Tips to success in the industrial setting of athletic training

With the growth of athletic training and the emerging settings. It is changing the landscape of our profession, for the better. However, with much of our profession focused solely on athletics, you may find yourself hesitant to take the leap and try a new setting.

My Experience:

I started out working collegiate athletics, early on I loved it. Loved the travel, loved the team atmosphere, the games i enjoyed it all. However, year after year having minimal work life balance wore on me. That is when I found the industrial setting. It took me a good 2 years and multiple job offers before I actually made the jump. Now I feel like my career possibilities are endless. I am excited to go to work day in and day out and can make a true impact on others lives.

What to expect when switching settings?

Change is always scary. Especially when all of our experience and understanding has been how we add value to sports safety. However, the value we add outside of athletics is growing at an extremely fast pace. If you are looking for a change, growth potential, or work life balance then I implore you to explore the emerging settings of athletic training. If the industrial setting is on your radar then the following tips will help you to ensure your success.

Communication:

This skill is important regardless of setting. However, working in the industrial setting effective communication is paramount. Utilizing your knowledge and voice to affect change and improve workplace health and safety culture. Have confidence in your knowledge and brush up on your public speaking or presentation skills if you are interested in industrial athletic training.

First Aid vs. Recordable:

Understanding the difference between a first aid or recordable injury is paramount to success in the industrial setting. The Occupational Safety & Health Association is the governing body that oversees workplace health and safety and ensure that practices are in place to protect employees and prevent injuries from occurring. OSHA outlines the treatments that are allowed to keep an injury a first aid rather than recordable injury. Some athletic trainers may feel that this severely limits their practice capabilities but ultimately it allows for creativity to aim at preventing injuries rather than treating. If you are looking into the industrial setting, familiarize yourself with OSHA and their policies.

Ergonomics:

Ergonomics deals with modifying work to fit the worker. Ergonomic programming is a large focus of OSHA's workplace injury prevention. As athletic trainers we are uniquely trained to provide value in the space of ergonomics. Bringing our expert understanding of anatomy, injury prevention and body mechanics helps to enhance any workplace ergonomic programming. If you are looking to break into the industrial setting do some research on ergonomics and get an introductory understanding of the various ergonomic assessments such as RULA and REBA.

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