About becoming a personal trainer - Page 2 - Ausbb

Kyle Aaron · 23-06-2009, 01:03 PM

Whatever job you do there'll be days when you just can't be arsed with it, and people - colleagues, clients, whatever - who you'd rather not have anything to do with. You just have to choose one where you basically enjoy the process, even if you don't love all the details.

Legally - in Victoria, at least - no certification is required to work in a gym, not even first aid. It's just that if anything bad happens, the lack of qualifications won't help you in the ensuing legal mess. For that reason, some councils will pass occupational health and safety by-laws about qualifications, procedures and so on.

And of course, it'll be harder and more expensive to get insurance without quals. So you just have to hope that none of your clients are ever injured, and if injured, they either don't know you might be liable to pay for their medical costs, and/or they're happy with that payment and no suing you for more.

Like "counsellor", anyone can hang up a sign and call themselves a "trainer".

For example, there's this bloke Markos who runs PTC Frankston, he has no certificates at all, just experience. Apparently his methods get some results, though I imagine if there were any injuries he mightn't tell us about them.

So if you are well-known to and well-trusted by the gym staff, it'd be possible to get some work at a gym. The certificate is just a symbol of being trustworthy which is accepted everywhere - well, probably not accepted by those who don't get one and think you don't need one, or who only met people trained by AIF

katie · 23-06-2009, 01:16 PM

Fair enough. which reminds me, I've always wanted to work in my rockclimbing gym! (plus you get to climb for free) And I'm pretty much correcting at least one belayer every time I go (the belayer is the person responsible for the safety of the one who's climbing)

But I digress. Have you thought about how you're going to get your first clients?

Kyle Aaron · 23-06-2009, 02:12 PM

I know about the belayer, I've done a very little bit of climbing in the Army and NZ, and once tore a hamstring landing badly on a slide down from a helicopter!

I'm sure there must be certificates for abseiling and the like, they have them for everything. Go for it, Katie! Just remember that it's a different feeling doing something as a hobby and doing it for money by someone else's schedule

I intend to go and be employed by a gym. If I wanted to chase clients from a base of none I could just stick with my office catering business. That's a pain. I'd rather be doing the job than recruiting people so I can do the job.

A search just now at seek.com.au shows up 3 jobs for gym instructor, and 124 for personal trainer. However, some of the personal trainer ones are not really jobs, just invitations for you to set up business at their gym, or marketing jobs, etc. As for the gym instructor jobs, there are a lot more than 3 available.

Many community and university gyms never advertise on seek or other than on their or their council's website. For example, Monash council area currently advertises jobs for gym instructors, but you won't find those listed at seek or in the paper. Judging by the faces changing at the two community gyms I've been at, it's like my current profession of hospitality - lots of people don't stay long, so they're always hiring.

If I can't get employment with just Cert III, that's alright, I'll go and do the Cert IV. I want to do Cert IV anyway, it's just a matter of when. There's also a Cert in nutrition which I can look at down the track, that should complement my cooking nicely. "Look, you don't have to live on plain cottage cheese and tuna..."

Kyle Aaron · 23-06-2009, 02:19 PM

So, the full details,

Holmesglen TAFE, Melbourne
Certificate III (Fitness, gym instructor)
- Course cost $500
- Service fee (the old student union fee), $75
- Course materials (textbooks) $130
Thus total $705. The materials and services fees must be paid on enrolment day ($205), but the course fee can be paid in four installments.
Runs 2009-07-13 to 2009-11-20
Classes Mon 0900-1600, Tue 0900-1600, Wed 0900-1200
Course includes First Aid Level 2
Course does not include 20hr work placement, which the student must sort out for themselves, but if you are really hopeless they'll get you a placement at the campus gym

You won't believe how long it took me to find all that out. I think dealing with the educational bureaucracy is your entrance exam.

breebreerocks · 23-06-2009, 10:20 PM

Gyms very rarely advertise for training and instructing staff. Starting off with your Cert III, if you are looking for classes, all gyms have a list if instructors that they keep and call on when needed. Normally the only way you'll pick up a class off a regular instructor is if you have been filling in and get a good rep. If another instructor's class numbers drop off, they dump them and will replace with a more popular instructor. I have never come across an instructor that isn't a co-ordinator that is hired by the gym. With a Cert III, might get a job in a community gym supervising the floor.

