Physical activity sector skills bodies will meet in the coming weeks to discuss the future of industry learning and development, amid growing calls for these responsibilities to sit under a single organisation.

Last week’s ukactive-led Active Training Conference in Reading saw SkillsActive and CIMSPA – the sector’s key training and workforce development organisations – answer calls from employers for a unified outlook on skills. As a result, the organisations’ heads will meet in the coming weeks to discuss these demands under three guiding principles:

- The custodianship of standards and the framework for skills to sit within one body
- A continuum of training provision across Further Education and Higher Education
- A minimum standard for assessment and delivery protocol across all qualifications within the sector

There has recently been growing support for reform of learning and development in the physical activity sector. A coalition of leading leisure employers are now developing apprenticeship standards under the ongoing Trailblazer project and many have called for a greater emphasis on employer-led learning and development for the sector as a whole.

A number of active leisure employers feel the current learning and development structure – whereby skills development sits under more than body – is diluting training standards and making it difficult for young people to follow clear career pathways in the sector.

SkillsActive is licensed as the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure, but this status has recently been called into question by those advocating change. In January, 16 of the Trailblazer employers signed a letter sent to Sport England – of which SkillsActive is a national partner – and three other relevant bodies, calling for sector skills and development to be brought solely under the umbrella of CIMSPA.

Health Club Management understands the letter was discussed informally between Sport England and SkillsActive. A spokesperson for Sport England confirmed it is currently looking into the matter.

One of the signatories of the letter, 1Life managing director Neil King, said the industry must act now to put its house in order and reform the sector's skills pathway.

"This is a huge opportunity to rectify a confusing and vague system by bringing all of the industry's learning and development needs under the umbrella of the Chartered Institute,” he told Health Club Management.

"Industry learning and development should be employer-led and everybody behind the Apprenticeships Trailblazer feels that CIMSPA would be best suited to facilitate this. SkillsActive are a government creation not owned or overseen by the employers. They no longer serve a role overseeing learning and development in our industry.”

SkillsActive CEO Ian Taylor is due to meet with his CIMSPA counterpart Tara Dillon in the next couple of weeks. Taylor said his organisation had been delighted to attend the Active Training Conference last week and support the growth ambitions of CIMSPA.

“SkillsActive is fully committed to working collaboratively whenever possible with CIMSPA to achieve their ambitions to professionalise the management and leadership across our industry,” he said.

“We are already working with a wide range of partners, collaborating to professionalise the sport, fitness, physical activity and outdoor sectors on behalf of a wide range of employers and will continue working to improve skills, learning and professional development in the sector.”

For her part, Dillon, who was recently appointed CEO of CIMSPA after impressing during a stint as interim COO, has committed to decisive action in the pursuit of progress.

“From CIMSPA’s perspective, the sector has made it clear that it wants to take control of skills and so it’s now time to get on with making this happen,” she told Health Club Management.

“The forthcoming meeting with SkillsActive is about action and outcomes. CIMSPA pledges to maintain momentum and to act with pace to embed the agreed ‘guiding principles’ into workforce development norms.”