Your Fitness Career Doesn't Start at Certification: Shape Your Path with ISSA

The fitness industry is growing rapidly and shows no sign of stopping.

According to the Health and Fitness Association (formerly IHRSA), for the past ten years, the $87 billion health and fitness industry has been growing by 3-4% annually. 20% of Americans currently have a fitness club membership and in the next ten to 15 years, this percentage is forecasted to double.

Respectively, the demand for trainers and instructors is on the rise.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics cites that employment of fitness trainers and instructors is projected to grow 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 69,000 openings for fitness trainers and instructors are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

Given this, if you are considering a future in the industry, now is a great time to get certified. But with the scope of these opportunities and the ever-changing environment including the expansion of home workouts and online opportunities, it can be overwhelming to navigate the start of a new career.

ISSA’s deep roots in the industry, decades of experience in shepherding students through this process, and mission to bring healthy living to everybody in the world through education and community have led to the development of a robust Career Pathways Program and it’s why half a million trainers and fitness lovers have chosen ISSA.

Explore Career Pathways with ISSA

ISSA has partnered with over 100 leading gym brands in various settings across the country who are seeking professional, qualified, and outstanding Personal Trainers to hire onto their staff. The Career Pathways program connects students to these potential employers. ISSA also has numerous opportunities and resources for fitness professionals who wish to start their career in different environments; including working as an online coach or owning their own business.

ISSA Preferred Club Partners are eager to assist ISSA Personal Trainers in their fitness careers, providing thousands of students with incredible employment opportunities. And all individuals who take any course with ISSA are offered opportunities to connect with potential employers.

"My ISSA - CPT has definitely helped me sharpen my skills and refresh my knowledge base as a fitness professional to provide a better service to my clients,” said ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, Logan Toveyd. “Training clients virtually though FlexIt, an ISSA partner, has allowed me to reach more people across different parts of the country that I wouldn’t normally be able to impact with my in person training business."

Career Cultivation Begins Day One

 The most powerful thing about the ISSA Career Pathways Program is that it provides companies exposure to students from day one, not simply once the student graduates.

Upon registering for any course, individuals can opt into the Career Pathways program immediately, giving the student opportunities to connect with companies and even begin working prior to course completion.

“We’ve witnessed countless successes in which students get hired into entry positions during their certification process, giving them time to get acclimated, meet members, and become a familiar face before stepping into the Personal Trainer role,” said Johnny August, ISSA’s Director of Education and Recruitment Solutions. “For a new trainer, there is so much power behind building initial relationships with members and gaining their trust.”

Conversely, connecting with enthusiastic students during their education offers hiring companies the opportunity to secure these individuals early and get them ingrained in the club’s culture and processes before bringing them onto the PT team.

If a student opts into the program and determines they are not ready, he or she is free to opt out, and then come and go as needed throughout their learning journey. Or the student can wait to opt in until they are fully certified.

“The flexibility for students to opt in when they are ready to work is also a benefit to club operators,” said August. “They can rest assured that these individuals are eager to hit the ground running.” 

Making the Right Career Connections

 These days, there are many career paths a graduate can take, such as working in a gym or studio, managing an online coaching business, or even owning a franchise.

Recognizing this, ISSA allows students to declare which of these pathways they are interested in pursuing post-graduation, so they are connected to the right companies.

“Students choose their desired path and begin aligning with those specific opportunities at the start of their education,” said August. “And they can change this career path as they move along.”

It takes just a handful of minutes to get started in the Career Pathways Program. All students need to do is navigate to that tab in their student portal, answer a few questions, and designate their career pathway(s) of choice.

If you are interested in starting your career in fitness, reach out to a Career Consultant and let us help you build the best possible program to meet your goals.