Supplied Content
Wellington, April 6, 2022
Sport New Zealand wants to hear from graduates who are passionate about improving the well-being of people through physical activity and making a difference in their communities.
Applications are now open for the two-year Sport New Zealand Graduate Programme focused on creating and nurturing future leaders in the sports and recreation sector.
Applications will close on May 4, 2022. Applicants can have any type of degree, along with an aspiration to work in the field of sport and recreation.
Promoting physical activity
Sport NZ Chief Executive Raelene Castle said that the vision of the organisation is to keep everybody active through play, active recreation and sport, and help everyone across New Zealand be active in ways they want to be.
“We are committed to not only developing leadership for the sector but also ensuring that staff reflect the diversity of New Zealand and the communities they represent. Sport NZ conducted a Diversity and Inclusion survey last year and one of the issues it found was the under-representation of Asian and Pasifika people in the sector. We are now working hard to rectify this issue and one way of doing that is to encourage graduates from these communities to apply for our programme,” she said.
Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
She said that promoting the importance of diversity and inclusion is a strategic priority for Sport NZ and that all stakeholders are committed to reflecting this in their work.
The Programme has been designed to fast track a career in the sport and active recreation sector. In their first year, graduates will be placed in a specialist team and will receive guidance and support from experienced people within the organisation as they navigate the many different facets of management and administration to help identify areas they may wish to consider as a long-term career.
During the second year, graduates will experience what it is like to work in the sector as they undertake two placements. These could be within a National Sporting Organisation, a Regional Sports Trust, Māori He Oranga Poutama Partner or another organisation within the sector.
Former Sport NZ graduate Thiem Nguyen said that what he learned and experienced during the programme has set him up for a successful career. He is now the Participation and Insights Manager at Golf New Zealand.
Active undergraduate life
“The variety of the programme was excellent. On any given day, you could be running events, working with others to come up with ideas to grow participation, or meeting with a local group of volunteers. I had the opportunity to work across a range of organisations throughout the sport, play and active recreation sector and learn from a diverse range of people and cultures. This gave me a great understanding of the opportunities and challenges that each organisation faces. The people I met and the relationships I formed have extended far beyond my time on the programme. I would encourage all students in their last year of study to get involved and apply – you won’t regret it,” she said.
For more information, please visit www.sportnz.org.nz ((Graduate Jobs – Careers at Sport New Zealand)
