting experiences to enhance your employability and career prospects.

As you progress through the course, you will have the opportunity to engage with captivating ‘In the Spotlight’ video clips. These feature individuals sharing their personal career journeys and the profound positive influence that sport and physical activity have had on their lives. By hearing directly from them, you will gain valuable insights and first-hand accounts of how sports and physical activity can shape and enhance career paths. We hope these real-life stories will provide inspiration, motivation, and a deeper understanding of the transformative power that sports can have on employability and professional growth.

Before we dive into the exciting content, let’s kick things off by getting to know some of the friendly faces you’ll be hearing from throughout the course. Take a moment to watch the video introductions from George – a sports coach with experience on both sides of the Atlantic, Georgi – a gymnast who has represented Great Britain and is now undertaking an apprenticeship within the police, and Leanne – a business owner and author, who was awarded an MBE for services to charity in 2023.

Leanne briefly mentions her mental health struggles within this video. If you do not feel comfortable watching please continue to the next section.

In the Spotlight

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GEORGE

My engagement in sport, I’ve been engaged in sport from a young age. I started playing football through colts football at the age of three, and all through my youth, and into adulthood I’ve been involved in playing sport. And football is the main sport for me. So I, again, started at a young age and the highlight of my football career, if you like, was playing for a Luton Town Academy at the school that I went to. So football has always been a main part of my life. I also competed in athletics to a county standard in cross country and on the track. In my youth I was involved in rugby and cricket, not so very good level, but just for fun. And I still play football currently and I also play badminton recreationally. And then in terms of coaching, I got into coaching and volunteering from the age of about 14 and have been involved in it ever since and again, I managed to make a career out of it as well.

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GEORGI

My name is Georgi, and I’m 18 years old. I’m a gymnast for Great Britain and I’ve been doing gymnastics since I was three years old. I’ve also represented Great Britain twice at the World Championships. My engagement in the sport, there’s been a lot. I started when I was three years old, I started specializing in artistic gymnastics, and I trained four days a week, about four hours a session.

When I got to about 12 years old, I then moved over and specialized in tumbling in which I got scouted to represent Great Britain when I was 13. I got chosen to represent Great Britain in two European Championships. But unfortunately, they were canceled because of COVID. And then lastly, I got chosen to represent Great Britain again at two World Championships and resulted in me coming fourth overall.

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LEANNE

I think for me in my career, it had to start from a love of something. My name is Leanne Pero, and that love for me was dance. I’m from Peckham in South London. I found dance when I was going through such a tough time at home, and I’d be honest with you. I couldn't see any way out at that time, and I was 13 years old. I am the founding director of The Movement Factory Community Dance Company. When I discovered dance at a youth centre next to my school where they were providing free dance classes, I was quite lucky in that respect. And I’d like to say I always go back to that moment because that’s actually where the love of dance started. Who would have known 22 years later, I would have a dance school of my own and a successful one at that, and I’ve had thousands of students come through my school. But what I’d like to say is that’s where it started for me was the love, and through that love and the passion that I had for dance, all those other skills came. I have so many people that approach me all the time asking how do I start my own dance class and what skills do you need to start. I had no skills apart from the fact that I loved dancing, and I think that that’s where it’s got to start. And then running the business and running the various different classes that I did through the love of that was where I learnt everything that I needed to know. So I’m a massive believer that you can learn anything through the love or your passion for what you do.

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Join us on this exciting journey of discovering the relationship between sports, physical activity, and professional success. Let’s unlock your potential and develop the skills that will set you apart in today's competitive job market.

This course will take approximately 10 hours to complete and is divided into 5 sessions. You can progress at your own pace. The sessions are:

• Employability and you
• Unlocking core skills for personal and professional growth
• Building foundation key behaviours for success
• Beyond the game – how external awareness shapes employability
• Planning for the future

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• develop a comprehensive understanding of the transferable skills gained through sport and physical activity
• learn effective strategies to articulate and showcase your employability skills
• apply practical exercises and case studies to cultivate and strengthen employability skills through active engagement in sports and physical activities.