Physical activity trailblazer apprenticeship standards approved

CIMSPA is pleased to confirm that the two Trailblazer apprenticeships standards it has been developing with sector employers have been approved by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

CIMSPA co-ordinated and funded the application process for the standards – personal trainer and leisure duty manager – with support from ukactive. CIMSPA will now manage the development of assessment plans for both standards, readying them for delivery.

Richard Millard, partnerships director, Places for People Leisure, who is the chair of the activity trailblazer, welcomed the announcement and said: “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. 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 both give private and public sector employers the high quality staff they need, and to take on the challenges of the wider preventative health agenda”.

Skills Minister Nick Boles also congratulated the chartered institute for its co-ordinating work and sector leadership: “Businesses are better placed than anyone to train the next generation of workers and will help us deliver 3 million high-quality apprenticeships by 2020. By designing apprenticeships, organisations like CIMSPA are ensuring that young talented people develop the skills needed to progress up the career ladder and help drive businesses forward.”

Commenting on the news, Tara Dillon, CIMSPA CEO said: “I’m delighted that CIMSPA has been able to support key sector employers in creating these standards. We’re keen to maintain this momentum, deliver the finished standards and ensure the sector maximises its apprenticeships funding potential”.

CIMSPA and the physical activity trailblazer group 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. Together, the three standards will provide a single family of standards for the sport, leisure and activity sector.

Links

• Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announcement, highlighting our personal trainer apprenticeships project as one of the 59 new standards helping to “drive up the quality of apprenticeships"
• Full list of new apprenticeships standards (see “Physical activity standards” section).
• Apprenticeship standard: personal trainer
• Apprenticeship standard: leisure duty manager

Employers taking part in the activity trailblazer

1610 Leisure Trust, 1Life, David Lloyd Leisure, ESPH, Everyone Active, Fitness Express, Fitness First, Greenwich Leisure Ltd, Hilton, Jubilee Hall Trust, LA Fitness, Nottingham City Council, Nuffield Health, Parkwood Leisure, Places for People Leisure, Virgin Active.