Recreation Worker

Conduct recreation activities with groups in public, private, or volunteer agencies or recreation facilities. Organize and promote activities, such as arts and crafts, sports, games, music, dramatics, social recreation, camping, and hobbies, taking into account the needs and interests of individual members.

On the job, you would:

Enforce rules and regulations of recreational facilities to maintain discipline and ensure safety.
Organize, lead, and promote interest in recreational activities, such as arts, crafts, sports, games, camping, and hobbies.
Assess the needs and interests of individuals and groups and plan activities accordingly, given the available equipment or facilities.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Recreation workers must be able to communicate well. They often work with large groups of people and need to give clear instructions, motivate participants, and maintain order and safety.

Flexibility. Recreation workers must be flexible when planning activities. They must be able to adapt plans to suit changing environmental conditions and participants’ needs.

Leadership skills. Recreation workers should be able to lead both large and small groups. They often lead activities for people of all ages and abilities.

Physical strength. Most recreation workers should be physically fit. Their job may require a considerable amount of movement because they often demonstrate activities while explaining them.

Problem-solving skills. Recreation workers need strong problem-solving skills. They must be able to create and reinvent activities and programs for all types of participants.

For recreation workers who generally work part time, such as camp counselors and activity specialists, certain qualities may be more important than education. These qualities include a worker’s experience leading activities, the ability to work well with children or the elderly, and the ability to ensure the safety of participants.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		93%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		91%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		91%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		90%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		90%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		88%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		87%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		86%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		85%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		84%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		83%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		81%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		78%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		76%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		74%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		73%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		89%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
		78%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
		56%	Artistic - Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		83%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		78%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		61%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		61%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		75%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		72%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		66%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		66%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		66%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		60%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		56%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		53%	Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
		53%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		53%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		53%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		53%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		53%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		57%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		57%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		57%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		57%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
		54%	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
		52%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Visit individuals in their homes to provide support or information.

Accompany individuals or groups to activities.

Gather information in order to provide services to clients.

Document client health or progress.

Develop treatment plans for patients or clients.

Enforce rules or regulations.

Promote products, services, or programs.

Organize recreational activities or events.

Monitor recreational facility operations.

Administer first aid.

Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.

Greet customers, patrons, or visitors.

Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.

Demonstrate activity techniques or equipment use.

Monitor recreational facility operations.

Prepare operational reports or records.

Communicate with management or other staff to resolve problems.

Train service staff.

Supervise service workers.

Assign duties or work schedules to employees.

Develop plans for programs or services.

Arrange facility schedules.

Organize recreational activities or events.

Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.

Arrange items for use or display.

Organize recreational activities or events.

Provide counsel, comfort, or encouragement to individuals or families.

Liaise between departments or other groups to improve function or communication.

Evaluate employee performance.

Prepare operational reports or records.

Monitor recreational facility operations.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		95%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		90%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		89%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		87%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		84%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		83%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		77%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		72%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		72%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		66%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		65%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		64%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		64%	Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
		64%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		64%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		62%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		61%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		60%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		57%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		57%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		55%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		89%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		88%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		85%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		83%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		80%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		80%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		79%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		78%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		76%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		75%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		75%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		75%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		74%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		73%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		72%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		72%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		70%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		69%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
		68%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		68%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		68%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		68%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		66%	Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
		66%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		66%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		65%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		64%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		64%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		64%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		63%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		59%	Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
		58%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		57%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		56%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		54%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
		52%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

What Recreation Workers Do

Recreation workers lead groups in activities such as arts and crafts.

Recreation workers design and lead activities to help people stay active, improve fitness, and have fun. They work with groups in summer camps, fitness and recreational sports centers, nursing care facilities, nature parks, and other settings. They may lead such activities as arts and crafts, sports, music, dramatics, or games.

Duties

Recreation workers typically do the following:

Plan, organize, and lead activities for groups or recreation centers
Explain the rules of activities and instruct participants at a variety of skill levels
Enforce safety rules to prevent injury
Modify activities to suit the needs of specific groups, such as seniors
Administer basic first aid if needed
Organize and set up the equipment that is used in recreational activities

The specific responsibilities of recreation workers vary greatly with their job title, their level of training, and the state they work in.

The following are examples of types of recreation workers:

Activity specialists provide instruction and coaching primarily in one activity, such as dance, swimming, or tennis. These workers may work in camps, aquatic centers, or anywhere else where there is interest in a single activity.

Recreation leaders are responsible for a recreation program’s daily operation. They primarily organize and direct participants, schedule the use of facilities, set up and keep records of equipment use, and ensure that recreation facilities and equipment are used and maintained properly. They may lead classes and provide instruction in a recreational activity, such as kayaking or golf.

