Click here to download the Units of Competency for this course

The learner group for this qualification are people wishing to gain a qualification in order to work as an instructor providing exercise instruction for groups or gym programs.

They work independently with some level of autonomy in a controlled environment such as fitness, leisure, aquatic and community centres where risks are managed through pre-existing risk assessment and hazard control processes.

The learner group are those who require a flexible program with significant client orientated practical experience.

This is an entry level course and no previous skills or experience are necessary.

Entrants must have:

• Successfully completed the Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) online test. Please note that if you are applying for more than one course with us, you will only need to complete the LLN online test once. Students returning to studies at ALG after a significant gap may be required to complete the LLN online test at the discretion of ALG. For more details on how to complete the online test, please refer to 8.Appendix_Language, Literacy, and Numeracy (LLN) Requirements Factsheet.

  The purpose of the LLN online test is to ensure that you have the LLN skills needed to undertake your course. It will also show how we can assist you in any areas where you may need help while studying with us.

• Sufficient level of English proficiency in order to interact with and document client interactions, interpret documents, learner guides and assessment tools, prepare written reports and plans. For more information, please view our English Requirements Factsheet.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills in order to establish and manage professional networks and client relationships with clients of various ages and backgrounds.

The learners’ physical attributes may influence their ability to complete the training and assessment. Assessment and training requires students to be physically capable of performing a range of fitness activities and to use a range of gym equipment. Manual handling is also required.

Students need to be able to relate to clients of differing ages and backgrounds, have a keen interest to assist clients to reach their exercise goals, have good problem solving skills, sound literacy and numeracy skills, be enthusiastic, tactful, patient and have a sense of humour.

The course is aimed at students 18 years of age and over.

This nationally accredited qualification will kick start your career in fitness providing you with highly sought after industry skill set as a gym instructor and group exercise instructor. You will learn the foundations to fitness science as well as exploring key speciality topics such as fitness appraisal, exercise programming, healthy eating and more to enable you to work effectively within a fitness setting.

This distance education program allows you the flexibility to complete the Certificate III in Fitness in a self-paced manner around other commitments such as work or study through flexible online and workplace learning. The program is organized to ensure the essential skills and knowledge are learnt and applied under both supervised and unsupervised conditions within an industry workplace.

This course has a maximum duration of 18 months and involves a total volume of learning of 1209 hours which is divided into both 952 hours of training (workplace practice/application of skill, industry research and completing student orientated study) and 257 hours of assessment.

Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 hours direct workplace training under supervision and a further unsupervised 58 hours of client orientated practical based assessment tasks.

The volume of learning refers to the total amount of time that a student would be expected to dedicate to successfully complete of the course. It includes the structural component of the course as outlined above, as well as the self-study, research and practicing of skills that a student would do in their own time.  Some students may find that they need more study time and others will find that they can achieve the required level of knowledge and skills in less time than this estimate.

Training and Assessment

Training for this course will take place in both online and within practical based learning environments through various modes of learning such as online webinars, readings, case studies, simulated practical projects and workplace tasks. During your fitness journey, you can expect to undertake the role as Gym Instructor and Group Exercise Instructor from start to finish with tasks based around real as well as simulated clients in a and outside the traditional fitness workplace.

Theory assessments are structured over 5 modules which are comprised of written and well as practical based project tasks with clients that may involve the submission of videos as evidence.

Students will be required to attend organise a suitable workplace supervisor and fitness workplace in order to undertake the log book assessment which involves a series of practical based workplace tasks which also require the submission of video and written documentation evidence. In addition, the successful completion of a client orientated case study assessment is required which involves both theoretical and practical based work is required to successful conclude this distance education course.

First Aid (HLTAID003) is also part of this qualification and will be required to be completed externally and submitted as evidence through a student’s online submission area. This is not organised or offered by the college.

Practical Based Tasks

You will undertake practical based learning from the start to the end of your fitness course which may involves the submission of log books, videos and client documentation as evidence of completion.

By the end of this flexible distance based course, you will have learnt and developed the skills to undertake effective personal training and client centred service.

Training Locations

Your training will occur both within your own access to fitness facilities and within your arranged workplace during practical placement. From start to finish you will undertake client orientated practical based projects which will require access to suitable environments as specified in the assessment.

Student Support

We understand that studying can be challenging at times and therefore our primary learning support comes from Student Services or the training and assessment team.

Student Advisors offer support throughout a learner’s studies and can help with the following information:

Support services

• LLN services (in collaboration with the Training and Assessment team)
• Legal services
• Emergency and health services
• Facilities and resources
• Complaints and appeals processes
• Deferments

Additional sources of student services information available includes:

• Student Services Booklet
• ALG Student Handbook 
• Online Student Centres – found on our websites
• Plus a variety of individual factsheets, flyers or electronic messages

All students are required to secure a suitable workplace with access to a range of equipment and resources and clients whether that be simulated or real members/clients.

The duration of this work placement is firstly expected to be a minimum of 30 hours for training and learning. After this, the work placement task then requires approximately 40 hours to complete the assessment tasks in the provided logbook i.e. writing up reports, gathering evidence in portfolio, recording videos. Students should note some of these assessment task hours will also need the student to be on site in the suitable workplace to complete.

Prospective students should refer to the following information – Download Workplacement Requirements –  and discuss the detailed requirements with their nominated work placement supervisor prior to enrolment to ensure the venue is suitable and can provide access to the required range of equipment and resources and clients. If you have any questions please contact us. 

In addition, practical based module tasks throughout the course may require filming specific and/ or access to ‘simulated’ clients, therefore it is essential students are able to film tasks as specified and have access to real or simulated clients throughout the course.

To maximise the chance of a student successfully completing their training, ALG attempts to identify any support individual learners need prior to their enrollment or commencement. Some of the ways to identify learning needs is to ask all prospective students to self-assess. So prior to enrolling please ensure i) you can meet all course requirements (listed in this course overview) ii) you nominate any learning needs they have prior to enrollment either by contacting us or on your application/enrolment forms. Please refer to Section A3 of the student handbook for details

This course is entirely flexible and self-paced to accommodate for the balance of other commitments such as work or study.