How to get your first job in the fitness industry

• Due to the rise in the wellness and health sectors, the fitness industry remains one of the fastest-growing employment sectors in the world.
• The first step into this industry is a Certificate III in Fitness, which focuses on group sessions, followed by a Certificate IV, which equips graduates to become personal trainers.
• Together, these two qualifications can lead to diverse job opportunities, ranging from working in a gym to training private clients or launching your own personal training business.

Enjoy exercise and thrive on fitness? The fitness industry remains one of the fastest growing employment sectors in the world, offering job opportunities ranging from group instructor to personal trainer, club manager, business owner, and more.

Often, that employment journey starts with the qualifications of a Certificate III and IV in Fitness.

We spoke with Fitness Team Leader Jared Thomlinson of the Australian Institute of Personal Trainers to find out what’s involved, including the differences between each of the qualifications and the career paths available.

Fitness industry snapshot

Each year, Australians spend an estimated $3.5 billion on gyms and fitness centres, with the global fitness industry estimated to be worth a whopping US$257 billion in 2024.

And the popularity of the sector isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. The gym and fitness sector currently employs 36,400 fitness instructors alone across an estimated 7,850 businesses in Australia.

Meanwhile, sports and fitness is tipped to be among the most in-demand job sectors in 2030 with positions in the industry expected to grow 9.8 per cent in the next five years.

For those looking to enter the health and fitness industry, the career paths range from group instructor to personal trainer, gym owner, sports coach, PE teacher, dietitian and more.

Entering the industry

As a personal trainer with 19 years’ experience, Jared explains the first step on the journey to becoming a fitness instructor starts with a Certificate III in Fitness.

This initial starting point has a focus on group training, the human body, and exercise pre-screening, and sets students up to pursue further studies in fields like personal training and nutrition.

Certificate III in Fitness

Covering three core areas, the Certificate III in Fitness encompasses the human body, strength programming, exercise pre-screening, and fitness testing.

It’s the foundation on which other fitness qualifications are based, and takes anywhere from three to 12 months to complete, depending on your work rate.

Once complete, the qualification allows you to work in the industry in small group training environments as a gym instructor, group exercise instructor, or choreographed exercise trainer.

If you’re then looking to teach students one-on-one and become a personal trainer, that’s when the Certificate IV in Fitness will be required.

“The Cert III in fitness is the perfect starting point as you will learn about the human body, strength programming, group exercise, pre-screening and fitness testing. It is all about expanding your knowledge and preparing you for cert IV,” Jared says.

Job opportunities include:

• Group exercise instructor in fitness settings such as gyms, and leisure and community centres.
• Gym instructor, working as a member of a team and providing advice on using gym equipment and writing exercise programs, while also contributing to daily operations.

Certificate IV in Fitness

The Certificate IV in Fitness is the minimum training requirement if you want to become a personal trainer. Jared explains this course is where students increase their exercise toolbox.

“Ultimately, the Cert IV expands on all the concepts in Cert III and allows you to mould your skills into a 1-1 personal training environment,” he reflects.

Taking between six and 12 months to complete, the Certificate IV covers a broad range of topics including fitness planning, training legalities, and motivational psychology. It equips graduates to deliver client health/fitness assessments and personalised exercise programs.

The Certificate IV also has a focus on the business side of the fitness industry, giving graduates the tools and skills they need to start and run their own personal training business.

In addition to providing graduates with skills for establishing and managing client relationships, it covers business planning, business development, and business marketing.

The qualification sets graduates up for a wider variety of job opportunities in the industry, including:

• Working in a gym or fitness centre as a personal trainer
• Training your own private clients
• Launching your own personal training business
• Working in community fitness settings

What it’s like to study fitness

Studying fitness involves a combination of practical and theoretical learning.

Jared explains the theoretical element can be studied online at your own pace, while the practical component takes place inside a real gym and involves face-to-face learning with a qualified mentor.

The Certificate III involves 15 course units completed via an online learning platform, along with 23.5 hours of face-to-face practical learning following a set timetable. 

The Certificate IV involves 17 course units which can be completed online, at your own pace in addition to 27 hours of face-to-face practical learning following a set timetable.

Getting a job

There are a range of different employment models within the fitness industry, including employee, contractor and business owner.

When it comes to working in a gym as an employee or contractor, Jared notes the combination of the Certificate III and IV is ‘definitely favoured’.

“It increases your working scope and allows for more products to be presented to potential clients,” he says.

Graduates can also improve their employment prospects with short courses that add expertise to their skill set.

“Short courses like boxing, kettlebells, handstands, etc will increase your exercise toolbox, grant you certifications to facilitate that modality, and broaden your trainer profile,” he notes.

“This also increases your product offerings and bolsters your resume to potential employers.”

Starting a business

Meanwhile, working as a contractor or business owner involves building and retaining a client base, and Jared notes this can be the biggest challenge people face when starting out.

“My advice would be to work on your business, better your processes and look after the people involved,” he says.

“Don’t be scared to offer your valuable time for free to help someone. This might be the difference between someone picking you as their trainer or them picking someone else.”

When it comes to creating consistent and stable income, Jared says it’s important to learn as much as you can and develop a point of difference.

“Short term hard work leads to long term consistent easy work,” he says.

“Learn as much as you can and shape the way you train to be unique to your style.”

The Certificate IV in Fitness recognises there is a business component to working in the industry and covers an array of business-related topics including business planning, client relationships, marketing and more.

If you’re really looking to hone in on the business angle, there is also the option of completing a Diploma in Business alongside the combined Certificate III and Certificate IV Fitness qualifications.

What to look for in a training provider

When it comes to what to look for in a training provider, Jared says the most important things are advocacy and experience.

“Do they do what they say and have the experience to do it well?” he says.

Meanwhile, it’s also important to factor in the training provider’s standing in the industry, considering factors like their industry partnerships.

Solid industry partnerships with established gymnasiums and renowned personal trainers allow students to gain practical, hands-on experience in the industry, while also building a network.

Summing up

As a growing industry, the fitness sector offers an exciting and diverse career option where you can work for big-name gym and fitness brands or build your own business.

It’s also a career which offers flexibility in terms of the environment you work within and the hours you work.

While the Certificate III and Certificate IV in fitness are the initial starting points for the industry, there’s ample opportunity to continue building on your fitness skillset by adding short courses such as boxing fitness to your resume or completing larger qualifications such as the Diploma in Nutrition.

And when it comes to what it’s like to work in the sector, Jared says it is ‘the best industry by far’ offering a rewarding career path where you can genuinely make a difference by helping people achieve their health and fitness goals.