woman lifting weights

SIS30321

Certificate III in Fitness.

The hands-on SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness provides you with the knowledge and skills to enjoy an active role as a Gym Instructor or Group Exercise Instructor in a fitness environment.

AIPT_Dec_EarlyBird_[DESKTOP]AIPT_Dec_EarlyBird_[MOBILE]

Qualify as a Fitness or Gym Instructor with a SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness.

Turn your passion for health and fitness into a career with a SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness. Completion of this course can land you a job that you will love as a Group Exercise Instructor and Gym Instructor.

When you enrol with AIPT, you’re signing up for a truly interactive and hands-on approach to learning. Throughout this course, you’ll acquire the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to help people achieve their fitness goals, including conducting fitness assessments and designing and delivering exercise programs.

When studying the SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness, you will qualify for specialisation as a Group Exercise Instructor and Gym Instructor:

  • Group Exercise Instructors design and deliver dynamic sessions, such as freestyle, pre-choreographed, or circuit-style classes, for clients of varying ages and fitness levels. They lead and demonstrate to groups with minimal individual interaction, often working in gyms, fitness centres, and community spaces.

  • Gym Instructors, on the other hand, focus on tailored client assessments, providing guidance on proper techniques and equipment use, and developing personalised fitness programs. They also manage facility supervision, address customer inquiries, and maintain a clean, safe workout environment.

This fitness course aims to make you a highly valuable addition to any gym’s staff by developing fitness and training fundamentals such as principles of anatomy and physiology. You will also learn the latest when it comes to nutrition, as well as motivational strategies that will allow you to help members succeed on their health and fitness journeys.

When you enrol with AIPT, you’ll enjoy flexible course delivery. Practical components are undertaken with real fitness professionals in real gyms, while the theory elements of the SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness can be completed online from the comfort of your home.

Course Outcomes.

The SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness will prepare you to work as a: 

Group Exercise Instructor teaching class

Group Exercise Instructor

Plan and deliver group exercise sessions and develop gym-based programs for groups of individuals where the level of personalised instruction and ongoing client monitoring is limited. Group Exercise Instructors often work in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, and leisure and community centres.

Gym Instructor training a client

Gym Instructor

Work as part of a team of fitness professionals in a gym providing advice on using gym equipment and writing exercise programs, while also contributing to daily operations.
  • Education: You will need to have completed year 10 or equivalent (i.e., a qualification at Certificate II level or higher, or 2 years of industry experience in a role that requires the use of written documentation and communication)
  • Minimum Age: You need to be at least 16 years of age. If you’re under 18, a parent or guardian will need to sign your enrolment form.
  • Residency Status: You need to be a permanent Australian resident or equivalent.
  • Working with Children Check: For the work placement portion of your course, you may need a current “Working with Children Check Clearance” issued by the relevant authority in your state/territory.

Course snapshot
Qualification

Certificate III in Fitness.

Delivery structure

Practical Elements:

  • Campus Club
  • With a 1-to-1 Flexible Mentor
  • With a Mentor of Your Choice

Theoretical Elements:

  • Are completed online
Duration

Up to 12 months

Study load
  • 23.5 hours of practical experience in a real gym   
  • 15 course units to complete   
  • Complete one course unit every 3 weeks to graduate in 12 months.  
Nationally Recognised Training Logo

Delivery Structure.

Studying the Certificate III in Fitness with AIPT is flexible and you can tailor it to suit your needs. The course is broken down into two parts:

strong arm icon

1. Practical.

The practical elements of your course can be undertaken in one of two ways:

Campus Club

Learn in a small group environment inside one of Australia’s leading gyms and be mentored by the best in the business.  

Two Faces Icon
Undertake 23.5 hours of face-to-face practical learning following a set timetable.  
Hand with dumbell
Learn inside a leading gym and be mentored by a real fitness professional.

Campuses near you

Loading

Lightbulb Idea

2. Theoretical.

Study the theoretical elements of this course anywhere and anytime through our online learning platform.

Components.

Award icon
15 course units to complete.
Computer icon
Complete one course unit every 3 weeks to graduate in 12 months.

Resources Required

For the online part of the course, you may need regular access to:

Computer: Laptop or desktop computer with working speakers or headphone points.
Internet:
High-speed internet such as Broadband or ADSL, T1/T2, fibre optic (Dial-up access is not recommended).
Windows:
Operating system – Windows 8 or above.
Mobile Phone with video capability
or Video Camera: Some assessments in your course will require you to take and submit videos of you undertaking tasks for assessment.
Office Equipment: Printer and scanner to print and upload some of your assessments.
Internet Browser:
Google Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Internet Explorer 11.
MAC:
Operating system - OS X 10.14 Mojave or later.
Software:
Flash, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Word (or Open Office which is free to download).

