How to Become a Recreation and Amusement Attendant: Anywhere in the World!

by aka_zoe

The leisure and recreation industry is constantly growing even during tough economic times. People seem to take refuge in the fun and pleasure that recreation and amusement attractions have to offer. Employment opportunities in the leisure and recreation industry are expected to grow as the public’s leisure time grows.

Amusement and theme parks, fairs, carnivals, exhibitions, bowling alleys, ski centers, skating rinks, clubs, and other sports facilities and tourist attractions are just some of the establishments that hire recreation and amusement attendants. These types of businesses are scattered all over the world. These jobs are sometimes full time but are usually seasonal or part-time.

Recreation and amusement attendants function in varying responsibilities such as maintenance, safety inspections, entertainment, guiding, and instructing. Larger amusement or recreation companies offer more positions. Some offer positions with greater responsibilities and higher pay and some places offer supervisory and managerial positions. Higher positions may require more experience and training. Organizational skills are also vital to move up in the industry.

Recreation and amusement attendants require patience, energy, and enthusiasm. The work is fairly easy but you will need to be courteous and amiable all the time. People skills are very important in this job. Attendants must have outgoing personalities and they must take pleasure in meeting and interacting with strangers. Recruiters will always look for these traits in potential employees.

Having skills in specific areas such as, skiing, baseball, or drama coaching, may be considered an asset for landing jobs at recreation and amusement establishments. But it will largely depend on the services they offer. It is not uncommon for these types of businesses to have coaching programs for sports, arts and crafts. Attendants should be responsible and reliable individuals because they are often left unsupervised.

Usually, these jobs require no education beyond high school. However, specialized training in a particular field, such as athletics, music, or first aid, can be an asset when seeking employment in the recreation and vacation industry.

Finding these jobs is rather easy. Just contact or go to any recreational and amusement place and apply. Have an updated resume and show enthusiasm. Display and emphasize your special skills. Mechanical troubleshooting, first-aid, and excellent people skills are good qualities and need to be emphasized in your resume and interview. It is best to inquire about positions at recreation departments or amusement parks well before the start of the peak season.

However if you want higher positions and want to make a lifelong career out of it, you might need to get a college degree or have some training. Specialized training, combined with experience in seasonal or part-time jobs, will improve a candidate’s chances for landing a full-time position.

It’s hard to expect financial security and job longevity in small establishments. Do not settle in local amusement parks, instead set your sights towards bigger commercial recreation enterprises. Furthermore, some amusement and recreational hubs such as, athletic clubs, camps, sports clinics, and popular amusement parks will most likely look to you when they need skilled full time employees.

Becoming a recreation and amusement attendant will surely turn out to offer some unique experiences. The responsibilities can vary in degree; from menial tasks to highly complex undertakings. To be happy in this career, you must have passion in giving service and delight to the public.

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