Camp counselors work directly with youths in residential (overnight) or day camps. They often lead and instruct children and teenagers in a variety of outdoor activities, such as swimming, hiking, horseback riding, or nature study. Counselors also provide guidance and supervise daily living and socialization. Some counselors may specialize in a specific activity, such as archery, boating, music, drama, or gymnastics.

Work Environment

Recreation workers held about 289,400 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of recreation workers were as follows:

Local government, excluding education and hospitals	30%
Nursing and residential care facilities	20
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	12
Social assistance	6

Many workers spend much of their time outdoors. Others provide instruction indoors, for activities such as dance or karate. Still others typically spend most of their time in an office, planning programs and special events.

Recreation workers may face some injury risk while participating in physical activities.

Work Schedules

Many recreation workers, such as camp counselors or activity specialists, work weekends or part-time or irregular hours, or may be seasonally employed. Seasonal workers may work as few as 90 days or as long as 9 months during a season, depending on where they are employed and the type of activity they lead. For example, in areas of the United States that have warm winters, outdoor swimming pools may employ related recreation workers for a majority of the year. In other areas of the country, they may work only during the summer.

Getting Started

Education:

62%

Bachelor's Degree

25%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

How to Become a Recreation Worker

Recreation workers maintain order and safety.

Education and training requirements for recreation workers vary with the type of job, but workers typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent and receive on-the-job training.

Education and Training

Recreation workers typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent. Many receive on-the-job training that typically lasts less than a month.

Entry-level educational requirements vary with the type of position. For example, an activity leader position working with the elderly will have different requirements than a position as a summer camp counselor working with children.

Some positions may require a bachelor’s degree or college coursework. In 2017, the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions, a branch of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), accredited more than 70 bachelor’s degree programs in recreation or leisure studies. A bachelor’s degree in other subjects, such as liberal arts or public administration, may also qualify applicants for some positions.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

The NRPA offers four certifications for recreation workers:

Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP)
Certified Parks and Recreation Executive (CPRE)
Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO)
Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI)

Applicants may qualify for certification with different combinations of education and work experience. They also must take continuing education classes to maintain their certification.

The American Camp Association offers certificates for various levels of camp staff, including Entry-Level Program Staff Certificate and Camp Director Certificate. Individuals who complete online courses may show their advanced level of knowledge of core competencies.

Some recreation jobs require other kinds of certification. For example, first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) certifications may be required for leading camp or sports activities. These certifications are available from organizations such as the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.

Jobs for recreation workers may also require a valid driver’s license and the ability to pass a background check.

Specific requirements vary by job and employer.

Advancement

As workers gain experience, they may be promoted to positions with greater responsibilities. Recreation workers with experience and managerial skills may advance to supervisory or managerial positions. Eventually, they may become directors of a recreation department or may start their own recreation company.

Job Outlook

Employment of recreation workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 61,700 openings for recreation workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

An increased emphasis on the importance of lifelong well-being is expected to create demand for recreation workers in a variety of settings, including fitness and recreational sports centers, country clubs, and other organizations. Parks and recreation departments may contract out the services of activity specialists.

In addition, there will be more demand for recreation workers to work with older clients, especially in continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities.

Contacts for More Information

For more information on careers, certification, and academic programs in parks and recreation, visit

National Recreation and Park Association

For more information about a career as a camp counselor, visit

American Camp Association

For more information on first aid and CPR certifications, visit

American Heart Association

American Red Cross

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of recreation workers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Athletic Trainers	Athletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.	Master's degree	$53,840
Fitness Trainers and Instructors	Fitness trainers and instructors lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups in exercise activities.	High school diploma or equivalent	$45,380
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners	Meeting, convention, and event planners arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings.	Bachelor's degree	$52,560
Recreational Therapists	Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based medical treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses.	Bachelor's degree	$51,330
Rehabilitation Counselors	Rehabilitation counselors help people with physical, mental, developmental, or emotional disabilities live independently.	Master's degree	$39,990
School and Career Counselors and Advisors	School counselors help students develop academic and social skills. Career counselors and advisors help people choose a path to employment.	Master's degree	$60,140
Exercise Physiologists	Exercise physiologists develop fitness and exercise programs that help injured or sick patients recover.	Bachelor's degree	$51,350
Athletes and Sports Competitors	Athletes and sports competitors participate in organized, officiated sporting events to entertain spectators.	No formal educational credential	$94,270
Social Workers	Social workers help people prevent and cope with problems in their everyday lives.	See How to Become One	$55,350

Recreation Worker

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Important Qualities

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What Recreation Workers Do

Duties

Work Environment

Work Schedules

Getting Started

How to Become a Recreation Worker

Education and Training

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Advancement

Job Outlook

Employment

Contacts for More Information

Similar Occupations