Why do degrees need enhancing with vocational qualifications?

Why do Undergraduate and Graduates need to add qualifications to Sport or Health-Related Degrees?

Summary

If you are looking into fitness instructing and personal training as a stepping stone career or as your chosen graduate career choose:

Level 2 Gym Instructor (for gym work)

then:

Level 3 Personal Trainer (to be a personal trainer)

then:

ACSM Certified Personal Trainer

If you are looking into a different sport, exercise or health career or BASES CEP accreditation then choose:

ACSM Health Fitness Specialist (HFS)

If you are looking into clinical exercise cardiac rehabilitation and already have your degree and ideally clinical work experience (e.g. cardiac rehab nurse) then choose:

ACSM Clinical Exercise Specialist (CES)

What are ‘Vocational Qualification Levels’?

Vocational Level Qualifications are available within any industry. Within the fitness industry they teach practical skills such as gym instruction. These skills are not covered within degrees. Vocational qualifications increase your employability as you will gain many practical skills that you will be asked to demonstrate in interviews. Many employers when recruiting new staff look for candidates with vocational qualifications in addition to a degree. If you have worked as a gym instructor or personal trainer this will also greatly improve your chances of being offered a position.

WHY?

Supplementing your studies with relevant basic fitness industry practical qualifications (level 2,3,4) and/or ACSM qualifications will enhance your graduate career opportunities tremendously. ACSM HFS is the industry-accepted qualification to become BASES CEP accredited.

Another benefit is that students can gain part-time or full-time employment opportunities during their time at university. This will of course bring in money but will also provide valuable relevant work experience, which in itself will enhance any graduate career.

I want to be a Personal Trainer

If as an undergraduate you are aiming specifically for a career in personal training, the full Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification is essential. The Level 2 Fitness Instructor qualification is a pre-requisite to this but HFI provides a very cost effective route for university students to qualify. Students initially qualify at Level 2 and then upon graduation take the Level 3 PT ASSESSMENT ONLY.

So, the following are the requirements for health-related undergraduates to gain the Level 3 PT:

Study Level 2 Gym Instructor and gain paid work as a fitness instructor whilst completing the degree. Students must remain in this area of employment after graduating whilst they study for the Level 3 Personal Trainer. They then take the Level 3 PT ASSESSMENT ONLY.
Alternatively study both Level 2 and the Level 3 in full.

Graduates of the following fields have found adding gym/personal training and/or ACSM qualifications during their study to be beneficial:

Exercise science
Sports science
Sports therapy
Physiotherapy
Personal training
Sports psychology
Exercise psychology
Football science
Sports development
Sports management

ACSM HFS and the Degree

ACSM qualifications are academically rigorous as opposed to being practically based so if you intend to work as a personal trainer you are advised to take the Level 2 and 3 qualifications. If you aim to work more specifically in elite sports, e.g. as a health advisor for a local authority or for a sporting organisation, ACSM will be the best way to add industry credibility to your degree. ACSM covers a very broad base of health and fitness knowledge, which extends further than the degree but it does not ‘practically’ qualify a graduate as a gym instructor or personal trainer. Having said this, many PTs who are already Level 3 qualified will enhance this by taking the ACSM CPT and/or ACSM HFS. ACSM are more academic qualifications offering a more solid science-based, wider and more in-depth syllabus than the Level 3 qualification.