For a list of related web sites click here. As increased discretionary time becomes available for a large segment of the American population, opportunities for growth in the leisure service professions have increased dramatically. A parks and recreation professional's goal is to influence people to use their discretionary time wisely and to improve the quality of their lives. This goal is accomplished by providing recreation programs and facilities for people in a variety of settings. Other major employers include youth and family service organizations such as the YMCA, YWCA, Boys' Clubs, Boy and Girl Scouts.
Industries employ recreation directors to head employee recreation programs.
Recreation professionals are employed by schools as community school coordinators. Areas with perhaps the greatest growth potential for employment are tourism agencies and commercial recreation establishments such as resorts, private clubs, theme parks, and convention and conference centers. The following list contains a representative sample of job titles of former graduates with a Parks and Recreation major. Use this as an idea list, and remember that it represents some, but certainly not all, of the careers you might consider. Students obtaining employment immediately upon graduation are usually those with the best college records and a willingness to relocate to find a job.