Managers and senior officials mostly lack management skills (63%), and sales staff customer handling skills (66%) and communication skills (61%).

Personal service occupations are important in the sector as coaches and instructors have the main contact with members or customers.  The relationship between instructor and participant is recognised as one of the most important components for sector organisations in achieving participation, business targets and customer satisfaction.  These occupations have the highest levels of skill deficiency for:

• customer handling skills (79%)
• communications skills (77%)
• problem solving skills (66%)
• technical and practical skills (49%)
• management skills (49%)

Source: Skills Needs Assessment – England 2005 (covering sport, fitness and the outdoors)