Work in elite sport thanks to YMCAfit
YMCAfit is one of the leading training providers that can make your dreams of working in elite sport a reality.
Many people dream of working in elite sport: training top athletes, enjoying worldwide travel and great wealth. Others would love to get away from their desk-bound jobs and embrace their true personality – the active, energetic, charming aspect of their personas. Careers within the fitness industry can be the starting point for these dreams or even the embodiment of them.
YMCAfit is one of the leading training providers making these aspirations a reality. Established in 1984, YMCAfit is the most experienced training provider in the UK having trained over 90,000 instructors. Over these years they’ve developed an extensive and inclusive portfolio of fitness training courses to offer world-class training for everyone and continue to lead the way with new training options, which keep their graduates at the head of the industry.
One such graduate, Sonam Bligh, made the leap into a new career in fitness: “I worked in social care with young offenders until very recently, but I’ve been training all my life and that’s what gives me a real buzz. Changing career is not something I jumped into lightly – I did my research and I could see that YMCAfit was head and shoulders above other providers in terms of course content.”
The skills learned within other professions do contribute heavily to the success within the fitness industry. It is often under-estimated the transferrable nature of teaching, organisational and communication skills, working to deadlines and being calm under pressure. Natalie Sant used all of her previous experience to maximise her success as a personal trainer and nutritional advisor.
“I did my research and I could see that YMCAfit was head and shoulders above other providers in terms of course content.”
“After leaving university, I went into teaching for just over 10 years, but I got to my mid-30s and wanted a job that was more flexible. I’ve always being interested in health and fitness, and personal training is linked to teaching,” observed Natalie. It proved a pleasant surprise to Natalie to find others in her situation – a reality which differed from her view of a course full of youngsters: “I was worried the course would be full of people in their teens and early 20s but it wasn’t like that at all. It was a nice group, which made the course really fun. The facilities were fantastic – the equipment, changing rooms, coffee shop – and you couldn’t ask for a better location.”
The financial outlay of such a career change can be a hurdle. The Government’s new 24+ Advanced Learning Loan will allow our students, over the age of 24. The loan is a student loan designed to help adult learners to pay for their course fees, making further education courses more accessible to everyone.
Aside from Personal Training, YMCAfit is a one-stop shop for those with an interest in fitness. With courses in Exercise to Music, Yoga, STOTT PILATES and Gym Instructor, plus an abundance of wonderful professional development courses enabling graduates to further define their speciality in the industry, there is only one place to look when seeking a career in fitness.
You’ve heard from some of YMCAfit’s graduates, but if you’re looking for a career in fitness then your time is now! Visit www.ymcafit.org.uk or email bookings@ymcafit.org.uk.