Personal Training Named One of Top Six Jobs of the Future

With ever changing technologies and changes to the job market, it’s no wonder why so many people wonder if their chosen career is moving towards a bleak future or whether their idea of a career change is a wise one. The top six jobs of the future in Australia have been announced and if you’re looking to change careers, or you currently work in the fitness industry, a fitness career is front and centre when it comes to the jobs of tomorrow!  

The CSIRO is yet to release its anticipated “Porous Boundaries: Megatrends and Scenarios for jobs and employment in Australia over the next twenty years.” However, they have already revealed the top six careers it forecasts to top the future Australian workforce.  

The six jobs of the future listed data analysis, remote control vehicle operation and ‘Personalised Preventative Health Helpers,’ which includes Personal Trainers! Since it has been forecasted that Australia will continue to spend billions of dollars each year on chronic health conditions preventable by a healthy lifestyle, it is not surprising the fitness industry made the list. This only means an increase in job availability and stability in the coming years.  

As reported by the Courier Mail, the Personal Trainers of tomorrow will need to call on their skills in personalisation and communication to help clients prevent chronic illnesses related to inactivity and poor diet. CSIRO Principal Scientist, Dr Stefan Hajkowicz also stressed the rising importance of digital changes, meaning Personal Trainers will need to be equipped with tools that integrate new technology like fitness trackers into the client experience.  

The rise of technology and personalisation for PT’s is a sentiment echoed by experts across the industry, including celebrity Personal Trainer and our recent Nutrition Coach graduate, Cameron Byrnes.

“Personal Trainers are fast becoming more like digital coaches” says Cameron, “you’re not able to just stand there and count to 12 anymore.” Cameron says that he thinks technology will facilitate more streamlined communication and accountability between Personal Trainer’s and their clients, as long as they’re equipped to use it. Having the knowledge of new technologies and being able to use them and incorporate them into training sessions and use them to track progress will encourage your clients to continue with the great work and help to make you more popular with potential new clients.

Another important factor is the change from predominantly one-on-one sessions, to group sessions. Everyone can be time poor, including personal trainers, so one way a change to PT sessions in the future to make things easier on everyone is a growth in group sessions. That means a PT can see more clients, in a shorter period of time. So, instead of only being able to see potentially 50 clients, you could be seeing upwards of 200 clients by incorporating group sessions into your schedule. Group workouts have also been shown to provide a better environment for clients, as they can get feedback from others, they’re more interactive and provide a social element that can be lost in one-on-one sessions.

A career in the fitness industry has many benefits, including a flexible work schedule and your work environment. With many clients having their own busy schedule, you may find that you will need to work at times that are unconventional. You might be up when the sun is starting to rise, but you may find this works well with taking the kids to school. A lot of personal trainers don’t work a standard 9-5, so there is some flexibility with family and home responsibilities. This is great for those who don’t want to be tied down and stuck at work when they’re needed most.

You’re also not stuck behind an office desk. Many people don’t enjoy the “office grind” environment, so when you’re a personal trainer, each day you work might look completely different to the last. You may be in the gym or may be on the beach or hiking in a National Park. Depending on if you work for a gym or whether you start your own personal training business, you will have some flexibility to choose where you do workouts with your clients and how your day will be spent. With such a variety to your job role, it’s sure to keep you interested and motivated each and every day.

Now is a great time to start to get involved in the fitness industry. If you’ve been thinking about a career change for a while and think it may be something you’d love, getting started with training and certification to be a personal trainer will help you to get a career you will love. The future of the fitness industry is looking to grow as the years go on, so it’s a great time to get involved. Want to learn more about the future of fitness? Check out what our experts had to say on what fitness with look like in 2016! 

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AIF

The Australian Institute of Fitness

The Australian Institute of Fitness (AIF) is the largest and longest established fitness training organisation in Australia, with dynamic training methods and expert course coaches nationwide - spanning fitness, massage and nutrition. The AIF qualifies more fitness professionals than any other provider in Australia, as well as offering a broad range of continuing education courses (CEC), upskilling resources and partnership programs for existing industry.