Efforts to revolutionise physical activity sector apprenticeships have taken a solid step forward after the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills approved the frameworks for two new apprenticeships under the Trailblazer initiative.

The government-backed Trailblazer programme aims to place responsibility for defining apprenticeship standards in the hands of employers, enabling the industry to streamline training pathways and proactively address skills shortages.

The first two apprenticeships standards to have been approved are those for personal trainer and leisure duty manager. CIMSPA co-ordinated and funded the application process for the standards with support from ukactive. CIMSPA will now manage the development of assessment plans for both standards, readying them for delivery.

“I’m very pleased that the hard work of the employers who took part in this process has paid off with the news that government has approved our apprenticeship standards,” said Richard Millard, partnerships director at Places for People Leisure and chair of the physical activity Trailblazer.

“The continued success of the physical activity Trailblazer process brings us closer to achieving the goal of delivering a future-fit, skilled workforce ready to give both private and public sector employers the high quality staff they need, and to take on the challenges of the wider preventative health agenda.”

CIMSPA CEO Tara Dillon added that she hopes the organisation can maintain the momentum from this boost to deliver the finished standards and “ensure the sector maximises its apprenticeships funding potential.”

CIMSPA and the physical activity Trailblazer group – which includes employers DLL, Everyone Active, GLL, Carlisle Leisure, Parkwood Leisure, Hilton, 1Life, 1610, Jubilee Hall Trust, ESPH, Fitness Express, Virgin Active, LA fitness and Nuffield Health – are also supporting the development of the community sport apprenticeship standard from sports charity StreetGames, which completed the first phase of its development in July.