Toi Mai has developed new exercise education products to reduce the churn and burn in the personal trainer (PT) sector, with too many PT graduates lacking the skills needed to succeed, and 58% failing in their first year.

“Exercise is a growth industry and a popular course to study, but gyms are struggling to retain people with the right skills, particularly at the new entrant PT level,” explains Dr Claire Robinson, Toi Mai Te Tumu o Toi | Chief Executive. “At the same time, learners told us they want more practical, real-world exercise training.”

In response, after reviewing the existing qualifications and engaging extensively with the industry and education providers, Toi Mai has created a suite of five new skill standards within the popular NZ Certificate in Exercise Level 4 qualification.

These standards address the main skills gaps hiring managers see in new personal trainers, as well as providing a fit for purpose pathway into the fastest growing offering in the exercise industry, group training.

Dr Robinson says the first two standards combine to form a new Exercise Fundamentals micro-credential. This will help the trainer deliver fit-for-purpose pre-screening and warm up and cool down activities, and an effective and engaging exercise experience using functional anatomy knowledge. It will also help learners gain the interpersonal and relationship building skills they need to create enduring client relationships, which addresses the most common skill gap industry see in new graduates.

The third standard ensures learners are equipped with industry ready programming and practical exercise coaching skills, while the fourth is about how to be a good lifestyle coach so they can support clients achieve their exercise goals outside the gym looking at things like sleep, nutrition and hydration.

The final standard focuses on how to market and sell their services – most PTs fall over within the first couple of years because they can’t find and retain clients.

Dr Robinson says group training gyms are currently struggling to get people with the right qualifications and skill mix to do the job safely as industry training and registration levels have not kept up with the rapidly evolving industry.

The Exercise Fundamentals micro-credential addresses that gap and will be sufficient for people to register at the new, soon to be created Group Trainer level on the Register of Exercise Professionals registration framework. This is the fastest growing category of exercise in business in New Zealand, but to date there has been no qualification or registration level to cater to their coaching staff.

The five new skill standards will ensure consistency across providers and are stackable, meaning they can be completed individually or bundled together to form the Level 4 qualification. They have been listed on the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) framework and Toi Mai is now promoting them to education providers.

Click on the links below for more information on the NZQA website.

Micro-credential: Exercise Fundamentals

Skill standard: Carry out pre-screening, warm up and cool down activities for an exercise session

Skill standard: Deliver an exercise experience using knowledge of functional anatomy and interpersonal skills

Skill standard: Carry out exercise testing, and design and deliver exercise programmes

Skill standard: Provide lifestyle coaching to exercise participants

Skill standard: Apply tools and techniques to support client acquisition and business operations for an exercise professional

Feel free to contact Toi Mai if you have any questions about the new exercise education products.