Who is this apprenticeship for?
This apprenticeship is designed for passionate people looking to forge their careers in the exercise industry.
Exercise professionals have a broad base of skill and knowledge. They are excited about guiding others to share the benefits of exercise, whether in a gym or fitness facility, a studio, community hall, or an outdoor session.
They apply their interpersonal skills and comprehensive knowledge of exercise, anatomy, nutrition and health and safety, to develop safe, fun programmes tailored to their participants' needs. And they use their operational and marketing skills to build and run successful fitness businesses.
This qualification will be delivered and assessed on-the-job at a gym or exercise facility.
An apprentice will come out of this qualification having gained skills and knowledge across several key areas of the industry. They will be equipped to run their own personal training business; operate as an exercise consultant delivering personalised programmes; and deliver small group training sessions.
Graduate of this apprenticeship will be eligible for REPs registration. REPs registration is the expected industry standard to deliver safe and effective exercise in New Zealand. For more information, check out www.reps.org.nz.
What's involved?
This apprenticeship is comprised of four programmes:
Exercise Foundations programme
This qualification is equivalent to REPs Exercise Assistant
Organisational values and goals
Health and safety procedures and responsibilities
Customer service
Benefits of recreation for the community.
New Zealand Certificate in Pre-designed Exercise Instruction (Level 3)
This qualification is equivalent to REPs Exercise Consultant Level 1
Selecting an appropriate pre-designed programme to match individual participant requirements
Instructing and monitoring a pre-designed exercise programme
Anatomy and physiology
Health and safety, and industry code of ethics
Maintaining personal health and wellness.
New Zealand Certificate in Exercise (Level 4)
This qualification is equivalent to REPs Personal Trainer
Exercise fundamentals
Nutrition and wellbeing
Working professionally
Exercise delivery
Business skills.
Exercise Group Training module
Planning, delivering and reviewing a group training session
This apprenticeship is designed to be completed in 2 years or less.
Programme structure
The programme is made up of the following unit standards:
| Unit standard 29848 | Demonstrate knowledge of safe work procedures and practices in a recreation workplace | L3 | 5 credits |
| Unit standard 30636 | Demonstrate knowledge of the human body and its movement during exercise and stretching | L3 | 7 credits |
| Unit standard 30447 | Demonstrate basic knowledge of anatomical structures and physiological responses to exercise | L3 | 5 credits |
| Unit standard 29847 | Demonstrate knowledge of a recreation workplace and its contribution to individuals and communities in New Zealand | L3 | 5 credits |
| Unit standard 30634 | Demonstrate knowledge of human anatomy, physiology and health risk factors | L4 | 13 credits |
| Unit standard 30637 | Apply motivational techniques to enhance exercise participant commitment to individual exercise programmes | L4 | 5 credits |
| Unit standard 30635 | Pre-screen, design, deliver and adapt exercise programmes | L4 | 15 credits |
| Unit standard 30638 | Demonstrate knowledge of how nutrition, health and wellness frameworks and allied health can promote health outcomes | L4 | 7 credits |
| Unit standard 30639 | Provide support to exercise participants on nutrition, health and wellness, and allied health to promote health outcomes | L4 | 5 credits |
| Unit standard 30640 | Develop marketing and business tools and procedures to support business practices as an exercise professional | L4 | 8 credits |
| Unit standard 30933 | Demonstrate exercise and stretching techniques | L3 | 5 credits |
| Unit standard 30936 | Demonstrate knowledge of the purpose and protocols of exercise testing | L3 | 5 credits |
| Unit standard 30932 | Demonstrate knowledge of pre-designed exercise programmes, exercise principles, components and adherence | L3 | 10 credits |
| Unit standard 30934 | Select and instruct pre-designed exercise programmes | L3 | 10 credits |
| Unit standard 29851 | Apply safe work procedures and practices in a recreation workplace | L3 | 10 credits |
| Unit standard 30448 | Work professionally and safely as an exercise instructor to promote health and wellbeing within an exercise facility | L3 | 8 credits |
| Unit standard 30935 | Develop and implement an exercise plan for personal physical fitness | L3 | 5 credits |
| Unit standard 6571 | Demonstrate knowledge of micro and macro nutrients and nutritional imbalances | L3 | 5 credits |
| Unit standard 31928 | Plan, deliver and review the planning and delivery of a group training session | L4 | 12 credits |
What are the costs?
On-job training costs workplaces both time and resources. It can mean covering registration fees, learning and assessment resources, allocating time for training, and having an appropriate assessment pathway available.
Total costs for trainees will vary depending on how the qualification is delivered, how it is assessed and how much support the workplace can provide.
Check out our fees list and financial help options.
From July 1 2020, Skills Active apprenticeships are zero-fees until the end of 2022, under the government's Targeted Training Fund.
For more detailed information about the cost of doing an on-job qualification, get in touch.
Where to from here?
Keen to earn your stripes as an exercise professional? Think this might be the right qualification for your staff?
To find out more, contact your regional Skills Active learning support advisor.
Remember, to do this apprenticeship on the job, a Skills Active trainee needs to be working as a paid employee in the exercise industry.
If you are interested in this qualification, but you're not currently employed in the industry, contact your local gym or exercise facility, or a Skills Active learning support advisor to talk about how you can get involved.
Want to see where this qualification can take you next?
Check out our range of other exercise qualifications.
Discover your own career path on Tōu Aratika. - our careers website
Enrol now!
Contact your regional advisor or
P 0508 4 SKILLS (0508 475 4557)
E info@skillsactive.org.nz