Jobs and Careers Spring 2020 - 199

R E C R E AT I O N

Casino manager
When you have responsibility for a
casino you're obliged to make customers
feel safe and happy, while at the same
time ensuring they spend lots of money,
so you'll need to create and market
promotions and incentives. You also
need to make sure your employees are
up to date with gambling regulations.
What skills and qualifications do I
need? You'll need good communication
and organisation skills, plus
clearheadedness and a knowledge of
the rules of the games, in case of any
disputes. A degree isn't always required
but it can give you a good start - there
are courses in gambling studies at some
universities, as well as qualifications from
the Institute for the Study of Gambling &
Commercial Gaming. You'll also need a
licence from the Gambling Commission.
Experience is crucial in this industry;
many casino managers have previously
been a floor manager or "pit boss".
How much can I earn? At least £35,000
and as much as £80,000 depending on
the size and prestige of your employer.

Betting shop cashier
There are around 8,400 betting shops
in the UK, and if that's where you
want to work, there's certain to be
one near you. You'll take bets and pay
out winnings, and you may find you
need to explain how odds work or how
certain games or machines operate.
What skills and qualifications
do I need? The ability to do mental
arithmetic quickly is useful (although
computer programs will often do that
for you), but it's just as important
that you know how to deal with

customers in a friendly and reasonable
manner - especially crucial where
significant sums of money are
involved. As in retail, be prepared to
work long hours and weekends.
You can do an NVQ or City & Guilds in
gambling operations, and a qualification
in customer service will help too.
How much can I earn? The starting
salary will be around £14,000, and if you
stick with it and end up managing a group
of stores, you can earn around £50,000.

Gambling software engineer
Software is essential to many industries
these days but gambling is particularly
prominent among these, with a large
proportion of betting done online
and virtually all operations carried
out by computers. Engineering
covers architecture, development,
testing - the full software gamut.
What skills and qualifications do
I need? Coding is the obvious skill,
but there's also problem-solving,
planning, communication and the
ability to work under pressure.
An interest in and understanding
of gambling would be a plus.
Usually, a bachelor's or postgraduate
degree in an IT-related subject (such as
business information systems, computer
science, software development), as well
as experience with project management
and the relevant programming languages
are desirable. It is possible to enter

this career via an apprenticeship.
How much can I earn? As a graduate
you'd start on at least £35,000, rising
to £80,000 with experience.

Museum curator
Every exhibit in every museum and gallery
is carefully planned - if you've got a
passion for informing the public about art
and history, you could be that planner.
What skills and qualifications do I
need? Curators have an unusual mix
of meticulousness (for cataloguing,
budgeting and planning) and creative
flair. IT skills are useful, while excellent
written English is essential. Most also
have a degree in a relevant subject
such as history, natural sciences or
anthropology. Also, try to find work
experience as soon as possible.
How much can I earn? You'll start
at around £20,000, rising to £40,000
or more if you progress through the
ranks to a top-class institution.

Find out more
* BGI (British Games Institute)
thebgi.uk
* British Guild of Tourist Guides
britainsbestguides.org
* Gambling Commission
gamblingcommission.gov.uk
* UKHospitality
ukhospitality.org.uk

JOBS & CAREERS /// 199

196 JC Spring 2020 Entertainment FINAL Artwork.indd 199

27/05/2020 17:05
http://www.thebgi.uk http://www.britainsbestguides.org http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk http://ukhospitality.org.uk
Jobs and Careers Spring 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs and Careers Spring 2020
