Courses for careers in fitness
In choosing a course for a career in fitness, graduates are able to work as personal trainers, pilates instructors, group fitness instructors (including aerobics, spinning and step instruction to name a few). As well as qualifying as a Personal Trainer, Diploma graduates qualify with the ability to be lifestyle coaches, conditioning trainers for athletes or exercise specialists working with pregnant clients, children, adolescents or older adults.
Careers and jobs in Sport, health and fitness
The following gives you an idea of the types of jobs in the fitness and sport industry as well as the required qualifications.
- Fitness Floor Instructor: performs general duties at a fitness facility or leisure clubs such as assisting members with their exercises and their use of the equipment. The Floor Instructor is usually responsible for the tidying and maintenance of the facility as well. At this level the instructor is not qualified to provide specific exercise programming or one-to-one goal oriented instruction. He/she usually works under the supervision of a Personal Trainer or a Fitness Programme Manager. This person must hold a recognised, SAQA registered fitness qualification.
- Personal Trainer: At this level the personal trainer is able to provide one-to-one training with clients helping them to achieve specific fitness/training goals. The Personal Trainer is able to work unsupervised and can also run his or her own personal training business. This person must hold a recognised, SAQA registered fitness qualification.
- Group Fitness Trainer: like the Personal Trainer, this person must hold a recognised, SAQA registered fitness qualification. This person will teach a variety of fitness classes to music which could include aerobics, indoor cycling, step, stretch and tone classes to mention just a few.
- Pilates Instructor or Yoga Instructor: this person should hold a recognised qualification. The qualifications may be an add-on to a registered fitness qualification or might be a specialisation within a registered qualification. Exercise techniques under this banner are often referred to as Mind-Body exercise because of their therapeutic benefit. Qualified Instructors will work in a fitness facility or in their own studio
- Group Fitness Manager: this person is often employed in fitness facilities and has group fitness experience and a qualification. This job requires good organisation skills and good time management and a Certificate in fitness would be the minimum requirement with an additional sport and fitness management qualification to ensure management skills.
- Fitness Programme Manager: this person is likely to be a qualified personal trainer who then moves into a management position in the club. He/she would be handling members’ needs, possibly screening and testing members before they are assigned to a Personal Trainer. The job would also require people management skills as well as customer service. A Fitness Diploma is essential plus a sport and fitness management certificate would be an additional help.
Where do sporting and fitness professionals work? At health and fitness facilities; leisure facilities; sport specific environments; private practice; school; sport clubs; rehabilitation centres; hotel spas; luxury cruise liners. They also work in government in administration or in recreation management with departments of sport.
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Our Cape Town campus is located in Rondebosch at the WP Cricket Club Sports Centre, bordering on Rondebosch Boys High School. Our eta Durban Campus is located in Pinetown. We are next door to the Pinetown Boys High School. Johannesburg campus is located in Rivonia. We have now outgrown our facility there as we have not had the luxury of our own sport fields and gym.
eta Pretoria operates within the Sports, Arts and Exchange Arena as well as Southdowns College Sports fields in Centurion. Our Stellenbosch campus is located in the heart of Stellenbosch in the same building as Boland College. We also have a campus in Bloemfontein. |
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