Introduction
Time and again, scientific studies have been proving that physical inactivity is the major driving factor for chronic lifestyle diseases. Physical activity in childhood is especially imperative for overall development. Schools and colleges include physical education in their curriculum through different sports activities.
Physical education promotes children’s physical, mental, emotional, and social fitness. With increasing awareness about the importance of daily physical activities, graduation in physical education opens up new career opportunities. As PE is in the curriculum of 80% of primary and 90% of secondary private schools, physical education teachers are constantly in demand.
In this blog, let’s explore the changing trends and careers in physical education.
How to Prepare for a Career in Physical Education?
A combination of academic qualifications, certifications, and practical experience is necessary to prepare for a career in physical education. The qualifications you need depend on the type of career you want to pursue.
- To get employed by a school, you must have a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education (B.P.Ed). This course is available at many UGC-recognised universities.
- If you want to join as a physical education teacher in college, you may have to complete a master’s course.
- Your experience as a sports person will help you work in the physical education setting beyond schools and colleges.
- Gaining certifications in specific areas like fitness, sports management, yoga, etc., is useful for exploring other physical activity-based jobs.
Regardless of how you want to build your career in physical education, practical experience through internships, volunteering, and coaching positions will help you build a strong resume and get noticed for your dream job position. Keeping up with the changing trends and careers in physical education through continuous learning is crucial to stay relevant.
Latest Trends in Physical Education
When you think of a physical education instructor, you will only remember someone wearing a sports uniform with a whistle around their neck. However, the career in physical education has changed dramatically in recent times.
Educational policies, societal attitudes, and overall lifestyles have changed with respect to physical education. Some of the recent trends are:
#1 Integration of Traditional and Modern Activities
Due to the increasing need for short workouts to improve overall physical activity, physical education experts create fusion curricula combining traditional yoga with modern physical activities. It offers a well-rounded approach to general physical fitness.
#2 Technology Integration
People look for ways to stay fit beyond the gym. Modern technology enables accessible and personalised fitness solutions, ensuring that individuals from all ages in all locations can stay fit.
So, technology integration has revamped physical education in India. Fitness apps and online coaching platforms are now leveraged to create PE activities. Wearable technologies also offer valuable data for trainers and coaches to monitor the overall health of their students.
#3 Holistic Wellness
Physical education now is not limited to physical fitness alone. Modern-day wellness programs incorporate mental and emotional wellness activities for holistic well-being. Health education includes mental health aspects like stress, anxiety, and body image issues to ensure that individuals improve their overall health through physical activities.
#4 Inclusive Physical Education
Physical education for challenged or differently abled individuals is one of the recent trends. Events like the Para Olympics support people with disabilities in achieving in sports. Such fields require instructors and educators to understand the importance of inclusive physical education. Specialised programs catering to individuals with specific needs are now increasingly common.
Career Options in Physical Education
Changing trends and careers in physical education extend beyond traditional teaching positions. The new approaches offer diverse opportunities for children taking up physical education courses. You can expand your career prospects by choosing physical education as an elective subject in classes 11th and 12th and then pursue graduation in the same to start your career in one of these roles:
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Physical Education School/College Teacher
PT teachers in schools and colleges introduce sports to students and inculcate a love for playing. They encourage students to pursue careers in sports for exceptional students. The key skill required for such teachers is identifying talent in young kids and grooming them using the right coaching.
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Personal Sports Trainers
Personal sports trainers train a single client or a small group instead of coaching a whole team. They assess clients’ fitness levels, understand the sports they are involved in and tailor coaching activities to help them achieve their fitness goals.
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Fitness instructor
It is one of the most trending career options in physical education as the popularity of gyms continues to increase. The trainer instructs, motivates, and directs individuals in different activities to improve their strength and reach fitness goals. Specialisation in this field includes aerobics instructor, yoga instructor, pilates instructor, etc.
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Wellness Coordinators
Physical educators need not always sweat it out in the sun or the sports fields. It is also possible to join corporations and health clubs as wellness coordinates to administer physical activity tasks for its members. Depending on the healthcare programs, physical educators must deeply understand an individual’s mental and physical needs to coordinate activities.
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Sports Nutritionists
Many coaching centres hire sports nutritionists to craft personalised diet plans for their members. Top athletes need dieticians to tell them the right food type to maximise their performance.
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Sports Journalists
Amateur and professional sporting events are covered by sports journalists, who are quite literary ardent fans of sports. You can meet world-class athletes and coaches in this job and watch games in prime seats. Depending on your job role, you can offer game commentary on radio, television, print or digital media.
Conclusion
Indians are well aware of cricketers turned coaches like Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid, etc. Coaches like Ajay Kumar Saroha are the reason for the success of Olympic medallists like Yogeshwar Dutt and Bajrang Punia. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are filled with celebrity fitness coaches offering their followers free home workouts. Ensure that you follow the changing trends and career in physical education for a lucrative career. Becoming an expert in physical education empowers you to pursue a challenging and rewarding career.
Wondering whether you can choose physical education as your 6th subject? The changing trends and careers in physical education enable anyone with academic education and a passion for PE to excel and shine as a trainer, instructor, and coach.
