Jarrod Wilson says the North West Coast of Tasmania holds a very special place for him.
After growing up in the small town of Wynyard he went on to attend his senior years at a local college and like many students of this age was undecided as to his future career path.
Originally Zoology had been an option, however after trawling through potential career pathways on the UTAS homepage his attention was suddenly taken by the Bachelor of Exercise Science with the School of Human Life Sciences in Launceston. “I have always had a great interest in sport as it was a significant part of my upbringing, and so this degree really appealed to me as well” he said. Jarrod gave much consideration to the pros and cons of both degrees with Exercise Science winning out. “I felt this degree would result in more job opportunities given it was the first year the course was offered in Tasmania” he said.
Since making this decision Jarrod hasn’t looked back. “I found the course really interesting and covered an extensive range of subjects providing me with options of choosing exactly which stream of exercise science I would like to pursue. There are two main pathways in this field – either exercise rehabilitation (working with individuals who have injuries or particular health conditions) or working with professional sportspeople (scientific testing and exercise prescription amongst many other job roles)” he said. One of the highlights of the course for Jarrod was the practical component which he chose to extend by undertaking extra practical hours to allow him to be eligible to be registered as an Exercise Physiologist with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA), in addition to his Exercise Science qualification.
Once graduated Jarrod was quickly snapped up by Coastal Physiotherapy in Burnie to work as an Exercise Physiologist. “This was a great opportunity for me to work close to home where I could still regularly see family and friends and make a difference to the health of people on the North West Coast” he said.
Weekdays Jarrod can be found in the gym at the back of the practice working alongside the other Exercise Physiologist employed by the firm from whom he has gained valuable skills and knowledge. The majority of his work involves developing specific exercise rehabilitation programs for individuals with work-related injuries with the aim to return them to their pre-injury work status ASAP using exercise as their treatment. His job also extends to the assessment and prescription of exercise for people off the street who have an injury and those who have a GP’s referral. In addition he consults with people with chronic health conditions such as Diabetes and those who are wanting to lose weight or become healthier in general.
Jarrod has worked hard to obtain his qualifications in this field and now enjoys a fulfilling career as an Exercise Physiologist – a career which is gradually becoming much more widely recognised throughout the community.
For students who may be interested in Exercise Science as a future careerpath the School of Human Life Sciences hold an annual Taster Day in Launceston. Students have the opportunity to participate in the Exercise Science workshop plus three other health science workshops of their choice which will enable them to gain further understanding of study and careerpaths in these fields.
For applications and further information please click on the following link: http://www.utas.edu.au/human-life-sciences/taster-day
For further enquiries please contact Sue Musgrave on 6324 5477 or susan.musgrave@utas.edu.au