For personal trainers, maintaining current certification(s) should always be a top priority. Depending on the conditions of their employment, it may even be required. While the re-certification process can appear complex and tedious, if trainers take a practical approach and plan ahead, they may find that opportunities to continue their education are quite accessible. They only need to make a personal commitment to get organized and get ahead of the game.
Be Aware of the Deadline
This simple and most important fact can, many times, be overlooked until it’s too late. If trainers are unsure of when they need to complete their re-certification requirements, they should contact their certifying body immediately, so they can create their game plan.
Know the Rules to Play the Game
Regardless of which certification trainer’s hold, there are sure to be specific activities, events or other tasks they’ll need to complete in order to demonstrate they’ve kept up-to-date with their knowledge, skills and abilities. These all translate to continuing education credits (CECs) or continuing education units (CEUs) they need to earn to maintain their certification. There may be a number of ways trainers can earn CEUs: attending conferences, authoring articles, completing a home study course or earning additional accredited certifications. Knowing how each activity is valued (in terms of CEUs) and what is required can help trainers determine what additional activities they need in order to meet all their requirements.
Trainers must be clear on what is expected of them and how they need to fulfill those requirements. For example, if they need clarification as to whether or not a speaking engagement they had or the certificate they earned qualifies, ask a representative from the organization they’re certified with sooner, rather than later. In the event it doesn’t, they will still have time to find another avenue to earn CEUs.
The Calendar Tells You More than the Deadline
Attending conferences, workshops and other live events can oftentimes be a very efficient way of earning CEUs. Trainers should check their certifying organization’s events calendar to see what opportunities are convenient for them. Attending live events tend to be worth it in CEUs, because of the opportunity they have to learn about new research and trends. Beyond simply earning the credits they need, the experience trainers get from networking and learning from their colleagues is most valuable.
Don’t Ignore the Low-hanging Fruit
But don’t rely on it either. A lot of organizations will recognize personal development activities like reading books and articles, taking quizzes or hosting community events related to health and fitness. While these activities may be easily accessible, there may be a limit to how much of this trainers can report. Trainers should be aware of what the limits are and have a plan for how they can meet the requirements in other areas.
Lastly, if trainers can, they should report early and often. Depending on the requirements, they should report what they earn when they complete the various activities. This way, they’re not hurried at the end of their reporting cycle, trying to remember what they did and when they did it. The worst-case scenario would be getting to the end and realizing they haven’t fulfilled all the requirements. Trainers work very hard to earn credentials; they should make sure they don’t procrastinate their way to losing them!
Melissa Archibald is the Marketing Project Manager at the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). She can be contacted at 800-815-6826, or by email at melissa.archibald@nsca.com.
