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Work opportunities abound for personal trainers locally and internationally. Plus, it can be a financially rewarding career with seasoned personal trainers earning around €50.00 per hour.
But before you can start prescribing exercise to the public, you need to earn your certification. There are many courses available in Dublin to help you become an accredited personal trainer, including intensive personal training courses from the National Training Centre – the country’s leading provider of health fitness programmes.
These programmes are designed to equip students with the competencies they need to become effective personal trainers. For one, these courses will teach you how to use exercise equipment safely and effectively as well as design an individualised workout plan for your clients based on their goals and needs.
Why are they called intensive personal training courses? It is because of the compressed schedule. The classes are held almost daily, with two classes per day, each lasting two and a half hours.
Depending on the training centre, these intensive programmes are delivered online or at a physical location. However, for renowned training centres like NTC, the programme is delivered via blended learning. In this approach, some theory is delivered online while the practical part, and backup for the theory, is done face-to-face.
When you search for personal training courses in Dublin or Cork, you will notice that, apart from intensive programmes, there are also part-time courses. You may be wondering what the differences are between these two programmes. Well, in terms of content, everything should be the same. The difference mainly lies in the class schedule and programme duration.
Part-time programmes run longer than intensive courses. For example, the duration of NTC’s Part-Time Personal Training course is 18 weeks, while its Intensive Programme is 9 weeks. Moreover, part-time courses hold classes only at night or on weekends, while intensive programme classes are scheduled almost every day.
Ultimately, the part-time programmes take longer because the class only meets once or twice a week.
If you’re wondering if you should enrol in an intensive programme, consider these two important questions:
An intensive course clearly demands more time and commitment, given the length of the classes and their frequency. Enrolling in this type of course is akin to being a full-time student.
On the other hand, with a part-time course, your schedule is more flexible, making it possible to work and study while completing your training. It also gives you more time to complete assignments outside of class sessions, which can be especially beneficial if your tutor has strict deadlines for submissions.
Basically, if you are not juggling many responsibilities or tasks at the moment, you may want to consider enrolling in an intensive course.
With an intensive programme, you can earn your certification in 9 weeks or 2.5 months. Meanwhile, in a part-time course, you become a qualified personal trainer in 18 weeks or 4.5 months.
So, if you are in a rush to begin your career in this field, then an intensive course is the best choice.
As mentioned earlier, there are several intensive personal trainer programmes in Dublin. As such, you would have to determine which one is worth your time and money. Below are some of the things you should look at when choosing a course:
Pick an accredited or recognised course by trusted regulatory organisations like REPS Ireland. The accreditation or recognition guarantees that the programme adheres to industry standards. Hence, when you complete the course, you have the knowledge and skills needed to work as a personal trainer.
When looking for a personal training course, it is essential to ensure that the course will suit your learning style. Many people learn better when they are doing rather than listening or watching.
An excellent intensive personal training course should include lots of hands-on experience. This way, you can get plenty of practice in dealing with real clients during the practical part of the course.
Many courses charge additional fees on top of their tuition fee, which can add up quite quickly if you are not careful. Make sure you ask what all these extra costs are before signing up because they may include things like uniforms and textbooks/workbooks which could be pricey if purchased separately outside of your training contract.
What career opportunities await you after finishing the course? Do graduates of the programme easily land jobs?
Truth be told, certain courses like NTC’s Personal Training programme have sought-after graduates. This is primarily because employers know that the course produces competent personal trainers. Hence, their graduates get offers from top gyms and health clubs in Ireland.
Are you looking for an intensive personal training course in Dublin? Visit our website learn more about sought after Personal Trainer course that’s accredited at EQF Level 4. Or click here to book a slot!