Partner logo bannerPartner logo banner

Units.

Achieve your qualification by completing the following units of competency:

Certificate III in Fitness

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to screen clients for participation in exercise programs and to provide general advice about programs and services suitable to clients. 

It requires the ability to utilise industry standard pre-exercise screening systems, questionnaires and guidelines to collect and evaluate health information, and to determine suitable levels of exercise intensity for clients. This includes determining risk factors and providing referrals to medical or allied health professionals for guidance. 

Screening may occur prior to clients beginning an exercise program, before changes to programs and when their health status changes. Outcomes are used by fitness instructors to plan client programs. Skills for planning are covered in complementary units. 

This unit applies to group fitness instructors, gym instructors and personal trainers. It can also apply to other fitness facility staff members who screen clients and provide service information prior to clients participating in exercise activities. They practise in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, leisure and community centres, client workplaces and homes, and outdoor locations, depending on their job role. 

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice. 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to assess current fitness capabilities of clients using information from industry standard pre-exercise screening as the starting point. It requires the ability to complete assessments using a range of activities and measurements and to document outcomes.

Assessment may occur prior to clients beginning an exercise program, before changes to programs and when their health status changes. Outcomes are used by fitness instructors to plan client programs. Skills for planning are covered in complementary units. 

This unit applies to gym instructors and personal trainers, who work unsupervised when interacting with clients using discretion and judgement to provide individually tailored client assessments. They practise in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, leisure and community centres, client workplaces and homes and outdoor locations, depending on their job role. 

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice. 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to provide general, and not individualised, information about healthy eating to fitness clients. Information is based on the main recommendations of the current Australian national dietary guidelines which aim to promote optimal health and wellbeing for generally healthy people.

The unit requires the ability to recognise situations that are beyond the scope of practice for fitness instructors, and to provide information about the types of medical and allied health professionals with expertise to advise on nutritional needs. 

This unit applies to group fitness and gym instructors who practise in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, and leisure and community centres. 

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice. 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to assess movement capacity in individual clients and provide advice on exercises to achieve optimal movement and safe and effective exercise technique. While this assessment may be completed as a separate dedicated activity, outcomes and recommended exercises may then be integrated into overall fitness programs for individual clients. 

 Assessment and advice are provided to clients who do not have unstable health conditions, pain or injury identified through pre-exercise screening and fitness assessment. The unit does not include assessment for the purposes of providing advice or treatment of injury or disease. In this case the fitness instructor refers clients to relevant medical or allied health professionals. 

This unit applies to personal trainers who work independently with clients using discretion and judgement to provide individually tailored client movement assessments. They practise in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, leisure and community centres, client workplaces, and homes and outdoor locations. 

 The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice. 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, knowledge and skills required to plan group exercise sessions designed for participation by mixed ability groups, or by groups that predominately comprise a particular profile, for example, older people. It requires the ability to account for the participation of individuals from specific population groups and of diverse abilities and allow for modifications that can be made during instruction. 

It covers skills for evaluating and improving sessions in response to participant and instructor feedback, noting that sessions might be delivered by self or others. Skills for instructing group exercise sessions are covered in a complementary unit. 

Exercise sessions are diverse in nature. They could combine or specifically concentrate on cardiovascular, resistance and flexibility exercises, and be delivered with or without music. 

This unit applies to group fitness instructors and personal trainers who use discretion and judgment when planning sessions to meet diverse participant needs. Instructors practise in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, leisure and community centres, client workplaces and other locations, depending on their role. 

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice. 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify customer needs, deliver and monitor customer service and identify improvements in the provision of customer service.  

The unit applies to those who apply a broad range of competencies in various work contexts. In this role, individuals often exercise discretion and judgement using appropriate knowledge of customer service. They provide technical advice and support to customers over short or long-term interactions.

This course offer includes the units BSBOPS304, HLTWHS001 and SISFFIT036 as part of the cluster GE01 Group Exercise. Students who complete this cluster and submit a copy of their statement of attainment for HLTAID011 Provide First Aid are eligible to receive the skill set SISSS00128 Group Exercise Leader. This skill set is targeted toward group exercise leaders who lead predesigned group exercise sessions in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, and leisure and community centres.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required for workers to participate in safe work practices to ensure their own health and safety, and that of others. 

The unit applies to all workers who require knowledge of workplace health and safety (WHS) to carry out their own work, either under direct supervision or with some individual responsibility. 

