Fast facts on sports & apparel jobs:
- The Portland area has the highest concentration of athletic and outdoor firms in the nation.
- Portland is home to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Portland Timbers/Thorns, the Winterhawks hockey league, multiple minor league baseball teams and the international championship-winning Rose City Rollers roller derby team.
Dig Deeper:
- Explore this guide that outlines some of the most popular careers in sports for non-athletes.
- Check out the incredible range of local athletic and sports apparel careers and companies with this interactive tool.
- Learn about the North American Society for Sport Management, an organization for students who are interested in athletic management or sports psychology as a career option.
- Read articles in the Human Kinetics journal in various subject areas.
- Share what you learned with your peers on social media by using the hashtag #PWAExpo2Go
Leading employers in sports & apparel:
Nike: American multinational association that is involved in the design, development, manufacturing and worldwide marketing and sales of apparel, footwear, accessories, equipment and services. World headquarters near Beaverton, Oregon. Offers internships where interns are involved in real projects and exposed to multiple teams.
KEEN Footwear: American company based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2003 with a single style, the company has expanded its categories to kids, boots, bags, work gear and apparel. They have employees working in product creation, marketing & creative and digital engagements.
Pensole Academy: Pensole was founded in 2010 as a footwear design academy by D’Wayne Edwards, former Design Director. Implementing a “learn by doing” curriculum students are taught to THINK before they create and do everything by hand, from sketching to rendering to prototyping. Students will learn the entire product design process: inspiration, concept-development, design process, problem solving, materials, prototyping, marketing, business, networking and branding. Since its conception, PENSOLE has evolved to much more than just a footwear design platform. It is comprised of four different studios that work together to create well rounded offerings for students interested in the product creation industry.
Portland Gear: Portland Gear is a locally-owned and operated apparel company that specializes in simple, wearable clothing that lets you show your pride for Portland on your chest! Birthed from the @Portland page on Instagram in 2014, they sought to create a symbol, a logo, for Portland that embodies everything the city stands for. Since then, they've collaborated with many small businesses in Portland and have helped create and curate Portland culture for locals and visitors alike.
Portland Timbers: Major league soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. Also has Timbers2 and Thorns teams. Career opportunities range from operations and concessions at Providence Park to youth camps and paid seasonal internships.
Southern Oregon University -- Esports Management: With a campus of over 6,100 students and a culture of engaged faculty, SOU supports strong meaningful connections and emphasizes inclusion and sustainability. The Esports Management minor is an interdisciplinary, stand-alone, minor that serves to meet the growing demand for Esports industry leaders. The minor consists of two core courses that are directly tied to Esports Management (ESM 300 and ESM 301) as well as four elective courses from other complementary programs.
