Careers in recreation: recreation administration. (Students Branch).

As any recreation administrator will tell you, there's a lot more to parks and recreation than fun and games. Recreation administration involves major responsibility for planning and administering recreation and park programs to meet the needs and interests of the area served. Most administrators oversee the operations of entire agencies within the private and public sector, including budgeting, trend forecasting, marketing and other promotional techniques to attract participants to their recreation programs. Recreation administration is the process that mobilizes an organization's resources, human and material, to accomplish predetermined goals to benefit the people served.

Job titles in this arena include director of recreation and parks, recreation supervisor, recreation center director, recreation leader and park planner. Applicants for fulltime career positions are usually college graduates with a major in parks, recreation and leisure services. Persons with academic preparation in parks, recreation or leisure studies, physical education, fitness management and related fields generally have better prospects for career advancement. A person planning a recreation career should be outgoing, good at motivating people and sensitive to the needs of others.

Employment of recreation administration personnel is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2005 because of a growing number of people with an abundance of leisure time and the resources of purchase-associated services; increased interest in fitness and health; and the rising demand for recreational opportunities for older adults in senior centers and retirement communities. While the average age work week is about 40 hours, individuals entering this field should expect some night work, weekend work and other irregular hours. These jobs currently pay between the high $20,000s to the high $40,000s. And remember: The benefits are endless.