Ever wondered what you can do with a Recreation degree (Sport and Recreation Management; Recreation; Leadership; and Health; or Therapeutic Recreation)?
The answer is… a LOT. There are so many interesting and rewarding careers available to you once you graduate (you might not even know about some of these jobs yet)! One thing in common with Recreation jobs? They all tend to catch people at the best part of their day – meaning energy and positivity are high. Here are real career examples from our grads.
Recreation sample careers
- Activities coordinator
- Assistant manager
- Community director
- Community and corporate sales development coordinator
- Competitions manager
- Destination project manager
- Elder life specialist
- Esports coordinator
- Events coordinator and coach
- Field manager
- Lawyer
- Marketing and activity director
- Marketing manager
- Occupational therapist
- Operations coordinator
- President of hockey operations
- Producer
- Program manager
- Recreation manager
- Recreation therapist
- Research assistant
- Therapeutic recreation assistant
- Therapeutic recreationist
- Wellness and vitality manager
- Youth services director
Videos
What’s it like managing a large athletics facility?
What’s it like being a program lead in human resources?
Profiles
Building stronger communities through recreation
Abbie Simpson combined Recreation and Leisure Studies (RLS) with Social Development Studies at Waterloo to better understand how recreation, community spaces, and social systems shape people's lives.
Today, as Senior Manager of Constituent Relations for the City of Ottawa, she works directly with communities to improve access, belonging, and civic engagement.
Discover how Waterloo Recreation and Leisure Studies helped Abbie develop leadership, communication, and community-building skills that now support meaningful change in public spaces and local communities.
Read Abbie's full story: How Waterloo Recreation and Leisure Studies helped Abbie build communities.
Empowering youth through recreation
Lindsie Driver chose the University of Waterloo's Therapeutic Recreation program because she wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people.
Through hands-on placements, classroom learning, and community experiences, she discovered how recreation can be a powerful tool for health, recovery, inclusion, and empowerment.
Today, as Youth Engagement Lead at KidsAbility, Lindsie creates spaces where youth can build confidence, exercise their voice, and achieve their goals.
Discover how Waterloo Therapeutic Recreation helped her turn a passion for helping others into a meaningful healthcare career.
Read Lindsie's full story: How Waterloo Therapeutic Recreation helped Lindsie build a career supporting youth.
From recreation & sport business to municipal leadership
Derek Linwood's journey from the University of Waterloo's Recreation & Sport Business program to leading one of Canada's largest municipal recreation portfolios demonstrates the impact of recreation professionals on communities.
Today, as a Recreation Operations Manager with the City of Vancouver, Derek oversees community centres, aquatic facilities, and ice rinks that serve thousands of residents.
Discover how Waterloo's blend of recreation, leadership, business, and community-focused learning prepared him to build inclusive spaces, lead large teams, and create opportunities that improve quality of life for people across the city.
Read Derek's full story: How Waterloo Recreation & Sport Business helped Derek build a career in municipal leadership.
Learn more about what our most recent graduates are doing after their degree.