INDUSTRY NEWS

SkillsActive News More higher education news

Tom Bell, Endorsement Manager, SkillsActive

Over the next six months SkillsActive and REPs will be looking to strengthen the partnership between higher education and the fitness industry. The main activity will be to encourage Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to submit their courses so they give full entry to REPs. HEIs will also be able to provide continuing professional development activities for REPs members. SkillsActive would also like to engage more universities in the delivery of REPs Level 4 courses which currently focus on specific medical areas.

There will also be promotion of REPs and the fitness industry through conferences and articles. Liaison with the key higher education bodies such as British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) and British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) will also be vital to this work. It is hoped that going into 2011 the relationship between higher education and the fitness industry will be enhanced and that as higher education is increasingly matched to the needs of the industry, the value of the skills and knowledge gained in higher education will be more fully recognised.

FIA Fitness Directory nets top prize

The FIA, working in partnership with Optimum Fitness Software (OFS), has won the highly prestigious “Outstanding Achievement” Award at the 2010 Interactive Media Awards for the work on ‘The Fitness Directory’.

This consumer driven ‘window to the industry’ provides a web- based platform for qualified personal trainers to speak directly to consumers. It allows personal trainers to promote themselves and signposts consumers to the most appropriate and nearest REPs registered trainer to them. The FIA Directory, which is co-branded with REPs, was in elite company at the awards, as only a handful of nominations were deemed suitable for consideration - so strict was the judging criteria for the award. The award offers optimum recognition for the ‘highest standards of excellence in web design and development’.

“Time-starved consumers now use the net to search for services, compare competitors, check out special offers and deals – frankly do their research before they try or buy – that is why we have invested in creating a Fitness Directory to act as a shop window for our members” commented David Stalker, Executive Director at FIA.

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The REPS Journal 2010;18(September):8-9