Throughout the last year, we have been committed to delivering high quality, accessible training despite lockdown restrictions. We have kept the student experience at the heart of everything we do, adapting our training to make sure you continue to learn and develop. Now, as lockdown restrictions lift across the UK (with some precautions still in place in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland), we have been welcoming students back to our essential in-person workshops and assessments. While most are excited to get back into face-to-face training, we understand that some will have concerns about how we keep our students safe coming out of lockdown.
Read on to learn about the measures we continue to put in place to keep you learning safely.
This blog includes an overview of what we have put in place for your learning now and after lockdown measures are lifted, including:
- Staff training in health and safety
- Venue safety measures
- Online learning
- Why is a practical learning experience still necessary?
Staff Training in Health and Safety
Our tutors are committed to helping our students have the best training experience possible. This includes keeping your training safe and in line with COVID 19 restrictions to social distancing and hygiene. Despite mask wearing and social distancing no longer required by law in England we want to reassure you that we continue to ensure safe practices for our students in these venues.
All our tutors have completed their ReActivate training in delivering COVID-19-safe sessions. The training undergone by our tutors includes:
- Risk management
- Social distancing
- Cleaning and using equipment
- COVID-19 specific procedures
- First aid
We recommend that you participate in the ReActivate programme so you too can deliver COVID-19-safe training for your future clients.
Venue Safety
We want to make sure our students are confident that the venues they are undertaking training and assessments are optimised for safety.
We make sure the facilities are adhering to the current government guidelines in the different areas across the UK and are observing the following precautions:
- Completing a COVID-19 risk assessment
- Cleaning often and thoroughly – venues must make sure that staff and customers use hand sanitiser and thoroughly clean equipment after use
- Increased ventilation – keeping doors and windows open where possible
- Turn people away with COVID-19 symptoms – the venue reserves the right to turn away people exhibiting symptoms such as a persistent cough or fever.
We will be watching for government updates on social distancing restrictions within gym facilities and adjusting accordingly. As always, these guidelines are subject to change.
For more information about government venue guidelines, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-…
Online Learning
We appreciate that for some, the lift to social distancing and lockdown restrictions will be a relief. However, for those who are still shielding or anxious about returning to “normal” in-person learning, having the option to continue with some online elements will be the best option. We have continued to ensure that your learning has been disrupted as little as possible by using our state-of-the-art e-learning systems, which we will continue with despite the lift to restrictions.
To make continuing with your training more manageable, we:
- Moved certain theory elements to our state-of-the-art e-learning platform
- Provided scheduled virtual workshops with our tutors for online training
- Provided pre-recorded sessions for you to access whenever you’re able if you cannot attend a virtual workshop
- Made it possible for you to complete the level 2 and 3 Anatomy and Physiology exams remotely rather than sitting them in a live exam environment
This is ideal for home study and fitting around existing commitments, allowing you to make valuable progress in your course.
Why is a Practical Learning Experience Still Necessary?
If you are a Future Fit student, you will already know that having a practical element to your training is the best way to prepare yourself for a career in the fitness industry.
We pride ourselves on our blended learning courses and our consistent high praise from the industry and our past students. Especially during a pandemic, having personal support and face-to-face training is the best way to prepare our graduates for leading sessions of their own, adhering to COVID-19 regulations.
Only by working with real people in professional environments can you:
- Learn from industry experts – how they continue to deliver COVID safe personal training
- Put your skills to the test – dealing with the challenges of operating in a fitness environment in real life
- Hit the ground running once you’ve qualified – confident in performing tasks in a COVID safe way in practice
“[blended learning] makes studying a qualification accessible for all types of learners…. Mainly the theoretical elements of courses are taught online. Then students can put theory into practice during the practical sessions where they will have the opportunity to learn from an experienced professional. Blended learning prepares people to become occupationally competent in a real work setting.” Graeme Butler Technical Specialist Future Fit Training
To find out more about the differences between online and blended learning and how blended learning optimises your training potential to be ready to confidently begin working once you qualify, check out our blended learning guide!
To Conclude
We are excited to have our students back into face-to-face training and complete their qualifications. We know how important it is to gain the practical skills necessary for the fitness industry. We look forward to continuing your training.
For more detail about how we’re keeping you safe during in-person training, feel free to call our dedicated student support team on 01329 823400.