There is a wide range of fitness jobs available these days, from yoga teachers to gym instructors, personal trainers to football coaches. What each of them has in common is that they have professional bodies with strict training requirements. That means that in order to secure most fitness jobs you need the appropriate training and certification.
Whatever type of fitness jobs interest to you, the advice is the same - check out the various training courses on offer to be sure you understand the differences. Most areas have a clear-cut system of certification, and it is crucial that any training you take leads to an industry recognized qualification.
One of the best ways to get started in this field is as a gym instructor.
The Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing is the entry qualification for most jobs working with the public, and allows you to get your foot in the door and gain experience while deciding what area you want to specialise in - for example, teaching group classes, personal trainer, yoga instructor, football coach, etc. One of the most popular is working as a personal trainer.
Entry-level jobs are quite common - you can search for them either locally or nationally. One of the best places to find a job is to use the job search facility run by the industry professional body - the NRPT. You'll find jobs across the UK, though most are in major cities like London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. The NRPT also has a partnership with SpanandLeisureJobs.com, where you can search for jobs by position, region and even country.
What kinds of places offer work? There are all sorts of different settings in which you can work. While the obvious place is a gym, you will also find opportunities on board cruise ships, at a spa or resort, or in a corporate facilities.
To qualify as a personal trainer you will need further training. Personal trainers need to hold at least a level 3 certificate; this allows you to gain entry to the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs), the industry standard for exercise and fitness instructors, teachers and trainers.
Level 3 qualifications that will make you eligible to register with REPs include:
- NVQ Level 3 in Instructing Physical Activity and Exercise in both gym and exercise to music contexts awarded by OCR and CYQ
- CYQ Certificate in Advanced Fitness Instructing (Gym and Exercise to Music)
- CYQ Certificate in Personal Training (general populations and special populations)
- CYQ Level 3 Certificate in GP Referral - Low Risk
- Premier IQ Certificate in Personal Training
Once qualified, you can begin to specialize, taking courses in skills such as core stability training, spinning, yoga, etc. These additional skills will help your career to keep moving forwards.