Also remember that you have to get your insuance to be a PT. Also need to have a certain amount of points each couple of years to keep your certification current, otherwise they won't insure you.

Average life span of someone in the fitness industry is 18 months, but those with more life experience tend to hang around sooner. Older people don't go in with the blinkers on!

I worked as a sales and marketing manager in a fancy women's gym in Sydney. Small operations mean that you can see every part of how a gym works. Had to deal with instructors, members, trainers- the lot!

24-06-2009, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindred

I wouldnt mind doing cert 3 and 4 just so i know what im talking about for a change haha. Wonder if TAFE does it via correspondence!

I`ve done cert.3 and it was good but I can honestly say I didn`t learn a lot
that I already knew or could/would have learnt with experience and research on my own.The dude at the gym who mentored me was a top bloke and I learnt a hell of a lot from him.
The certificate looks good with all my others though and it is a stepping stone to where I want to get to.I am still studying various things by correspondence
but if you just want to learn get a few books.

kindred · 24-06-2009, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyle Aaron

You won't believe how long it took me to find all that out. I think dealing with the educational bureaucracy is your entrance exam.

It is for that reason I have decided not to study anymore (at least until my TAFE rage subsides).

**The Hulk** · 24-06-2009, 10:36 AM

Schools sucks, I've always thought that.
I'm so suprised I made it to the end of high school year 12.
The best education you can get is real life experience.
Self education is great, but not in a structured school environment, in my opinion.

For me, I would do the shortest course available and get the rest of the experience in real life.

There are so many people today who are multiple degree holders, all theory but no practice.

24-06-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Hulk

Schools sucks, I've always thought that.
I'm so suprised I made it to the end of high school year 12.
The best education you can get is real life experience.
Self education is great, but not in a structured school environment, in my opinion.

Agree.A uni degree with no experience will still only get you an entry level job.
Get a job in a related field and study correspondence or go to school at nights/part time.Work your way up both ladders at once.

24-06-2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Hulk

There are so many people today who are multiple degree holders, all theory but no practice.

And with the financial collapse all these braniacs are in the dole queue because they are overqualified and underexperienced.Even Maccas won`t give them a job.
Who`s laughing now?!

23-06-2009, 01:03 PM	#11 (permalink)
Kyle Aaron Active Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Melbourne Gender: Posts: 3,682	Whatever job you do there'll be days when you just can't be arsed with it, and people - colleagues, clients, whatever - who you'd rather not have anything to do with. You just have to choose one where you basically enjoy the process, even if you don't love all the details. Legally - in Victoria, at least - no certification is required to work in a gym, not even first aid. It's just that if anything bad happens, the lack of qualifications won't help you in the ensuing legal mess. For that reason, some councils will pass occupational health and safety by-laws about qualifications, procedures and so on. And of course, it'll be harder and more expensive to get insurance without quals. So you just have to hope that none of your clients are ever injured, and if injured, they either don't know you might be liable to pay for their medical costs, and/or they're happy with that payment and no suing you for more. Like "counsellor", anyone can hang up a sign and call themselves a "trainer". For example, there's this bloke Markos who runs PTC Frankston, he has no certificates at all, just experience. Apparently his methods get some results, though I imagine if there were any injuries he mightn't tell us about them. So if you are well-known to and well-trusted by the gym staff, it'd be possible to get some work at a gym. The certificate is just a symbol of being trustworthy which is accepted everywhere - well, probably not accepted by those who don't get one and think you don't need one, or who only met people trained by AIF __________________ Recent clients' best results: BW +10kg/-27kg ... BF-11% ... ♀/♂1RM/kg SQ65/145 OHP30/65 DL75/170 "fitness and lifting is just an interest I have. Plain and simple. Some people like music, others like shopping, I like deadlifts." - a client[/SIZE]

23-06-2009, 01:16 PM	#12 (permalink)
katie Active Member Join Date: May 2009 Gender: Posts: 1,130	Fair enough. which reminds me, I've always wanted to work in my rockclimbing gym! (plus you get to climb for free) And I'm pretty much correcting at least one belayer every time I go (the belayer is the person responsible for the safety of the one who's climbing) But I digress. Have you thought about how you're going to get your first clients? __________________ Rock climbing since 2005; running and resistance training since May 2009

