Community Mentors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of community mentors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for community mentors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of community mentors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for community mentors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Community Mentors?
Do community mentors need a degree? What kind of experience do community mentors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for community mentors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Community Mentors
Jobs Postings for Community Mentors By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 2,797 (50%)
- Master's degree: 1,793 (32%)
- No Education Listed: 761 (14%)
- High School or GED: 130 (2%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 112 (2%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of community mentors. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 50% of positions. In 32% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 14% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Community Mentors
Jobs Postings for Community Mentors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 896 (55%)
- 2-3 Years: 610 (37%)
- 4-6 Years: 90 (6%)
- 7-9 Years: 22 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 14 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for community mentors. In 55% of job postings for Community Mentors, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 37% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 6% of job postings for community mentors.
What Kind of Degree Do Community Mentors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for community mentors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 6 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective community mentors, and in 2021 a total of 54,339 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective community mentors.
Top Degree Programs for Community Mentors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Community Mentors (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Exercise Science and Kinesiology. | 32,735 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General. | 13,892 |
| Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology. | 4,933 |
| Physical Fitness Technician. | 1,429 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Other. | 1,240 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Exercise Science and Kinesiology. | 32,735 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General. | 13,892 |
| Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology. | 4,933 |
| Physical Fitness Technician. | 1,429 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Other. | 1,240 |
| Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist. | 110 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Community Mentors
The B.S. Exercise Science major provides a clear path to a rewarding career helping individuals realize their health and fitness goals. You’ll learn to evaluate fitness levels, design results-oriented exercise programs and apply coaching methodologies to help your clients reach their full potential.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Certificates & Microcredentials for Community Mentors
Learn to help diagnose and test for cardiovascular issues in this online, comprehensive program that prepares you for the Certified EKG Technician (CET) exam through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
- Class Type: 100% Online
- Time To Complete: 2-3 months
- Cost: $2,000
- Class Type: 100% Online
- Time To Complete: 3-4 months
- Cost: $4,000
What Skills Do Community Mentors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by community mentors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for community mentors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Community Mentors
Based on 4,075 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Community Mentors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Physiology | 3,339 | 82% |
| Exercise Science | 1,660 | 41% |
| Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation | 1,597 | 39% |
| Electrocardiography | 1,220 | 30% |
| Rehabilitation | 1,163 | 29% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Community Mentors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 1,143 | 28% |
| Management | 659 | 16% |
| Research | 523 | 13% |
| Leadership | 417 | 10% |
| Teaching | 399 | 10% |
Based on 4,075 job postings related to community mentors, exercise physiology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 82% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for exercise science, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, electrocardiography, rehabilitation and medical prescription were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for community mentors, followed by management, research, leadership, teaching and customer service.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Physiology | 3,339 | 82% |
| Exercise Science | 1,660 | 41% |
| Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation | 1,597 | 39% |
| Electrocardiography | 1,220 | 30% |
| Rehabilitation | 1,163 | 29% |
| Medical Prescription | 1,020 | 25% |
| Exercise Prescription | 918 | 23% |
| Exercise Programs | 901 | 22% |
| Cardiac Stress Testing | 877 | 22% |
| Kinesiology | 751 | 18% |
| Pulmonary Rehabilitation | 733 | 18% |
| Health Risk Assessments | 678 | 17% |
| Exercise Testing | 653 | 16% |
| Patient Education And Counseling | 612 | 15% |
| Cardiology | 611 | 15% |
| Treatment Planning | 547 | 13% |
| Physiology | 462 | 11% |
| Blood Pressure | 448 | 11% |
| Exercise Therapy | 406 | 10% |
| Vital Signs | 390 | 10% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 1,143 | 28% |
| Management | 659 | 16% |
| Research | 523 | 13% |
| Leadership | 417 | 10% |
| Teaching | 399 | 10% |
| Customer Service | 384 | 9% |
| Planning | 376 | 9% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 351 | 9% |
| Computer Literacy | 316 | 8% |
| Writing | 295 | 7% |
| Scheduling | 289 | 7% |
| Coordinating | 288 | 7% |
| Coaching | 255 | 6% |
| Operations | 254 | 6% |
| Critical Thinking | 234 | 6% |
| Problem Solving | 218 | 5% |
| Detail Oriented | 217 | 5% |
| Lifting Ability | 208 | 5% |
| Self-Motivation | 188 | 5% |
| Professionalism | 178 | 4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about community mentors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for community mentors.
What do community mentors do?
How much do community mentors make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.