Professional Accreditation
Australian Registered Exercise Professionals (AUSactive Registered Professionals) include Personal Trainers, Group Exercise Instructors/ Leaders and Gym Instructors who meet standards required to be registered with AUSactive on the official Australian Register of Exercise Professionals.
AUSactive Registered Professional Accreditation is a greater industry credential for AUSactive Registered Professionals that successfully achieve requirements within the Accreditation framework.
Why has AUSactive introduced Professional Accreditation?
As the peak body for the exercise and active health industry, AUSactive is committed to raising the bar and recognising best practice within the industry. As it stands, the fitness industry is one of the only remaining health related industries without any form of recognised accreditation for individuals. This will provide employers, clients and allied health professionals greater confidence with the accredited professional’s skill level, experience and knowledge.
AUSactive Professional Accreditation will provide exercise professionals with recognition of their abilities and will highlight the plethora of talent and skill we have within our sector.
What’s involved in the process?
To become accredited, an AUSactive Registered Professional will be required to undertake a number of tasks including additional online learning, engaging with a mentor and performing a number of self-reflective tasks. There will also be a required minimum time in industry prior to application.
What are the pillars that are covered in becoming accredited?
- Pillar 1 is Knowledge
- Pillar 2 is Delivery
- Pillar 3 is Experience
- Pillar 4 is Validation
How much will accreditation cost?
The AUSactive Registered Professional Accreditation process is free for all current AUSactive Registered Professionals.
How will this be assessed?
Competency will be assessed through a 360º approach which will include online assessment of knowledge, self-reflection, feedback from both clients and mentors and a minimum level of industry experience.
How long will this process take?
The length of time to complete the accreditation process will vary depending on an individual’s time, availability and previous experience. One of the key elements of the program will be a significant level of practical training/instructing experience including record keeping. This will be able to be completed retrospectively. There is also a minimum time in industry (post-qualification) attached to the process.
How was the program developed?
The program was developed with the assistance of a group of industry experts and through rigorous consultation with the wider industry. The program was also shaped through a detailed analysis of other accreditation programs in similar fields, including many programs in the allied health sector both here in Australia and around the world.
Which registration categories is the program currently available to?
The accreditation program is currently available to Personal Trainers, Gym Instructors and Group Exercise Instructors & Leaders. The program will expand to cover broader registration categories in the future.
What are the benefits of achieving accreditation?
Achieving Professional Accreditation will provide AUSactive Registered Professionals with a significant advantage. As the only recognised accreditation program in the industry, clients and employers will be provided with a unique level of confidence and security when engaging with Accredited Exercise Professionals. This level of confidence may also extend to allied health professionals for increased referrals and even insurance providers.
Who will be able to become accredited?
Accreditation will be initially designed for those who meet the requirements and are registered as a Personal Trainer, Gym Instructor and Group Fitness instructor/leader.
Will sole traders be able to become accredited?
Yes. AUSactive Registered Professional registration is included in the sole trader membership, meaning they will be able to become accredited AUSactive Registered Professionals once they meet all of the requirements.
How will this be promoted to consumers and employers?
Accredited AUSactive Registered Professionals will be able to use appropriate branding and be profiled accordingly on the public register. As AUSactive continues to communicate with our business members/employers and grow our general community database AUSactive Registered Professional Accreditation will continually be highlighted.
Will my previous education and CECs count towards this accreditation?
Your verified skills and knowledge completed through CEC programs will assist in the Accreditation process as it demonstrates continuous improvement in your professional development.
Is this the same as Business Accreditation?
AUSactive launched its successful Business Accreditation model in 2018. It is similar with respect to assessing professional standards and quality service, however AUSactive Registered Professional Accreditation is purely tailored to the individual exercise professional.
How many CECs will I obtain throughout the Professional Accreditation Process?
Completing the Professional Accreditation requirements may enable you to complete your CEC registration requirements for one or two years.
How can I find a mentor?
Though mentors can come in many forms, for the purposes of the AUSactive Professional Accreditation your mentor must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- A current AUSactive Accredited Professional and be registered in the same category as the applicant (e.g. personal trainer)
- A current Level 3 AUSactive Registered Exercise Professional who has completed the Mentor education module
- A current AUSactive Registered Exercise Professional with a post-graduate degree (masters or PhD in a related field) and completion of the Mentor education module
- A Registered / Accredited allied health professional in a related field (e.g. Accredited Exercise Physiologist)
What is the process?
There are six modules to complete within the Professional Accreditation process.
These are:
The ability for an AUSactive professional to continually self-evaluate and reflect throughout their career is a key element to long-term growth and success. An important part of the self-reflection process is identifying your room for improvement (RFIs). Although this can be uncomfortable, exploring these RFIs openly and honestly will allow AUSactive professionals to continually expand their knowledge and continue to grow as a professional.
While understanding your RFIs is an important trait, an AUSactive professional must also be well aware of their strengths as an instructor. This will assist in identifying a target market and will also support business/career growth.
Continually evaluating your performance can also help guide your professional development. As we know, continued education is a critical element of success in what is an ever-evolving industry; and the planning of this education will assist in identifying and targeting key areas for development. This approach will be critical in developing RFIs and maximising your growth potential.
Experience through time in the industry is a fundamental element of professional development. The more time a professional spends within an industry, the more exposure they will have to a wide variety of scenarios and experiences. Whilst many of these experiences will be positive, professionals will inevitably be faced with many challenging situations. The knowledge gained by working through these situations and reflecting on the outcomes cannot be obtained in a classroom setting.
Applicants for AUSactive's Professional Accreditation must have previously obtained at least two years of practical industry experience (post completion of qualification) before receiving Accreditation status. Note that an applicant may begin this Accreditation process prior to completing their full two years. However, the Accreditation process cannot be finalised until at least two years post qualification. This period was agreed on by a panel of industry experts to provide the AUSactive professional with enough time and opportunity to broaden their skillset in a real-life practical environment.
In addition to the two-year minimum period, applicants must also complete a minimum of 500 hours of practical instruction in the past two years. This not only provides confirmation of instructional experience but also highlights the applicant's ability to engage in best practice procedures.
The fitness industry continues to evolve at a rapid rate to support the various needs of clients. An essential requirement to provide best practice for a variety of clients is undertaking evidence-based ongoing education.
This section requires AUSactive professionals to complete a number of evidence-based learning sessions focused on the practical use of industry guidelines and standards. All sessions include advice from industry experts, practical case studies, tools and resources.
Note: CECs from the completion of each one of these sessions can be accumulated and attributed to your ongoing registration requirements.
Client satisfaction is arguably the most important element in building a successful business/career in health and fitness. Clients must always know that they are well supported and getting value for money with their training.
It is important for the professionals' continued development that they remain open-minded to receiving clear and honest feedback.
Finding a suitable mentor is a key element to spring-boarding the development of an AUSactive professional. Through their own experiences, a skilled mentor will understand the many challenges and difficulties faced by their protégé at all stages throughout their career. This includes a mentor's unique benefit of hindsight which can only be developed and shared through years of experience.
A skillful mentor will also have the ability to relate to the challenges of an AUSactive professional and deliver clear and concise feedback at the appropriate time. Further, strong mentor relationships also promote accountability for the mentee as they strive to improve their skills and meet the expectations and challenges of the mentor.
Though mentors can come in many forms, for the purposes of this accreditation your mentor must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Current AUSactive Accredited Professional and be registered in the same category as the applicant (e.g. personal trainer)
- Current Level 3 AUSactive Registered Exercise Professional and completion of the Mentor education module
- Current AUSactive Registered Exercise Professional with a post-graduate degree (masters or PhD in a related field) and completion of the Mentor education module
- Registered / Accredited allied health professional in a related field (e.g. Accredited Exercise Physiologist)
Once all other areas of the accreditation are completed a final self-reflection task is to be completed. This task will encourage you to explore both your strengths and areas for improvement by reflecting on some of the key learnings from accreditation.
Continually evaluating your performance can also help guide your professional development. As we know, continued education is a critical element of success in what is an ever-evolving industry; and the planning of this education will assist in identifying and targeting key areas for development.
