Fitness Trainer

The Fitness Trainer program at Clark is a 90-credit (2-year) program. Upon completion of the program requirements, students will earn an Associate in Applied Science degree. Personal Fitness Training is an emerging profession within the field of health occupations. Fitness Trainers have the opportunity to make a positive difference in people’s health and quality of life. Students will develop knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for working with clients who are interested in improving their health and fitness. Coursework will include both theory and practical application courses related to fitness training.

Is a career in Fitness Training right for you?
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, “People planning fitness careers should be outgoing, excellent communicators, good at motivating people, and sensitive to the needs of others. Excellent health and physical fitness are important due to the physical nature of the job. Those who wish to be personal trainers in a large commercial fitness center should have strong sales skills. All personal trainers should have the personality and motivation to attract and retain clients.”

Contact: Lisa Borho lborho@clark.edu

See Fitness Trainer in the Clark College catalog for available degrees and certificates and program goals.

How employers feel about our graduates:

"[Fitness trainer program graduate] is wonderful and we hope for many more graduates like her!" (Employer survey 2011)

"Passion, ability to communicate education to clients, clients love her enthusiasm & challenging workouts. Right after she was hired she jumped right in. Very knowledgeable." (Employer survey 2011)

How graduates feel about our program:

"I thought the scope of the program in general was very well designed. I felt like I learned the basics first and as the program progressed I began to put the pieces together and understand the how's and why's. As nervous as I was to take the NSCA-CPT test I felt like I was ready. I know I would not have been able to pass on my own had I not gone through the program." (Graduate survey 2011)

"I feel prepared to enter the workforce". (class of 2009)

I LOVED working with real people for the case studies and workouts as well as the HPE students. I was wondering if Fitness Training was right for me until I was able to work with real people. That convinced me." (class of 2008)

"I have a friend who is taking one of those online certs to become a personal trainer and he knows a lot about sport fitness but nothing else, no knowledge of special pops, dynabands, stability balls, functional fitness, stretching, warm-up/ cool-down, exercise physiology or anything of that sort. So, I am glad I did this program." (Class of 2008)