‘I want to work in the fitness sector. What’s the best course to do?’

It makes sense to invest extra time for professional quality training.

I’d like to study a course that will get me work in the health and fitness sector which is recognised by the industry. I’m based in Delhi and see lots of courses offered by private schools for teaching yoga and Pilates. Can you help?

Firstly, you’re right to consider whether your qualification will open the right doors when it comes to looking for work. The temptation to “fast-track” training may seem appealing in the short term, but could just as quickly lead to a career dead-end.

The good news is the leisure and fitness industry continues to experience rapid growth and there are lots of opportunities.

If you’re clear about your career choice, then it makes sense to invest extra time for professional quality training. Fitness shouldn’t be rushed, and neither should good fitness training.

There are a number of courses that broadly fit your area of interest. As you are interested in yoga and Pilates as part of your training, the top training institutes have a broad network of connections with employers looking to hire quality graduates. The longer courses in yoga teaching also includes wellbeing and holistic studies, as well as Pilates teaching including somatic studies.

There are several quality training providers that offer sports, leisure and fitness programmes. They also offer range of recognised certification, including strength and conditioning, personal training, gym instruction and sports massage therapy. Some courses have work placements in a professional setting, which can prove very useful when it comes to securing a job following graduation.

A key question to ask of any training course is always, who is delivering it? The staff in further education colleges are highly trained instructors, with a record that is backed up by the employment success of their past pupils. Having dedicated practitioners, whose qualifications have been validated by the Teaching Council, is important, as not only does it ensure the quality of training you receive, it also means that they are in tune with industry best practice.