18 March 2004 Enjoying 'Dream Jobs' in Billion Dollar Industry

Only two years out from Lincoln University and already Bachelor of Recreation Management graduate Amy Richardson has had two "dream jobs".

Amy, who specialised in the BRM's Sports stream, has just been appointed an assistant to the director of School Sport Canterbury in Christchurch, after 18 months with Sport Wanganui.

"I can honestly say I've had two dream jobs, and I love what I am doing."

In Wanganui she worked with both primary and secondary school sport, while in Christchurch the job is more focused on event management.

In Canterbury Amy is working with School Sport Canterbury director Kerry Henderson. She described her Sport Wanganui role as more a facilitation one while the Canterbury job is shaping up to be more hands-on.

Amy herself played lots of different sports at school but these days her focus is on running and multisport – "it's just a matter of fitting everything in at the moment," she says.

Amy is one of numerous Lincoln Recreation Management graduates working in the recreation, sport and leisure sector.

Together, the recreation, sport and leisure industries contribute around $2 billion to the New Zealand economy and the contribution is growing all the time.

"We might call it fun, but like any big earner you can't get by in the business without understanding what you're doing," says Lincoln University Liaison Officer Tim Edmonds, who is also a member of the Canterbury Rams Basketball Team.

"Lincoln University has been providing formal tertiary qualifications in the field for over 30 years through its various degree and diploma programmes in recreation management and associated areas such as parks and tourism," says Tim.

"Working closely with the various industries to keep abreast of employment trends and developments and the expectations they have of our programmes, Lincoln University has produced generations of graduates for positions across the whole employment spectrum within the recreation, sport and leisure fields."

Today Lincoln University's Bachelor of Recreation Management programme offers five vocational streams or areas of specialisation – parks, outdoor leadership, tourism, community recreation and sport.

There are 24 subjects to pass for the degree, some of them "core" or compulsory ones. By studying eight subjects a year, the BRM can be completed in three years.

The first year of study provides a broad understanding of leisure, parks, recreation and tourism theory and practice. It also introduces social and behavioural sciences, communication skills and an overview of bicultural issues.

The second and third years of the course are designed to advance students' specialist and professional interests through further "core" subjects and others connected with their chosen "stream". All second year students are required to learn about recreation event and programme planning.

In their third year all students have to study recreation management and professional practice, and become familiar with policy and legislation related to recreation.

Another Lincoln BRM graduate who loves her job is Rebecka Reid. Rebecka graduated in the Tourism stream and is now Marketing Manager with Tourism West Coast, based in Greymouth.

"My degree helped me to get where I am now by having structured papers which the industry recognised as being essential, but it also allowed scope to include a number of elective papers – papers of my own choice, such as marketing."

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand