Did you know that Centennial College's Progress Campus boasts a newly constructed Athletic and Wellness Center? Housed inside this facility are: a triple gym with cardio machines, fitness area, aerobics/wellness studios, an 80-metre indoor track, climbing wall, squash courts, spa, wellness treatment centre, locker rooms and outdoor soccer field. Not only does the modern facility benefit students looking to meet personal fitness goals, it is also a classroom for those in one very unique program.

The Fitness and Health Promotion program seeks to prepare students in just two years for fulfilling careers as fitness instructors, personal trainers, fitness consultants, wellness/fitness program developers who work in sectors such as community, corporate fitness, municipal recreation, retail fitness, hospitals and more.

And, while many people may view the job of a personal trainer as superficial, it actually goes a lot deeper than the skin. These professionals assist individuals in making healthy lifestyle choices that will reduce or prevent the occurrence of acute and chronic diseases by providing professional fitness assessments, recommendations for health and fitness exercise regimes and strategies to meet their health and wellness goals. As such, they must have knowledge of anatomy and physiology, fitness assessment, leadership skills, injury management, nutrition, fitness marketing, health promotion, computer skills and cross-cultural awareness. All of these areas are taught at Centennial College through courses that include: Fitness Assessment, Injury Assessment and Management, Nutrition, Exercise Prescription and much more.

Students apply their skills prior to graduation in a number of ways. For example, at the Athletic and Wellness Centre, students have the opportunity to complete inter-professional student liaisons with other Centennial College programs (i.e. Police Foundations, Pre-service Fire and Paramedic students). As part of their On Campus Field Placement, the purpose of these liaisons is to assist peers in the attainment of their fitness assessment goals and apply the knowledge Fitness and Health Promotion students have learned in their courses. Students may also have the opportunity to follow these "clients" throughout the year, providing fitness advice and assessment.

This health promotion program in Toronto also includes an Industry Field placement. During the 240 hours that students spend in the field, they apply the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program. Students are evaluated on their ability to deliver comprehensive, personable fitness appraisals, design appropriate fitness programming and evaluate their efforts using a best practices approach that showcases their leadership capabilities.

In addition to the Ontario College Diploma that they obtain upon graduation, students also have the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to become a certified personal trainer according to the CSEP-CPT requirements and learn course material related to the canfitpro Personal Training Specialist certification.