Qualification without return? Exploratory study on the sociodemographic and economic characterization of Exercise Professionals in Portugal

Abstract

The present exploratory study aimed to characterise the sociodemographic profile and the economic-professional reality of Exercise Professionals in Portugal. The sample consisted of 276 professionals (63.8% male; 36.2% female), with a mean age of 32.27 ± 6.64 years and a mean professional experience of 7.94 ± 5.61 years. The qualification level is distributed among Specialist Technical Course in Physical Exercise (20.3%), Bachelor's degree (42.8%), Master's degree (34.1%), and Doctoral degree (2.9%). Regarding employment status, 70.7% of the participants work as independent contractors, while 29.3% work under an employment contract. The results evidence mean hourly remuneration rates of ~€6.60/h for gym floor supervision and ~€7.44/h for physical assessment, with personal training standing at ~€24.81/h. Additionally, no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were found in overall monthly income by academic qualification. In conclusion, the fitness sector in Portugal is characterised by a young workforce with high levels of academic education but faces significant challenges regarding contractual stability and the marked disparity in remuneration among different technical tasks.