Considerations for prospective students


Considerations for prospective students


1. Check the amount of learning and support


One of the easiest ways to assess quality is to look at the amount of time spent learning directly with a tutor. Having access to individual support from an experienced tutor – by telephone, email, or face-to-face – is critical to student success, both in passing the qualification and when they put their learning into practice in the workplace. Being a fitness professional involves competencies that need to be taught face-to-face.


2. The provider’s track record Find out how long the provider has been delivering training. Look for quality badges such as ISO9001 and if there are Ofsted reports. Focus Training has always used these quality benchmarks to drive everything we do. Since our ISO Quality Management System was implemented 10 years ago, inspections have revealed no major or minor non-conformities. That’s a tough record to maintain, but one we’re extremely proud of.


3. Employer recognition Find out if employers recognise not only the qualification, but also if they only employ people who have qualified with quality providers.


Trainees need to make sure their course has currency across the industry


What have been some of your latest training innovations? Our newest product is our fitness profes- sionals’ toolkit, which is a two-day workshop that gives anyone with a Level 2 qualification four new skills to take to their clients. Tis is a unique course to Focus Training, and it’s proving to be really popular. Te Diploma in Personal Training is the


benchmark qualification for anyone wanting to be a successful PT. However, the growth in uptake of our specialist courses proves that PTs are increasingly looking to capital- ise on niche markets. Areas such as diabetes, obesity, exercise referral and sports massage reflect the diversity of practitioners that are


© CYBERTREK 2015


now in demand in the sector. Meanwhile, at entry level, we’ve seen an


increase in kids instructors, again reflecting market forces. As a company we’re also working closely


with corporate clients who, through our Staff Academy, employ Focus Training to come to them, using their venue to deliver both CPD and upskilling qualifications to staff, saving them time and money.


FIND OUT MORE


Web: www.focus-training.com Tel: +44 (0)333 9000 222


Twitter: @leisureopps


4. Progression Is there a progression route from the qualification? For example, can you use a Level 2 qualification to access a Level 3 qualification? Supporting a student throughout their career, from entry level through to becoming a specialist, is about the most rewarding thing we can do. We have a clear progression route, but that isn’t always the case in the industry.


5. The qualification’s currency Make sure other industry bodies and training providers can recognise your qualification; recognition by REPS only is insufficient. Our qualifications are industry recognised, but that isn’t always the case with other providers. The very minimum is an awarding body certificate with an Ofqual logo. If this isn’t evident, it can ultimately result in a student having to retake modules, at extra cost, in order to progress to a higher level.


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital 9


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