How to become a personal trainer NSW

Do you have a passion for health and fitness? Becoming qualified as a personal trainer is a great way to enter the fitness industry and enjoy a rewarding career. The following article will act as the go-to guide for any prospective personal trainers hoping to understand more about this exciting role and provide the pathways you can take to turn that passion into your new career.

What Is Personal Training?

Personal training refers to any form of exercise performed under the supervision of a certified personal trainer. These are performed in sessions either individually or with a small group and can take place in a variety of including inside gyms, private properties, and the outdoors.

What Do Personal Trainers Do?

Personal trainers are qualified fitness professionals who have completed formal training to learn the skills needed to deliver safe and effective exercise programs to individuals and groups. They are responsible for adjusting their client’s mindset and training them with the right techniques in order to improve the quality of their lives.

A successful personal trainer has a strong interest in fitness and is passionate about helping people to achieve their health goals. The relationship between a personal trainer and their clients is built on mutual trust. Therefore, authenticity is important. It is also beneficial for everyone involved that the personal trainer practices what they preach and lives an active lifestyle.

Personal Trainer Qualifications

As previously mentioned, AIPT offers many pathways to get you qualified as a personal trainer. Below are the very best of our fitness courses that provide you with the knowledge, skills and expertise you need to excel in this role.

Certificate IV in Fitness

Kick-start your career in the fitness industry with this a SIS40215 Certificate IV in Fitness. This course will teach you how to undertake client health and fitness assessments and specialised exercise programs, while also extending your competencies in fitness planning, training legalities, and motivational psychology.

Certificate III in Fitness

In order to enrol in the SIS30315 Certificate IV in Fitness, you are required to complete your Certificate III in Fitness. This course provides the foundational knowledge of fitness and training fundamentals.

Fast-Track Personal Training Course

By enrolling in the Fast-Track Personal Training Course, you will complete the core entry requirement units of Certificate III before moving onto Certificate IV meaning that you will be equipped with everything you need to know to work effectively as a personal trainer, including how to operate and manage a small business.

Flexible Delivery Options

It is our mission to provide students with a high-quality education that makes your study journey as smooth as possible and equips you with the practical skills that lead to employment following graduation. We make this possible through our flexible study options which include:

Learn in a small group environment inside one of Australia’s leading gyms and be taught by the best in the business 

You’ll be matched with one of our qualified Personal Trainers who will mentor you inside a real club 

If you already know a Personal Trainer, we could approve them to be your Mentor to guide you through the practical components of your course

Study the theoretical elements of this course anywhere and anytime through our online learning platform.

Industry Placement

When you enrol in a Certificate IV in Fitness, Fast-Track Personal Training Course or Complete Personal Training Course with one of our leading gym network partners, you’ll gain access to our Graduate Placement Assistance.

This qualification combines self-paced online learning with the additional support of weekly partner mentorship, with each practical tutorial delivered to a small group of students in one of our leading network partners gym environments. All conducted by a fitness professional endorsed by the Australian Institute of Personal Trainers, who are highly qualified Personal Trainers with years of industry experience.

Why Be a Personal Trainer?

Physical health is an important part of our lives and improving it can lead to other important benefits such as improving mental health and the overall quality of how we experience life. It is for this reason that one of the most significant reasons for becoming a personal trainer is it is a rewarding career pathway. You are responsible for improving the health and fitness of your clients which can be a positive and transformative process for both client and trainer.

As a personal trainer you will also enjoy greater flexibility with the option of becoming your own boss and setting your own hours so that you can have room in your life for family and friends.

Personal Trainer Skills

There is a lot more that goes into being a successful personal trainer than running state-of-the-art exercise programs. Below are just some of the most essential skills that an upstart personal trainer can benefit from.

