Members » Exercise Professional

Exercise Professional

Join AUSactive, the peak body for Australia's exercise and active health sector

Prove you have the right skills. Grow your career in the exercise and active health sector by becoming an AUSactive Exercise Professional and be included in the Australian Register of Exercise Professionals.

Who is an AUSactive Exercise Professional?

The core role of a AUSactive Registered Exercise Professional is to plan and deliver safe and effective exercise programs for individuals and/or groups. A member of the public may utilise exercise and active health services as a leisure or recreation activity, to complement sporting pursuits, as a means of community participation, or to help prevent or to improve health problems. AUSactive Registered Professionals play a significant role in enhancing the overall quality of life of individuals and communities, and are vital contributors to an individual’s healthcare continuum.

View the Scope of Practice for a Registered Exercise Professional.

Being a Registered Exercise Professional with AUSactive gives you:

Inclusion in the AUSactive Register of Professionals
Exclusive digital branding and credentials
Private Health Fund Provider status
Discounted rates for first aid & CPR training
The latest industry news and updates straight to your inbox
A free job seeker profile on the AUSactive Jobs Board

Choose from:

12 month membership – $155
24 month membership – $270
Monthly Direct Debit – $16 (Minimum 24 month term)

Registered Exercise Professional Requirements

To become an AUSactive Registered Exercise Professional you must have completed a relevant qualification and hold current nationally recognised first aid and CPR certification.

Registration Categories and Role Characteristics

The qualification requirements for entry into each Registration Category include:

Personal Trainer (PT)

An AUSactive Registered Personal Trainer has completed a vocational qualification or equivalent higher education requirements and/or qualification.

This may include:

Certificate IV (or Diploma) in Fitness
Exercise Science or Human Movement degree

Personal Trainers are qualified to:

Work independently and support or lead other registered exercise professionals
Practice within a fitness facility but also in a wide variety of other environments (including unpredictable settings such as outdoor locations, client homes, community spaces, workplaces)
Provide individually tailored client assessments, program development, instruction and demonstration, supervised exercise sessions and client reviews.
Maintain consistent monitoring and support for clients (including between sessions)
Deliver exercise programs designed for participation by a group of clients with a mix of ages/fitness levels
Manage both business and client needs, e.g. promoting and selling services, as well as delivering services

AUSactive Registered Professionals commit to providing excellent client care to fulfil their professional roles in line with the AUSactive’s Code of Ethical Conduct and AUSactive’s Scope of Practice.

Find current Personal Trainer Job opportunities here

Gym Instructor (GI)

An AUSactive Registered Gym Instructor has completed one of the following qualifications:

Certificate III in Fitness (SIS30321)
Certificate III in Fitness (SIS30315)
- Must include the following elective unit SISFFIT006 – Conduct fitness appraisals
Exercise Science or Human Movement degree

Gym Instructors are qualified to:

Work within predictable settings such as a fitness facility, recreation or community facilities
Provide individually tailored client assessments, program development, program demonstration and client reviews
Provide supervision of a facility or service (i.e. observing client use of facilities, providing technique correction as needed, keeping equipment clean/tidy/well-maintained, being available for customer inquiries or assistance)
Not always be directly supervised during work duties

Aqua Exercise Instructor (AEI)

Aqua Exercise Instructors can register with AUSactive in an independent registration category. Members that meet the registration requirements will have this registration category listed on the public register, AUSactive Register of Exercise Professionals. Like all other AUSactive registration categories, the registered Aqua Exercise Instructors will hold exclusive international portability with many other countries that are members of the International Confederation of Registered Exercise Professionals. The registration requirements include providing a transcript (record of results) of units of competencies completed, including all the following units of competency from Certificate III in Fitness (or equivalent):

HLTWHS001 – Participate in workplace health and safety.
SISCAQU002 – Perform basic water rescues
SISFFIT022 – Instruct aquatic sessions for specific population groups
SISFFIT008 – Instruct water-based fitness activities
SISFFIT004 – Incorporate anatomy and physiology principles into fitness programming
HLTAID009 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation
HLTAID011 – Provide first aid

Or from SISSS00127 – Aqua Exercise Instruction Skills set

HLTWHS001 – Participate in workplace health and safety
SISCAQU002 – Perform basic water rescues
SISFFIT039 – Instruct group water-based exercise sessions
SISFFIT038 – Plan group water-based exercise sessions
SISFFIT048 – Use anatomy and physiology knowledge to support safe and effective water-based exercise
HLTAID011 – Provide First Aid
HLTAID009 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation

If your Certificate III in Fitness qualification with aqua electives is from many years ago, please note you must also have completed a perform basic water rescue unit (or equivalent). For clarification on eligibility, please send your formal transcripts to AUSactive, and we'll provide you with guidance.

Group Exercise Instructor (GEI)

An AUSactive Registered Group Exercise Instructor has completed one of the following qualifications:

Certificate III in Fitness (SIS30321)
- Must include BOTH of the following elective units:
  - SISFFIT035 Plan group exercise sessions
  - SISFFIT036 Instruct group exercise sessions

Certificate III in Fitness (SIS30315)
- Must include BOTH of the following elective units:
  - SISFFIT007 – Instruct group exercise sessions
  - SISFFIT011 – Instruct approved community fitness programs

Group Exercise Instructors are qualified to:

Deliver exercise sessions designed for participation by a group of clients with a mix of ages/fitness levels (not tailored to individuals)

- Deliver exercise sessions that are freestyle, pre-choreographed or circuit style
- Instruct and demonstrate complete exercise sessions to groups with limited individual interaction
- Practice independently
- Conduct sessions that are part of an overall regular timetable of sessions, provided by the employer organisation
- Instruct sessions in predictable settings such as group exercise studios within fitness facilities

Group Exercise Leader (GEL)

An AUSactive Registered Group Exercise Leader has completed

A Group Exercise Leader (GEL) Certificate (Skill-set SISSS00128 or SISSS00113)

plus

A private certification in a pre-choreographed group exercise program that has been approved by AUSactive, such as Les Mills, Radical Fitness, Zumba, MYND Tribe Fitness or MOSSA.

Group Exercise Leaders are qualified to lead predesigned group exercise sessions in predictable settings.

Private Health Fund Requirements

To be eligible to provide Private Health Fund rebates you must upload a copy of your current insurance certificate of currency to your member dashboard.

If you are insured by your employer, your employers business insurance certificate of currency can be provided instead.

CPR & First Aid Requirements

To meet AUSactive's registration requirements, you must have completed Nationally Accredited First Aid and CPR certifications issued by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

Nationally Accredited First Aid

HLTAID011 – Provide First Aid

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide a first aid response to a casualty in line with first aid guidelines determined by the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) and other Australian national peak clinical bodies.

The unit applies to all persons who may be required to provide a first aid response in a range of situations, including community and workplace settings.

HLTAID011 (supersedes HLTAID003) is recognised as valid for three years from completion.

Nationally Accredited CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

HLTAID009 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in line with the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines.

This unit applies to all persons who may be required to provide CPR, in a range of situations, including community and workplace settings.

HLTAID009 (supersedes HLTAID001) is recognised as valid for one year from completion.

Understanding Registration Levels

Are you registering for the first time with qualifications greater than two years old?

In the event the most recent fitness qualification you have completed is greater than two years old from the date of requested registration, you will additionally require to have accumulated the equivalence of 20 CECs in the past two years.

International Recognition

Are you attempting to register with AUSactive with an overseas qualification?

Read here about our International Registration Pathways.