True Sport and SportWest were proud to contribute to the 2026 Community Skills WA Sport, Fitness and Recreation Workforce Forum, joining industry leaders, educators, government representatives and community organisations to explore workforce challenges and future opportunities across Western Australia's sport, fitness and recreation sector.
Held at Royal Life Saving WA in Mt Claremont, the forum brought together stakeholders from across industry, Registered Training Organisations, universities, schools, government and community organisations to discuss workforce attraction and retention, training pathways, regional workforce challenges and practical solutions to support a skilled and sustainable workforce.
Exploring Opportunities Beyond Traditional Sector Boundaries
During the forum's Cross-Sector Opportunities: Sport, Fitness, Recreation, Health and Community Services session, Jasmine Cappellucci, True Sport Manager and Callum Warner, Strategic Projects & Capability Manager, presented on behalf of SportWest, sharing insights into the growing opportunities for collaboration across sport, health, recreation and community services sectors.
The session explored where workforce challenges overlap, how transferable skills can be better recognised across industries and where innovative partnerships can create stronger employment pathways and community outcomes. Alongside presenters from Sorrento Surf Life Saving Club and What Ability, Jasmine highlighted the unique role sport plays in supporting not only physical activity, but also social connection, inclusion, wellbeing, volunteering and community development.
Shared Challenges, Shared Solutions
Drawing on SportWest's work across the Western Australian sporting sector, Jasmine discussed the importance of breaking down traditional sector silos to address common workforce challenges. Sport organisations, health providers and community services all face similar pressures relating to workforce attraction, retention and capability development. By working together, these sectors have opportunities to create stronger pathways for employees, volunteers and participants.
The presentation also focused on the value of transferable skills developed through sport, including leadership, communication, safeguarding, community engagement, event delivery, coaching, officiating and volunteer management. These capabilities are increasingly relevant across health, recreation and community service settings and can support more flexible workforce models and career pathways.
The Connection Between Safe Sport and Community Wellbeing
As True Sport Manager, Jasmine Cappellucci presented on the program and highlighted how initiatives that strengthen safeguarding, child safety, inclusion, good governance contribute to broader community outcomes and government priority areas. Creating safe, welcoming and inclusive sporting environments not only improves participant experiences but also supports stronger and more resilient communities.
These objectives align closely with those of the health and community services sectors, demonstrating significant opportunities for shared learning, workforce development and collaborative approaches that benefit both industry and community outcomes.
Looking Ahead
The forum reinforced the importance of collaboration in addressing the workforce challenges facing Western Australia's sport, fitness and recreation sector. Discussions throughout the day highlighted the need for stronger partnerships between industry, education providers, government and community organisations to develop future-focused workforce solutions.
Community Skills WA will now collate the key themes, priorities and actions identified throughout the forum, with the outcomes helping to inform future workforce planning, training priorities and industry advocacy.
SportWest and True Sport thank Community Skills WA for the opportunity to contribute to this important conversation. Through ongoing collaboration and cross-sector partnerships, there is significant potential to strengthen workforce capability, expand career pathways and deliver positive outcomes for communities across Western Australia.
