Sport has the power to change lives, create jobs, develop people, improve health, and support community development and cohesion. Given this potential, it is vital that the sector has a competent workforce of paid staff and volunteers with the right skills, as well as a clear career structure and pathways with job opportunities.ESSA provided a unique opportunity to bring the sport and physical activity sector together for the first time to analyse and understand the labour market which was unknown and underestimated in order for the sector to move forward and to build a new relationship with education and training providers, based on this new understanding of the skills needed in employment by paid staff and the huge army of volunteers.A consortium of 18 national and 5 European level partners tackled the skills challenges of the sector collaborating with the entire sport and physical activity sector through the implementation of the European Sector Skills Alliance for Sport and Physical Activity during the innovative 3-year project.ESSA Main Activities:>Analysis of national sport labour markets through collaboration with Eurostat and National Statistics Offices>Desk research to present characteristics, evolution and future perspectives of national sport and education sectors>European Online Employers Survey on Skills Needs in the sport sector, with 3812 responses from across Europe>EU Expert Advisory Group bringing together 14 EU sport networks and umbrella bodies>Wide communication and dissemination to stakeholders at all levels>Effective project management and quality assuranceESSA Main Results:>National Reports from desk research activities and analysis of the Employer Skills Survey in sport – 28 reports produced to impact the sector in each EU nation>EU Report on Skills needs identification: Situation, trends, perspectives and priorities for the sport sector>EU and National Fact Sheets: Labour market and workforce development priorities for the sport and physical activity sector – 28 summary fact sheets produced, plus EU factsheet>European Sport Skills Seminar – successful event for 82 participants from 24 countries in Oct. 2019>Sustainable work plan for sport. In terms of new knowledge and data, the ESSA project highlighted the following realities and challenges for the sport and physical activity labour market: >A growing EU Sport Labour Market >Main characteristics:-More male than female as paid staff-Growing proportion of youth and 50 year+-High percentage of part-time contracts -High percentage of self-employed people -More workers with higher education qualifications than the EU average and less with low level of qualification.And some findings from the European Employer Skills Survey:>91.5% agreed it is important that their staff have access to on-going training to keep their skills up-to-date>79.9% agreed universities/training providers should work more closely with sport employers>Skills development priorities for eight identified occupations The ESSA-Sport activities have proven to be valuable exercises with new knowledge and important messages for stakeholders at all levels. National and European level conclusions and recommendations, including concrete action plans, have been generated and will inform future action in the sector. European level recommendations were formulated under the following headings: >Improving our knowledge and understanding of the sport and physical activity labour market>Promoting the value of the sport and physical activity sector>Promoting a more inclusive workforce for the sector>Upskilling and professionalising the workforceThrough dissemination activities carried out throughout the project, and planning for sustainability, the consortium is pleased to report that fully funded ongoing activities to continue and repeat the actions of the ESSA project are already planned for 2020 and beyond.