The outlook on jobs could be bleak, that is, if you’re not looking into the sports industry.

Sports-related jobs have been on the rise lately. As a recent Careerbuilders.com report said, the number of these jobs has increased by 12.6 percent between 2010 and 2014, as well as the earning average being well over the national average, with most sports industry workers earning $78,455 and the country’s average income standing at $57,947.

Skyline College Dean of Kinesiology, Athletics and Dance, Joe Morello emphasized on the importance of mixing the core kinesiology classes like biology and chemistry with classes that teach marketing and promotion.

“On the sports side, it’s really about having those business skills,” Morello said.

The industry itself has been climbing steadily over the past few decades. A report by Forbes in 2009 documented the growth from 1999 to 2009 at almost $100 billion as the industry changes.

“To find jobs, students have to think outside the box,” Head Athletic Trainer, Jose Bonilla said. “Keep an open mind and look for ways you can use the skills you have in another industry. That’s what makes things more unique; we’re producing jobs that people weren’t thinking of five years ago or 10 years ago.”

Skyline volleyball coach, Rayannah Salahuddin, urged students to gain experience in the fields they plan on entering. She also emphasized studying athletics along with kinesology.

“Volunteer as a coach if you want to be a coach, or intern as a physical therapist if that’s what you’re looking into,” Salahuddin said. “It’s still a ‘who you know’ field, and it’s experience that puts you ahead.”