College launches new Sport, Fitness and Personal Training course

Sunderland College has teamed up with some of the North East’s leading personal trainers and industry experts to launch a new Sport, Fitness and Personal Training course. 

Recruiting now for September 2022, the programme is aimed at those who are wanting to work in health and fitness when they leave college or progress to university where they can use their qualifications – Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer which are included in the course – to work part-time while they study. 

Through weekly masterclasses, seminars and work placements with experts from Everyone Active, the Training Club, Studio 6 Fitness and Concept Fitness, students will build the transferable and technical skills, experience and knowledge to be standout candidates for roles such as fitness instructors or personal trainers. 

Based at Sunderland College’s state-of-the-art Sports Academy at Bede Campus, they will also have access to industry-leading facilities at the course partners, the world-class Aquatic Centre in Sunderland. 

Those who graduate from the course will be offered guaranteed interviews at Everyone Active for a variety of full-time and part-time jobs at their centres across the North East, as well as Chartered Institute of Management for Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) or Register of Exercise Professionals (REPS) membership. 

Jonny Scott, Sport Lecturer and Programme Leader, said: “We know the importance of health and fitness for individuals’ mental and physical wellbeing, and this has become even more of a key focus as the country comes out of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We are incredibly excited to launch our new Sport, Fitness and Personal Training course in partnership with industry-leading fitness experts to offer students the perfect balance of developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for a long and successful career.” 

Students looking to set up their own businesses will receive ‘on-programme’ and three months ‘off-programme’ mentorship with the Training Club and Studio 6 Fitness who their skills, expertise, experience and contacts. 

Ross Colquhoun, who studied Fitness at the college before establishing the Training Club, said: “We are delighted to be working with Sunderland College to create a unique programme for aspiring fitness instructors and personal trainers, ensuring our graduates have the skills, knowledge and experiences to help them gain direct employment in this exciting industry.” 

Abbi Hutchinson, Owner and Head Coach at Studio 6 Fitness, added: “Studio 6 Fitness is excited to be part of this unique programme in collaboration with Sunderland College. 

“The bespoke workshops we will deliver and the mentorship we will provide for each student will ensure they enter our industry with confidence and stand out from the crowd.”