Health and Fitness industry qualifications may become streamlined after a two-year partnership between SkillsActive, awarding bodies and employers comes to a close, and they deliberate the benefit of using a nationally recognised qualification.

As there is not a set national curriculum for industry training, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) has developed a National Qualifications Framework for a recognised system of assessment.

SkillsActive trialled the scheme in collaboration with awarding bodies Active IQ, Central YMCA Qualifications, the Vocational Training Charitable Trust (VTCT) and employers Fitness First, David Lloyd Leisure and DC Leisure.

Each body used the same Advanced Fitness Instructing qualification (level-three gym, equivalent to an A-level) although they approached the trial in different ways to suit the employers’ in-house training preference. Central YMCA Qualifications worked directly with the employer, while Active IQ and VTCT brought in training providers Performance Training Solutions and Lifetime.

Once the project is rolled out the qualification aims to provide fitness professionals with awards at levels two and three, said Kerry Appleton, strategic manager for employer and provider recognition at QCA. Employers will have a clear understanding of what role, responsibilities both statutory and legal, knowledge and skills that can be expected based on an employees title and length of qualification.

“The idea of SkillsActive’s QCF Tests and Trials Project is to build bridges of confidence between employers and awarding bodies,” said John Thorpe, head of the technology standards unit at SkillsActive.

QCF will enable employers to understand the value of the credentials and awarding bodies to be flexible in the way they deliver on-demand assessment.

It will also become part of the Code of Practice for employer members of the Fitness Industry Association to ensure staff are registered with the Register of Exercise Professionals.

Matt Coulson, director of Performance Training Solutions, said: “The trial project enabled the working relationship between the employer, the training provider and the awarding body to be tested, as well as the service delivered to employees to ensure a fully accredited and quality course assessed by a training provider which meets the needs of the employer in the most cost effective way possible."

SkillsActive will be providing a report on the results late April 2008 and hopes to roll out the project this September.