Many of you may not

have heard of “National Occupational Standards” and with a name like that you could be forgiven for thinking they must be a bit dull. However National Occupational Standards, or NOS, form the building blocks for the entire fitness industry and affect everything from the structure of REPs to the content of qualifications and continuing education courses.

Every sector in the UK, from engineering to health, has a set of National Occupational Standards. Developed by the Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) they are the method the Government uses to ensure that education, training and national registers like REPs

The fitness industry sets the standard for the future

are relevant to the industry and support employers.

NOS describe the skills and knowledge needed to work in any particular industry as well as recording the various employment areas in the industry.

As the SSC for the fitness industry, SkillsActive has led a project over the last two years to update the NOS for the fitness industry. This included the widest ever consultation the industry has seen on the

FIA News

Our industry has now taken centre stage in the war on obesity and every member of REPs is, in effect, a key part of the Government’s SWAT team.

On being appointed, the new Secretary of State for Health spoke passionately about activity and exercise being key to tackling our national obesity crisis. In a meeting with food manufacturers and retailers recently, he repeated the same point. This is why the Government backed MoreActive4Life – a campaign developed by the FIA and delivered by over 1,200 FIA members across the country in June, July and August this year.

By the end of the campaign the FIA expects to have reached around 81,000 people and to have significantly contributed to the Department of Health’s goal of reaching 200,000 of the country’s less active families by 2010.

This is the beginning of an important era in our industry. As the fitness message gathers momentum, more ‘first timers’ will need and seek the professional services of REPs members. GPs, parents, employers will all be looking for new ways to ensure that patients, employees and children are exercising enough.

This is a great new dawn for the fitness professionals.

skills of its instructors. The research included two surveys of REPs members, consultation

with awarding bodies and training providers and employer events around the UK.

noS exist for all areas of fitness instruction including:

l Exercise to music l Gym instruction l Aqua l Physical activity for children

l Personal training l Pilates l Exercise referral l Older adults

l Disability l Ante/ post natal l Yoga l Cardiac rehab l Falls prevention l Stroke l Back pain l Mental health

Changes to PPL licensing

Following recent discussions with PPl licensees, fitness industry representatives and music product customers, PPL has changed the way that it licences aerobics and fitness instructors.

Previously, when purchasing a premixed music product from a licensed supplier of fitness music, instructors also had to obtain a PPL licence from that supplier.

This arrangement started in 1992 when just one company (FitPro) began selling premixed music for use by fitness instructors. However, as time progressed, and more companies began selling pre-mixed music, it became apparent that it was problematic for an instructor to use multiple services as they required a PPL licence from each.

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PPL has now removed the requirement for multiple licences meaning PPL licences can be purchased direct from PPL or from one of our authorised suppliers and that ‘one licence covers all’.

It is still an important legal requirement, however, that when an instructor purchases music from a supplier, and selects the option not to purchase a PPL licence from that supplier, that they hold a current licence. all PPl licensees are required to pass details of that instructor to PPL, assuming they don’t hold a valid licence with that supplier, in order that PPL can verify that the instructor is licensed.

For additional information please contact PPL’s licensing team on 020 7534 1040 or Sl@ppluk.com

The REPs Journal 2009;14(Sept):10-11