Fitness and Health Promotion as a Career Option
The demand for fitness and health promotion professionals is more than ever in the current times. It's expected to increase further in coming years, as Canadians have become more health conscious than before.
The health and fitness industry offers a wide range of career opportunities to professionals with formal education and training, and hands-on-experience. With an in-depth understanding of the latest functional-fitness training principles, health and wellness concepts, human physiology, nutrition and biomechanics, these professionals help people make healthy lifestyle choices.
In addition to this, the health and fitness professionals are expected to:
- Assess well-being of individual clients, using various tools and strategies
- Determine the fitness level and health issues
- Design fitness and lifestyle programs tailored to the specific needs of clients
- Implement and manage fitness plans
- Offer fitness counselling to the clients
- Work with clients helping them adopt health and fitness strategies to improve their health status and overall well-being
- Assist clients in maintaining a fitness regime
- Conduct workshop presentations and group facilitation
- Make people aware of fitness trends
- Promote health and fitness
Health and fitness industry is more structured and offers diverse career opportunities to professionals. Although the demand for professionals is high but the competition in job market is fierce. Those having a formal education and hands-on-experience have an edge over other professionals. Therefore, undergoing a formal and structured fitness training program is considered important for individuals considering building a career in this industry.
Fitness Training Programs in Canada
A number of colleges in Canada offer fitness and health promotion programs. Unfortunately, not all colleges have industry partnerships to provide students with supervised field placement opportunities in the fitness industry. The hands-on-experience plays a critical role in finding employment after course completion. Centennial College’s health and fitness program combines classroom learning, hands-on-laboratory experience, and a supervised field placement in health and fitness industry. A strong focus is on mental health, which is considered as an essential part of a holistic approach to well-being.
In addition, the college also offers students an opportunity for eligibility to earn nationally recognized certifications. They can also gain skills necessary to become certified personal trainers according to the CSEP-CPT requirements and learn course material related to canfitpro Personal Training Specialist certification.
Fitness and Health Promotion Program Details
The two-year health and fitness promotion program covers a wide range of subjects, including
- Health and wellness concepts
- Anatomy/physiology
- Fitness Assessment
- Health Promotion across Cultures/Life spans
- A wellness approach to stress management
- Leadership, counselling and communications
- Exercise physiology
- Personal training
- Injury assessment and management
- Biomechanics
- Fitness marketing/entrepreneurship
- Group exercise leadership
- Nutrition
- Fitness and wellness program management
- Health promotion and behavior change
- Exercise prescription
Upon course completion, the graduates are able to apply practices and procedures effectively to help clients meet their health, fitness and lifestyle goals. They can work as fitness instructors, personal trainers, fitness consultants or wellness/fitness program developers in diverse industry sectors including, but not limited to, community, corporate fitness, municipal recreation, retail fitness, hospital and spa.
Enrollment Guide
In order to apply for a health and fitness promotion plan, you will need:
- Secondary school diploma
- English Grade 12 C or University or equivalent
- One Science Grade 11 or 12 C or University or equivalent (physics, chemistry, biology or exercise science)
After admission, you are required to:
- Submit annual clear police check with vulnerable sector screening
- Complete and renew annually a recognized course in CPR
- Complete a recognized course in Standard First Aid
