Fitness Courses Australia

About Fitness

You'll become

Average Salaries

Fitness workers may earn between $25,000 and $71,000 per year

Help others unlock their best lives and build an exciting new career by studying a fitness course.

You want an exciting career working with people and care deeply about seeing others succeed. Now, join one of Australia’s fastest-growing industries and start a rewarding new career by studying a fitness course.

Working closely with clients to provide exercise routines, instruction and support, fitness industry professionals provide the theoretical knowledge and practical assistance to help clients reach their goals and unlock the lives they want to live. By studying a fitness course, you’ll build the essential skills and knowledge needed to stand out in a competitive industry, and build trust and commitment with a wide range of clients.

More than 80 per cent Australians who exercise use gym and fitness facilities, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and Fitness Australia reports that the number of fitness instructors in Australia has more than doubled in the last decade.

Now, build the skills needed to stand out in that market and start a deeply rewarding career in the fitness industry.

As a fitness instructor, you’ll be responsible for designing, planning, implementing and evaluating fitness programs for clients, and you may also provide additional holistic health, lifestyle and nutrition advice.

You can study a fitness course at a certificate or diploma level, or as part of a bachelor’s or master’s degree in health science, sports science or physiology. After completing a fitness course, you’ll likely seek employment as a fitness instructor, personal trainer, gym manager or group fitness coordinator.

Australians are increasingly aware of the value of prioritising health and wellbeing, and with an estimated two-thirds of our population overweight or obese, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, skilled fitness professionals are likely to continue being called upon to help Australians live their best lives. If you’re passionate about people and wellbeing, and want an exciting, dynamic job, consider starting a fitness course now.

What do fitness graduates do?

Fitness course graduates may work in a range of gym, fitness centre, recreation centre and sports club settings, and may also work independently as a contract trainer. As a fitness trainer, you’ll work closely with clients to design, develop and demonstrate exercise activities, and may perform tasks like:

Assessing a client’s individual fitness level, fitness goals and requirements, health risks and plans;
Researching and organising relevant activities, exercises and routines;
Developing exercise plans to achieve client’s goals;
Choosing exercise and training clients in order to achieve particular goals in resistance training, cardiovascular conditioning and flexibility;
Working closely with medical professionals, nutritionists and other key stakeholders to deliver safe fitness programs for high-risk clients;
Providing continuing support, coaching, mentoring and advice;
Providing ongoing advice and demonstration about exercise technique and equipment use; and
Recording, filing, managing and evaluation documentation relevant to client’s ongoing management.

You may also seek employment in a fitness centre or gym management role, and lead a team of other fitness professionals to deliver quality service. In a role like this, you may be additionally responsible for managing bookings and class scheduling, ensuring security, hygiene and relevant occupational health and safety standards are met, and managing customer service, complaints and enquiries.

Career Outcomes

PayScale notes that more than 85 per cent of personal trainers in Australia have less than 20 years of professional experience, indicating that most people move to management roles or out of the industry after working for several years.

After completing a fitness course, you’ll be qualified to work as a personal trainer or fitness professional. You may choose to work in a gym or fitness centre, a recreation or rehabilitation facility, or in a sports club. You may also choose to seek employment as a:

Is fitness right for you?

You’ll find a career in the fitness industry rewarding and exciting if you:

Love working with people
Are passionate about health and fitness
Enjoy hands-on work
Thrive when challenged
Work well under pressure
Have excellent organisational and time management skills
Have strong communication and interpersonal skills
Enjoy planning and making decisions
Want a dynamic and practical job
Are patient and understanding
Want to help people achieve their goals

Job opportunities

The Australian Government’s Job Outlook identifies the fitness industry as an industry with enormous potential to grow. Currently employing approximately 27,600 people in personal training and instructor roles, the industry has more than doubled in size since 2005, and is likely to continue growing at a similar rate for the next decade.

Job Outlook predicts that approximately 8,000 more personal trainers will be required in Australia by 2020, representing employment growth of around 25 per cent. Predicted to employ approximately 35,000 people by 2020, the fitness industry will likely have employment opportunities available in most parts of Australia by the end of the decade.

Average Salaries

According to PayScale, fitness trainers can expect to earn between $25,000 and $71,000 per year, with an average annual salary of approximately $53,000. While a moderately positive relationship exists between experience and earning capacity, entry-level trainers can skill expect to earn approximately $52,000 per year. PayScale notes that trainers with more than 20 years of experience earn significantly higher wages than their less experienced counterparts, earning on average approximately $69,000 per year.

min $25K

max $71K

ave $53K

Learnhow to become a

Learn how to become a

Fitness instructor

Industry Bodies

Location

Industry

Qualification

Payment Option

Bachelor of Applied Fitness Australian College of Physical Education

Bachelor of Applied Fitness

Bachelor of Dance Education Australian College of Physical Education

Bachelor of Dance Education

Bachelor of Education (Physical and Health Education) Australian College of Physical Education

Bachelor of Education (Physical and Health Education)

Bachelor of Health and Movement (Health Promotion) Australian College of Physical Education

Bachelor of Health and Movement (Health Promotion)

Bachelor of Health and Movement (Sports) Australian College of Physical Education

Bachelor of Health and Movement (Sports)

Bachelor of Health Science (Dance) Australian College of Physical Education

Bachelor of Health Science (Dance)

Bachelor of Health Science (Exercise) Australian College of Physical Education

Bachelor of Health Science (Exercise)

Bachelor of Health Science (Fitness) Australian College of Physical Education

Bachelor of Health Science (Fitness)

SIS40215 Certificate IV in Fitness Australian Institute of Personal Trainers

SIS40215 Certificate IV in Fitness

SIS40215 + Entry Requirements Complete Personal Trainer Australian Institute of Personal Trainers

SIS40215 + Entry Requirements Complete Personal Trainer

SIS50115 Diploma of Sport and Recreation Management Australian Institute of Personal Trainers

SIS50115 Diploma of Sport and Recreation Management

Bachelor of Health Science (Nutrition and Exercise) UniSA Online

Bachelor of Health Science (Nutrition and Exercise)

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What do fitness graduates do?

Career Outcomes

Career Outcomes

Job opportunities

Average Salaries

Learn how to become a

Industry Bodies

Bachelor of Applied Fitness

Bachelor of Dance Education

Bachelor of Education (Physical and Health Education)

Bachelor of Health and Movement (Health Promotion)

Bachelor of Health and Movement (Sports)

Bachelor of Health Science (Dance)

Bachelor of Health Science (Exercise)

Bachelor of Health Science (Fitness)

SIS40215
Certificate IV in Fitness

SIS40215 + Entry Requirements
Complete Personal Trainer

SIS50115
Diploma of Sport and Recreation Management