Stay Up to Date with Industry Knowledge

To become successful as a personal trainer, you need to make sure you’re staying in the know with the changes happening in the health and fitness industry. It helps to read the latest industry news and be willing to grow and adapt your PT business as needed. There’s also a lot of misinformation that spreads in the fitness sector, so it will be your job to let clients know in case they are misinformed.

Create Individual Programs

The professional and personable relationship you build with your clients is paramount, so it’s important you take the time to learn more about your client as an individual. This way you’ll be able to better understand their goals, limitations, what’s worked for them in the past, what hasn’t, and from there tailor a personalised program to meet their specific needs. In response, your client will grow to trust that what you are offering is working for them.

Communication & Patience

If there was any skill or trait that a personal trainer could benefit from, it’s having patience.  Fitness isn’t a destination – it’s a lifestyle and a journey, which means results do not happen overnight. With all the obstacles, setbacks, and frustrations that your clients will face along the way, it’s pivotal they have a patient personal trainer to help guide them through the process with encouragement and trust the results will come.

If you have a patient approach to training and come with an acceptance that everyone progresses at different stages, you’re well on your way to becoming a more successful personal trainer in the business.

Advertising Effort

At the end of the day, you’re running a business. The more you put your name out there, the more people it will reach and more business you will drum up for yourself. There are so many ways and platforms you can utilise to advertise your PT business, whether it’s posting on social media, creating high-quality content for your website, investing in traditional billboard advertising, or wearing merchandise featuring your brand logo. You are 100% more likely to gain new clients by taking every opportunity to promote your business.

Personal Trainer Salary

Like any other job, it has to take care of you and cover the bills. For a run-down on how much you could earn as a personal trainer, check out this article. If you are choosing to go the independent business route, don’t worry because with your qualifications from AIPT, we can help you hit the ground running and be on your way to earning comfortably. 

Personal Trainers in Australia

The fitness industry in Australia is one of the biggest in Australia and is showing no signs of serious decline despite it being seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the AISC (Australian Industry and Skills Committee), employment levels in the fitness industry rose substantially over the period between 2001 and 2019 (from around 43,100 to 117,800), employment levels dropped by almost half in 2020 to 61,000 before increasing again in 2021 to 104,200, where this is expected to remain steady until 2025.

But don’t let that discourage you – because as the world opens back up and everything returns to normal, fitness will be one of the most essential sectors.

Study our Complete Personal Training Course at a Campus near you! Enquire Now to start your fitness career! Call 1300 616 180 today.

To become a Personal Trainer, you need the knowledge and skills to be able to change a client’s mindset, train them with the right techniques and change their lives for the better. Find out how to become a Personal Trainer.

Career AdvicePersonal training

Are you a body enthusiast and a fitness freak who lives in Australia? Then there is a career path that awaits you; personal training. With health and hygiene taking centre stage, the demand for special facilities that encourage a healthy lifestyle has increased exponentially.

For the same reason, an increasing number of people are pursuing professions in health and fitness. If you are interested in health and wellness, personal training can be a rewarding career for you.

But do you know how to become a personal trainer in Australia? Don’t worry; we have your back in this; scroll down to learn everything you need to know to become a personal trainer.

1. What Does a Personal Trainer do?

A personal trainer works with clients to achieve their health and fitness goals through exercise, movement, dieting and nutrition control, and lifestyle changes. Their clients could be from any age range from children to the elderly. It could be within a gym or on your own as an independent personal trainer.

You could lead group exercise and fitness classes in a gym and take them outdoors for other physical activities. They can also be self-employed by working with their clients one-on-one by preparing a proper workout and diet plan according to their needs and lifestyle.

It is important to create personalised exercises, fitness plans and diets for the patients. Personal trainers must use their knowledge to do this. However, it is also important to remember that the goals must be achievable and that the program you develop for your client is in accordance with those goals.

2. Major Duties and Tasks of a Personal Trainer

• Understanding the client’s goals and needs.

• Evaluate the health and fitness of the client.

• Set goals that are realistic and achievable.

