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/ How to Become a Personal Trainer - Career Salaries, Job Stats & Education
According to a study by Deakin University, 45.1 per cent of men and 30.2 per cent of women are overweight. A further 20.2 per cent of men and 28.6 per cent of women are obese. The positive news for potential trainers from this is that the fitness and personal training industries are booming, and the industry is riding a wave of popularity.
The fitness and natural therapies industries continue to grow in Australia, with greater numbers of people turning to various methods of keeping their bodies healthy.
| Job Outlook | Average Salary | Work Hours | Age Groups |
| Education Level | Skills Trends | Courses | Interview with a Pro |
The graph shows historical and projected (to 2019) employment levels (thousands) for this occupation.
Source: *Job Outlook Government website. ABS Labour Force Survey, DEEWR trend data to November 2012 and DEEWR projections to 2019. Estimates have been rounded.
Over the five years to November 2019, the number of job openings for Fitness Instructors is expected to be average (between 10,001 and 25,000). Job openings can arise from employment growth and people leaving the occupation.
Employment for Fitness Instructors/Personal Trainers to 2018-19 is expected to grow very strongly. Employment in this large occupation (27 600 in November 2014) rose moderately in the past five years and rose very strongly in the long-term (ten years), according to the Job Outlook website.
Source: *Job Outlook Government website. ABS EEBTUM survey August 2014 cat. no. 6310.0. Estimates have been rounded and consequently some discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.
Note: These figures are indicative and cannot be used to determine a particular wage rate.
Payscale.com lists the wage for a Personal Trainer / Fitness Instructor (with five years’ experience and working in Sydney) as being between an average of $57 500 to a maximum salary of $87 000.
There were around 513,700 persons employed directly in tourism in 2010–11. Being a labour-intensive industry, tourism’s share of jobs in Australia (4.5%) was greater than its direct economic contribution (2.5%). *Australian Government Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism,September 2012 Findings.
The graph shows the average weekly hours (by gender and full-time and part-time) worked for this occupation, compared with all occupations.
Source: *Job Outlook Government website. ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2014.
As expected, the Fitness industry has a strong appeal amongst young people between 20 and 44 years of age, making it a vibrant and dynamic work environment.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2014.
According to a new Hudson survey of salaries, the employment market is broadly positive for accounting and finance professionals, with salaries rising. Some 53 per cent of employees were awarded salary increases last year (2012), with more than 17.5 per cent receiving increases greater than 10 per cent, the Accounting & Finance Salary and Employment Insights 2012 report found. It surveyed 1281 employers and 928 employees in Australia and New Zealand.
Source: *Job Outlook Government website. ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2014.
Fitness Instructors have a relatively low proportion of full-time jobs (32.1 per cent). For Fitness Instructors working full-time, average weekly hours are 42.6 (compared to 40.9 for all occupations) and earnings are low - in the first decile. Unemployment for Fitness Instructors is below average.
In October the Australian Bureau of Statistics released the Australian Health Survey which found that obesity rates in Australian adults are on the rise, with 63 per cent now classed as overweight or obese. The Australian Health Survey weighed, measured, interviewed and took biomedical samples of about 50,000 people and found that obesity rates in Australian adults are rising, with 63 per cent of people now classed as overweight or obese.
Researchers also found 67 per cent of Australians perform little to no exercise and only 5.6 per cent of Australian adults had an adequate daily intake of fruit and vegetables.
Tina Rutzou
Master Personal Trainer/Director at Beachside Personal Fitness
My role as a personal trainer is to motivate and encourage people to be the very best person they can be by making exercise part of their daily plan. I design fitness programs to suit the individual, plan their weekly exercise regime, endeavour to keep them on track and discuss their food intake and how that can change for the better.
What does a PT/Fitness Instructor do on a day to day basis?
My week in a nutshell looks like this: On Monday, I train a group for a ninety minute kayak session then exercises on the beach, including a PT session running up to the lighthouse, then a weights circuit. Tuesday I train a group in my gym for a cardio/weights session then a PT session on the sand dunes. Wednesday I do two personal training sessions around our local beach and parks. On Thursday I train a group of girls for an ocean pool/beach workout, and on Friday, it’s a PT session at a local beach followed by a “walk for lunch” group, which is three hours of walking and a social lunch at a café.
What are the best parts of the job?
All of the above! No, really, I love to see people’s lives change for the better. To see a person’s self esteem rise and how they feel better about themselves, happier, more energetic and sleep better. I also love that I get paid to do all the things I love in life. Kayaking, swimming, trail running, gym circuits – I love it all!
What skills/attributes do potential PT/Fitness Instructors need to have?
Aside from the obvious exercise and physiology skills, we really have to be very positive, energetic, have a sympathetic ear and be a great listener. A bit like a hairdresser, people will pour their hearts out to you. You have to listen, take it on board, give them a good workout to make them feel better and then sometimes, you have to forget what they told you!
What’re your favourite things about working as a PT/Fitness Instructor?
I love to see happy, energised people doing things they never thought they could do. Inspiring them to enter a charity event is my speciality – the sense of achievement I witness from some of my clients is awesome!
I work outside in the fresh air which enables me to live a happy, healthy life. I can also set up my day around my gorgeous kids and their school activities – best of both worlds. I hope to be doing this for many years to come.
Thanks, Tina, for sharing your story with Open Colleges.
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