Occupation · SOC 39-9032
Recreation Workers
Conduct recreation activities with groups in public, private, or volunteer agencies or recreation facilities. Organize and promote activities, such as arts and crafts, sports, games, music, dramatics, social recreation, camping, and hobbies, taking into account the needs and interests of individual members.
Median wage
$35,380
$25,640–$49,460
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
309,640
Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
17 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationCoordinationActive ListeningMonitoringInstructingTime ManagementCritical ThinkingWritingReading ComprehensionPersuasionManagement of Personnel ResourcesLearning StrategiesComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningNegotiationJudgment and Decision MakingSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationManagement of Material ResourcesMathematicsOperations MonitoringOperations AnalysisManagement of Financial ResourcesTroubleshootingTechnology DesignQuality Control AnalysisScienceOperation and ControlProgrammingEquipment SelectionRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
English LanguagePublic Safety and SecurityCustomer and Personal ServiceEducation and TrainingLaw and GovernmentPsychologyAdministrativeComputers and ElectronicsMathematicsAdministration and ManagementCommunications and MediaTherapy and CounselingTransportationSociology and AnthropologyPhilosophy and TheologyPersonnel and Human ResourcesFine ArtsTelecommunicationsSales and MarketingProduction and ProcessingGeographyMechanicalMedicine and DentistryHistory and ArcheologyEconomics and AccountingDesignBiologyEngineering and TechnologyForeign LanguageFood ProductionChemistryBuilding and ConstructionPhysics
Technology & tools
AppletreeCharting softwareCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteDatabase softwareDesktop publishing softwareGroupMeMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Internet ExplorerMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft PublisherMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordRecordkeeping softwareScheduling softwareWord processing softwareYouTube
Representative tasks
Getting InformationThinking CreativelyCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesScheduling Work and ActivitiesMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeDocumenting/Recording InformationProcessing InformationCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersWorking with ComputersEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesTraining and Teaching OthersAssisting and Caring for OthersPerforming General Physical ActivitiesCoaching and Developing OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationPerforming Administrative ActivitiesProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationStaffing Organizational UnitsGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationSelling or Influencing OthersHandling and Moving ObjectsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentControlling Machines and ProcessesRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Facility rules and safety regulations — enforce under supervisor guidance to maintain discipline among participants at a community recreation center.Recreational activity schedules — follow and facilitate using provided lesson plans and program outlines in a structured program setting.Participant needs and interests — gather through structured intake forms and observation under the direction of a senior recreation worker.First aid procedures — administer according to prescribed protocols and escalate to emergency medical personnel when required on-site.Time and attendance records — complete and submit accurately using office suite software at the end of each program session.Activity materials and equipment — demonstrate correct and safe use to participants following established instructional scripts and safety guidelines.Special events and activities — assist in coordinating logistics such as aquatics or performing arts programs under direct supervision.Participant communications — convey program information clearly and professionally using oral and written English in a recreational facility setting.Inventory lists — maintain and update using spreadsheet software to track equipment availability at an assigned facility.Recreational programs — support setup and breakdown of activity areas in accordance with daily operational schedules at a recreation center.
developing
Recreational facility rules — enforce consistently and independently, resolving minor disciplinary issues without escalation at a multi-program community center.Activity programs in arts, crafts, sports, and camping — organize and lead with reduced oversight, adapting plans to group energy and engagement levels.Participant needs assessments — conduct using structured interviews and observation tools, then adjust program offerings to match identified interests and abilities.Daily facility operations — manage routine functions including staff scheduling, equipment readiness, and room assignments across a single-site recreation program.First aid and emergency response — execute independently and coordinate with emergency medical personnel, documenting incidents per facility protocol.Attendance and inventory data — compile and analyze using database and spreadsheet software to identify trends and inform resource planning.Safety principles and activity techniques — explain and demonstrate to diverse participant groups, adjusting instruction style for age and ability level.Special activities such as gymnastics or aquatics — direct with limited oversight, ensuring appropriate safety standards and participant engagement throughout.Program communications — draft participant-facing materials including schedules and event announcements using desktop publishing and presentation software.Staff coordination — apply time management and coordination skills to align team tasks with daily program timelines at a recreation facility.
proficient
Facility-wide safety and discipline standards — enforce autonomously and refine policies in response to emerging risk patterns across multiple program areas.Diverse recreational programming — design, lead, and promote across arts, crafts, sports, games, and hobbies, tailoring content to varied population needs without oversight.Comprehensive needs assessments — conduct across individual and group populations, synthesizing findings into evidence-informed program plans aligned with available resources.Full daily operations of recreational facilities — manage independently, including staff deployment, vendor coordination, budget tracking, and facility compliance.Complex emergency situations — assess, respond to, and debrief using advanced first aid knowledge and incident command principles in a multi-use recreation environment.Program records and reporting — produce detailed time, attendance, and inventory reports using integrated database and office software systems to support organizational decision-making.Multi-modal instructional delivery — apply learning strategies and instructional design principles to teach safety procedures and activity techniques to participants with diverse backgrounds.High-profile special events — direct end-to-end, including aquatics competitions or performing arts productions, managing logistics, personnel, and participant experience simultaneously.Staff performance issues — identify through monitoring and social perceptiveness, and resolve using critical thinking and personnel management strategies in a recreational services context.Community stakeholder engagement — use persuasion and oral communication skills to build partnerships that expand program reach and resource availability for a recreation department.
advanced
Organizational safety and regulatory frameworks — establish and continuously improve across all recreational facilities, ensuring alignment with public safety law and government standards.Strategic recreational programming vision — set at the departmental level, driving innovation in activity offerings that serve evolving community demographics and organizational mission.Needs assessment systems — design and institutionalize across a multi-site recreation organization, ensuring data informs resource allocation and program equity decisions.Recreation department operations — lead at executive scale, overseeing facility management, capital planning, staff structure, and multi-year operational budgets.Emergency preparedness policy — author and champion organization-wide protocols governing first aid response, evacuation, and coordination with municipal emergency services.Data governance and reporting standards — establish for attendance, inventory, and outcomes tracking across all programs using integrated software platforms and analytics tools.Professional development curriculum — design and deliver for recreation staff, embedding evidence-based instructional, safety, and leadership competencies across the workforce.Signature large-scale events and programs — conceive and oversee, including regional aquatics meets or community performing arts festivals, representing the organization publicly.Organizational culture of cooperation and service — model and cultivate by mentoring leaders, recognizing staff excellence, and embedding social orientation values into hiring and evaluation.Cross-sector recreation policy — influence at municipal or regional levels through advocacy, partnership-building, and presentation of program impact data to government and community stakeholders.
Also known as
67 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Activities AideActivities AssistantActivities AssociateActivities CoordinatorActivities CounselorActivities DirectorActivities LeaderActivity AideActivity AssistantActivity CoordinatorActivity DirectorActivity LeaderActivity SpecialistCamp AdvisorCamp CounselorCamp DirectorCommunity Program AssistantDay Camp CounselorField AdvisorField RepresentativeField ScoutFitness Plan CoordinatorFitness WorkerGroup Work Program AideGuest AdvisorGuest AssociateLife Enrichment ManagerMemory Care Activities AssistantPark Recreation ManagerParks Recreation CoordinatorParks Recreation DirectorPlay LeaderPlayground DirectorPlayground OfficialPlayground WorkerRecreation Activities CoordinatorRecreation AideRecreation AssistantRecreation CoordinatorRecreation Counselor