23-06-2009, 02:12 PM	#13 (permalink)
Kyle Aaron Active Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Melbourne Gender: Posts: 3,682	I know about the belayer, I've done a very little bit of climbing in the Army and NZ, and once tore a hamstring landing badly on a slide down from a helicopter! I'm sure there must be certificates for abseiling and the like, they have them for everything. Go for it, Katie! Just remember that it's a different feeling doing something as a hobby and doing it for money by someone else's schedule I intend to go and be employed by a gym. If I wanted to chase clients from a base of none I could just stick with my office catering business. That's a pain. I'd rather be doing the job than recruiting people so I can do the job. A search just now at seek.com.au shows up 3 jobs for gym instructor, and 124 for personal trainer. However, some of the personal trainer ones are not really jobs, just invitations for you to set up business at their gym, or marketing jobs, etc. As for the gym instructor jobs, there are a lot more than 3 available. Many community and university gyms never advertise on seek or other than on their or their council's website. For example, Monash council area currently advertises jobs for gym instructors, but you won't find those listed at seek or in the paper. Judging by the faces changing at the two community gyms I've been at, it's like my current profession of hospitality - lots of people don't stay long, so they're always hiring. If I can't get employment with just Cert III, that's alright, I'll go and do the Cert IV. I want to do Cert IV anyway, it's just a matter of when. There's also a Cert in nutrition which I can look at down the track, that should complement my cooking nicely. "Look, you don't have to live on plain cottage cheese and tuna..." __________________ Recent clients' best results: BW +10kg/-27kg ... BF-11% ... ♀/♂1RM/kg SQ65/145 OHP30/65 DL75/170 "fitness and lifting is just an interest I have. Plain and simple. Some people like music, others like shopping, I like deadlifts." - a client[/SIZE]

23-06-2009, 02:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
Kyle Aaron Active Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Melbourne Gender: Posts: 3,682	So, the full details, Holmesglen TAFE, Melbourne Certificate III (Fitness, gym instructor) Course cost $500 Service fee (the old student union fee), $75 Course materials (textbooks) $130 Thus total $705. The materials and services fees must be paid on enrolment day ($205), but the course fee can be paid in four installments. Runs 2009-07-13 to 2009-11-20 Classes Mon 0900-1600, Tue 0900-1600, Wed 0900-1200 Course includes First Aid Level 2 Course does not include 20hr work placement, which the student must sort out for themselves, but if you are really hopeless they'll get you a placement at the campus gym You won't believe how long it took me to find all that out. I think dealing with the educational bureaucracy is your entrance exam. __________________ Recent clients' best results: BW +10kg/-27kg ... BF-11% ... ♀/♂1RM/kg SQ65/145 OHP30/65 DL75/170 "fitness and lifting is just an interest I have. Plain and simple. Some people like music, others like shopping, I like deadlifts." - a client[/SIZE]

23-06-2009, 10:20 PM	#15 (permalink)
breebreerocks Elite Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sydney Gender: Posts: 668	Gyms very rarely advertise for training and instructing staff. Starting off with your Cert III, if you are looking for classes, all gyms have a list if instructors that they keep and call on when needed. Normally the only way you'll pick up a class off a regular instructor is if you have been filling in and get a good rep. If another instructor's class numbers drop off, they dump them and will replace with a more popular instructor. I have never come across an instructor that isn't a co-ordinator that is hired by the gym. With a Cert III, might get a job in a community gym supervising the floor. Also remember that you have to get your insuance to be a PT. Also need to have a certain amount of points each couple of years to keep your certification current, otherwise they won't insure you. Average life span of someone in the fitness industry is 18 months, but those with more life experience tend to hang around sooner. Older people don't go in with the blinkers on! I worked as a sales and marketing manager in a fancy women's gym in Sydney. Small operations mean that you can see every part of how a gym works. Had to deal with instructors, members, trainers- the lot!

24-06-2009, 10:36 AM	#18 (permalink)
The Hulk Active Member Site Advertiser Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sydney Gender: Posts: 2,092	Schools sucks, I've always thought that. I'm so suprised I made it to the end of high school year 12. The best education you can get is real life experience. Self education is great, but not in a structured school environment, in my opinion. For me, I would do the shortest course available and get the rest of the experience in real life. There are so many people today who are multiple degree holders, all theory but no practice.