Undergraduate degrees

It is not essential to do an undergraduate degree to become a personal trainer, but it will equip you with the right skills to succeed. It’s also advisable to complete a relevant first aid qualification. Check that the degree you want to do includes a Level 3 personal training qualification and is accredited by a relevant organisation like UK Coaching or the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).  

Degree apprenticeships

• Motivating others

• Customer care  

• Time management  

• Organisational skills  

• Communication  

• Problem solving  

• Safeguarding  

• Tailoring programmes to suit a client’s need 

Finding work experience

Getting some work experience not only looks good on your CV, it also gives you a taster of the realities of the role and provides networking opportunities within the fitness industry.  

Try looking for work at: 

• Local leisure or sports centres  

• Hotels, resorts or spas  

• Health care charities  

• Youth centres or after school clubs  

How to get a job as a personal trainer

Many personal trainers are self-employed and win work from individual clients or businesses through word of mouth and online promotion. Alternatively, you might work for an employer such as a gym or personal training studio, leisure centre, professional sports club, a workplace with its own fitness facilities, or even a cruise line company.  

What it's like to be a personal trainer

Depending on your role and specialisation, your tasks could include: 

• Helping clients set short- and long-term fitness goals 

• Planning fitness programmes 

• Teaching motivating and coaching clients in how to complete their programmes safely and effectively 

• Giving advice on health, nutrition and lifestyle changes 

• Helping clients with their workouts 

• Checking and recording clients' progress, by measuring things like heart rate and levels of body fat 

• Promoting your business and doing admin tasks if you’re self-employed 

You might work in several different environments both indoors and outside, especially if you are a freelancer, including fitness centres and at client’s homes. Your working pattern may also vary and involve evening and weekend working.  

The average salary for a personal trainer starting out is approx. £15,000 rising to £22,000 with more experience. You could earn significantly more if you specialise in an area of personal fitness. On average personal trainers are expected to earn between £15,000 and £60,000 a year across the UK. Fitness instructor salaries will be lower than a personal trainer's; this is because a fitness instructor is qualified at level 2 whereas a personal trainer is trained at level 3.

Is a role as a personal trainer right for you?

Working as a personal trainer could be the ideal way to share your enthusiasm for health and well-being. You’ll need to be prepared to work unsociable hours and be self-motivated if you decide to set up your own business.