Community recreation centres and aquatic facilities play a key role in promoting public health by providing exercise options and social activities that reduce stress and anxiety. They also bring communities together and help engage marginalized groups. There is a push for more sustainable practices to reduce costs as water and energy prices rise. New monitoring technologies can help lifeguards spot dangers faster while automated systems aim to make pool operations safer and more environmentally friendly. The industry is merging several certificates to provide multi-skilled graduates and address workforce shortages, particularly in regional areas.

1. Community
Recreation
2015 Environmental
Scan Snapshot
Promoting community health
Community recreation centres and
aquatic facilities play a key role in
maintaining the physical and mental
health of Australians.
They provide fitness options for people
who are not physically able to go to a
gym or to afford a personal trainer. They
can also help reduce anxiety and stress
by providing opportunities for social
interaction and physical activity.
Bringing communities together
and saving lives
Local governments in many remote and
regional areas agree that
Community fitness centres and aquatic
facilities are increasingly seen as places
to engage marginalised groups and
culturally and linguistically diverse
(CALD) communities.
Tackling water education
Royal Life Saving Society Australia
(RLSSA) has reported that there is a
especially for those from African
and Asian backgrounds. Along with
local governments, RLSSA is setting
up projects that work with CALD
communities to teach water safety and
involve them in recreational activities.
leisure
facilities are
a central part
of healthy
rural
communities
higher risk
of drowning
and receiving
an aquatic
injury

2. Cost pressures driving new
practices
There is an industry-wide push
towards more financially, socially and
environmentally sustainable practices.
Facility managers are looking at ways of
reducing energy and water use to make
centres cheaper to run, particularly as the
cost of water is expected to rise further as it
becomes less available.
Technology reducing risk and
costs
Swimming facilities across the US and
Europe are using monitoring systems
with underwater cameras and sensors to
help lifeguards spot drowning dangers
faster. These systems are not widespread
in Australia yet but their use is expected
to grow.
Automated pool plant operation is also
likely to become more common as the
industry looks at ways to make pool water
safer and more sustainable.
Multi-purpose facilities
Many believe that integrated sport and
recreation facilities are the future, as
councils look to minimise land use and
running costs. As well as open green
spaces, they will offer a variety of services
to entice greater community participation—
shops, cafes, health and beauty services
and so on.
Workforce development
needs
Multi-skilled workforce
The industry needs its workforce to be
multi-skilled so staff can work across job
functions, to allow facilities to provide them
with more hours and transferable skills.
Increased investment in multi-skilling would
make it easier for staff to see their jobs as
careers, not just short-term employment.
Skills opportunities and concerns
There is a shortage of people with
communication, customer service,
marketing and business skills. Staff in
general are in short supply in regional and
remote areas. There are emerging needs
for swimming school coordinators at larger
facilities, staff with marketing skills and
people who can communicate with different
populations.
Future directions of the
Community Recreation
Training Package
The Certificate II in Community Activities
will be merged with the Certificate II
in Sport and Recreation. Much of the
content is similar and it is believed
that merging the qualifications will give
graduates a better range of skills.
The Certificate III in Aquatics and the
Certificate III in Community Activity
Programs will also be merged to become
Certificate III in Aquatics and Community
Recreation, allowing graduates to be
multi-skilled.
The Certificate IV in Community
Recreation will be merged with the
Certificate IV in Sport and Recreation
because much the content of the
qualifications is similar.
Please see the full Community
Recreation Environmental Scan for
the sources of statistics contained
in this snapshot.
Visit serviceskills.com.au/
environmental-scans for a copy
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Community
Recreationqualifications
commencements
Occupation in demand
• Swimming instructor
Qualification 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Certificate I in Community Recreation* 80 205 194 0 0
Certificate II in Community Activities 0 0 0 395 490
Certificate I in Community Recreation* 3,270 3,167 3,053 1,350 6
Certificate III in Aquatics 0 0 0 113 500
Certificate III in Community Activity programs 521 612 712 482 892
Certificate IV in Community Recreation 78 62 69 43 183
Diploma of Community Recreation* 13 0 0 0 0
Diploma of Facility Management* 0 0 1 17 32
*This qualification has been deleted.