Fitness centre manager : Training

New entrants to the profession are likely to start out as assistant or trainee managers and aim to work their way up to higher management positions by gaining experience and further training.

Many of the larger commercial organisations offer extensive programmes of in-house training. Topics covered may include corporate memberships, payroll management, teamworking skills, health and safety, customer care, employment law, business planning and IT skills.

In the local authority sector in particular, it is common for staff to study on a part-time basis for the certificates and diplomas of the Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (IMSPA) .

The main providers of fitness instruction qualifications are Central YMCA Qualifications  and Active IQ . Counselling skills can also be useful and specific courses in counselling for sport are run by the The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) .

Information on industry-recognised training, education and standards, together with national occupational standards, can be found in the Health and Fitness section of SkillsActive - The Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure, Learning and Well-being .

With such a diversity of courses available and no universally compulsory qualifications, many people use the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs)  and Fitness Industry Association (FIA)  websites to get feedback from colleagues on any specific courses they are considering.