• Develop an appropriate fitness and diet plan.

• Explain the plan in an easily understandable way.

• Help clients through the fitness plan by properly guiding them.

• Monitoring the progress at every stage and modifying the program according to it. Adjust the plan according to the health of the client.

• Researching on health and fitness and staying up-to-date on the latest methods.

• Provide detailed feedback to the clients on their progress.

3. Skills Needed to Become a Good Personal Trainer

The following are the skills needed to become a personal trainer:

• Patience: Gaining fitness can be a long process depending upon the health of the client. You need to stay patient throughout the program.

• Communication skills: You need to communicate your ideas effectively with your clients for the best result.

• Adaptable: You should be able to adjust and adapt with clients of all backgrounds. It is also important to adjust the program according to the progress. If it is too hectic for your client, the chance of a potential injury is very high.

• Organization: You will be dealing with a lot of data from different clients. If you are not well organized, you might mix up the data of different clients, which would cause many problems.

• Integrity: Never compromise on client confidentiality. The details they share with you are confidential, and you should not share them with anyone outside work.

• Accountability: You should be accountable for your work. The clients are putting their trust in you.

4. Steps to Become a Personal Trainer in Australia

Many people have the wrong notion that becoming a personal trainer or getting admission to a personal training course is an easy task. But it isn't. Becoming a personal trainer demands a lot of work.

Here are the things that you have to do to become a fitness/personal trainer:

Step 1: Join a Personal Trainer Course

No matter how many years of experience you have in Gym training, you need a certificate to become a personal trainer. And for that, the first step is to join a personal trainer course, online or offline. After that, you should get a certificate III or IV in fitness.

• Certificate III Fitness: If you plan to work in a gym or fitness centre, then a certificate III for fitness would be perfect for you. It is one of the best online personal training courses Australia provides in fitness if you want to become a gym instructor or a group exercise instructor. With this certificate alone, you will be able to find entry-level jobs. However, you will need to earn a certificate IV in fitness to become a personal trainer.

• Certificate IV Fitness: Earning this certificate will qualify you to work as a personal trainer in Australia. While certificate III gives you the basic knowledge in the field, this course trains you in skills needed to have a steady and long career as a personal trainer. You should be 16 years and above and be a permanent Australian resident to apply for this certificate. You also need to hold a current first aid and CPR certificate to apply for this course.

• Complete Personal Trainer: This is a popular personal trainer course in Australia. You don’t need any prior certifications to join this course as it includes both Certificate III and IV in fitness. So, it starts from the fundamentals and then covers the necessary knowledge and details for you to start working as a personal trainer.

• Personal Trainer Course TAFE: The Technical and Further Education colleges (TAFE) is an excellent opportunity to fulfil your dream of becoming a personal trainer. Personal Trainer Course offers both certificate III and Certificate IV in fitness in one go, enabling you to become an independent personal trainer. This nationally recognized program of TAFE is a great choice to consider among the personal trainer courses in Australia, online and offline. These courses are highly flexible, and you can take them according to your convenience in on-campus or blended modes.

What to expect from the personal trainer TAFE course?

Certificate IV fitness courses teach you the responsibilities of a personal trainer and prepare you well for it. Here is what you can expect from your training course:

• The ability to arrange fitness programs with the consultation of professionals.

• Developing a fitness training model for each client according to their requirements.

• Deliver, demonstrate and teach fitness training activities to clients.

• Monitor and set-up, fitness training equipment.

• Be an instructor and train clients with physical fitness training activities.

• Add the principles of science and physique to your training sessions.

• Formulate healthy and fitness-assuring diet plans for clients according to individual needs.

• Enable yourself to set up a business model and create your fitness training centre.

You are becoming your own boss; isn’t that amazing?

How to get admission to the TAFE certificate IV fitness program?

The basic requirements to become a TAFE IV certified trainee are:

• Basic computer skills.

