For the last year SkillsActive and REPs have been conducting the widest ever consultation the industry has seen on the skills of its instructors.

The process started with four employer events to ensure we fully understood the skills needed to make their businesses work. Using this information, key questions were sent to REPs members and carefully selected organisations such as governing bodies, training providers and awarding bodies. The results of these were presented to yet more consultation groups and finally to the SkillsActive's Technical Expert Group (TEG).

The education system of this country is regulated by Government via an organisation called OFQUAL (previously Qualifications and Curriculum Authority). OFQUAL regulates awarding bodies and accredits qualifications onto the Government's National Qualifications Framework (NQF) now changing to the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). OFQUAL is able to audit awarding bodies to ensure that they have the systems, procedures and expertise to guarantee parity and consistency across training providers delivering national qualifications. OFQUAL however have no specific expertise or knowledge of the various sectors i.e. the health and fitness sector.

Enter the 25 Sector Skills Councils - created to provide just that to each of their own specific sectors, including SkillsActive which is responsible for ensuring that the qualifications on the NQF meet the skills-needs of our industry, the Active Leisure Sector. One SkillsActive's roles is to, with industry help and consultation, create a set of National Occupational Standards which describe the knowledge, competence and skills needed in each of the job roles within the fitness industry. The TEG review and agree these standards and any key changes that present for ongoing review. The TEG decisions are presented to the Skills Active Fitness Employers (SAFE) group who make the final decisions.

So where are we now? The SAFE group has agreed a new REPs entry structure and the standards that support those roles are currently being re-written. Our aim is to have most of them in place by May 2009. Once complete the awarding bodies will create syllabuses which meet these standards and the training providers will start to develop their courses and materials accordingly.

This new REPs entry structure has involved listening to and debating the views of all parties involved and more discussion will take place as we move to the detailed work. Of course we won't please everyone but the outcome will be far more tailored to the industry than ever before and present improved clarity to allied industries like the medical profession as well as members of the public.