• Physical fitness.

• CPR and First Aid certification.

The prerequisites to get admission to the certificate IV fitness program is:

• Completion of the Certificate III

If you do not want to waste time on two different courses, you can also enrol in the Complete Personal Trainer or Personal Trainer Course to become a personal trainer by studying only one course.

Step 2: Work and gain Experience as a Personal Trainer

After completing the course, the next step is to build a reputation for yourself as a trainer. However, it won’t happen overnight; you have to be very careful in your steps and build your career slowly.

One way to gain experience is through the trainee program that comes with your trainer. During this program, you will be a trainee/assistant instructor in a Gym or a personal facility for a certain period. It is one of the most important steps in your career path as you won’t get clients without experience in the field.

It gives you the knowledge of how to train your clients, manage a gym, and schedule training sessions. It is also an opportunity for you to meet professional trainers and build connections to be an independent trainer shortly.

You can do your vocation training in any of the following institutions:

• Gym.

• Fitness and recreational centres.

• Aquatic recreational and training facilities.

• Other fitness centres.

This training session provides you with all the vocation training you need to become a personal trainer. It gives you an insight into how your future career will be and what mistakes you should avoid in the future. It will also help in the job search process as you will already have a network to back you up.

Step 3: Register Yourself as a Personal Trainer

To practice as a professional trainer, you should register yourself as a trainer. Ensure that you register with a well-recognized organization so that your career as a personal trainer will be smooth. It will help you increase your reputation among other training professionals and confidence among clients.

If you are looking for a safe and reputed organization for registration, our suggestion is Fitness Australia. It is one of the most trusted health and fitness associations in Australia. That means your registration will have validity and the same reputation all over the country. The best part about Fitness Australia is that you will get insurance along with the registration. That way, you can remain safe and secure and focus on your business.

To register in Fitness Australia, all you need is to have the specific qualifications of a personal trainer and the skills required for the job.

Step 4: Apply as a Personal Instructor

The last step of becoming a personal instructor is to apply for the role and get a job. You can apply for the position in any physical training institution such as a gym, aerobic training centre, or fitness facility. These are the places for a beginner to start their career and work up to a professional trainer.

However, if you do not want to work under the board of a pre-existing institution, you can start training yourself. Start by taking small steps and train one to five clients first in the beginning. And if the session goes well, you will be able to start your fitness facility very easily.

5. Personal Trainer Salary

The salary of a personal trainer depends upon various factors like experience, reputation and location.

According to Payscale, it is AU$50,663 per year. The Seek website lists the average annual salary of personal trainers in Australia between AU$50,000 to AU$70,000.

6. How much Does it Cost to Become a Personal Trainer in Australia?

According to fiteducation.edu.au, a personal trainer course in Australia costs AU$ 4815 on average. It is for a certificate IV in fitness.

7. Career Opportunities for Personal Trainers in Australia

Personal trainers generally have a very successful career in Australia; according to the seek website, the projected job growth in 5 years in this field is 8.5%. There are different work opportunities for personal trainers. Some of them are:

• Running a gym

• Group training activities 

• One-on-one training with clients

• Health and fitness coach

• Fitness class instruction

• Fitness influencer

8. How Long Does it Take to Become a Personal Trainer?

The main factor that affects the duration of the personal trainer course is the mode of education. Personal trainer courses online and face-to-face learning take different durations to complete the course.

It usually takes nine months to two years to become a personal trainer in Australia. Unlike many other careers, it is not a very long one, but it takes just as much effort to achieve it.

9. Closing Words

Becoming a personal trainer is not extremely difficult if you are ready to work hard and put your best efforts into it. With dedication and focus, you can become a personal trainer in nearly a year.

However, you will need to continue to work hard to gain experience and a reputation to find good clients. Hopefully, this guide on becoming a personal trainer in Australia has helped you understand the educational qualifications and requirements needed to be a personal trainer.

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