This course offer includes the units BSBOPS304, HLTWHS001 and SISFFIT036 as part of the cluster GE01 Group Exercise. Students who complete this cluster and submit a copy of their statement of attainment for HLTAID011 Provide First Aid are eligible to receive the skill set SISSS00128 Group Exercise Leader. This skill set is targeted toward group exercise leaders who lead predesigned group exercise sessions in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, and leisure and community centres.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to prepare for and deliver land-based group exercise sessions according to predesigned session plans which may have been developed by self or others. 

It requires the ability to use exercise instructional techniques, and cater for different participant needs, in a mixed ability group situation within the confines of session guidelines. 

Skills for planning group exercise sessions are covered in a complementary unit. 

Exercise sessions are diverse in nature. They could combine or specifically concentrate on cardiovascular, resistance and flexibility exercises, and be delivered with or without music. 

This unit applies to group fitness instructors who work unsupervised when instructing groups, using discretion and judgement to solve routine problems and are guided by policies and procedures. It also applies to personal trainers working independently with groups. Instructors practise in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, leisure and community centres, client workplaces and other locations, depending on their role. 

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice. 

This course offer includes the units BSBOPS304, HLTWHS001 and SISFFIT036 as part of the cluster GE01 Group Exercise. Students who complete this cluster and submit a copy of their statement of attainment for HLTAID011 Provide First Aid are eligible to receive the skill set SISSS00128 Group Exercise Leader. This skill set is targeted toward group exercise leaders who lead predesigned group exercise sessions in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, and leisure and community centres.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide a First Aid response to a casualty in line with First Aid guidelines determined by the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) and other Australian national peak clinical bodies. 

The unit applies to all persons who may be required to provide a First Aid response in a range of situations, including community and workplace settings. 

Specific licensing/regulatory requirements relating to this competency, including requirements for refresher training should be obtained from the relevant national/state/territory Work Health and Safety Regulatory Authorities. 

*This course contains the unit HLTAID011 Provide First Aid which must be completed through an external RTO. AIPT has an agreement in place with Red Cross Australia (RTOID 3605) which allows students to receive training for this unit at a reduced price or you may source your own training provider. Please note that the cost of this external training is not included in your course fee. Upon completion, you will need to submit a copy of your First Aid certificate for us to process a Credit Transfer against this unit of competency on your student record.

This course offer includes the units BSBOPS304, HLTWHS001 and SISFFIT036 as part of the cluster GE01 Group Exercise. Students who complete this cluster and submit a copy of their statement of attainment for HLTAID011 Provide First Aid are eligible to receive the skill set SISSS00128 Group Exercise Leader. This skill set is targeted toward group exercise leaders who lead predesigned group exercise sessions in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, and leisure and community centres.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop tailored gym-based exercise programs for individuals where the level of personalised instruction, ongoing client monitoring and program evaluation is limited. Clients are provided with initial instruction and then largely self-manage their own exercise sessions at the gym, according to the program, without ongoing one-to-one instruction. 

It requires the ability to integrate information from pre-exercise screenings, fitness assessments, and any medical guidance that may have been received for particular clients, to design suitable programs. 

This unit applies to gym instructors and gym-based personal trainers who work unsupervised when interacting with clients using discretion and judgement and are guided by policies and procedures. They practise in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, and leisure and community centres. 

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice. 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to identify the role of anatomy and physiology knowledge in fitness instruction, and to use that knowledge to develop and instruct safe and effective exercise activities. 

Knowledge of anatomy and physiology underpins effective performance in a range of work functions for fitness instruction. This unit has direct links to, and supports, a range of units for planning and instructing group and personalised exercise programs. 

This unit applies to group fitness instructors, gym instructors and personal trainers. They practise in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, leisure and community centres, client workplaces and homes and outdoor locations, depending on their role. 

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice. 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work respectfully with people from diverse social and cultural groups and situations, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. 

This unit applies to all workers. 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to maintain facilities within a sport, fitness and recreation context. 

This unit applies to activity or administration assistants who work under direct supervision in a range of roles and settings in the sport, fitness and recreation industry. This includes providing support in the provision of grounds and facilities maintenance; routine housekeeping; or administrative assistance in locations such as fitness centres, aquatic centres, or outdoor sporting grounds or complexes. Work is performed according to relevant legislation and organisation policies and procedures.

No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to undertake work activities in compliance with organisational procedures that prevent and control infection. It involves implementing standard and transmission-based precautions, identifying infection hazards, and assessing and responding to infection risks. 

The unit applies to all workers required to undertake their activities in compliance with the infection prevention and control procedures in place in their workplace. 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to organise personal work schedules, to monitor and obtain feedback on work performance and to maintain required levels of competence. 

The unit applies to individuals who exercise discretion and judgement and apply a broad range of competencies in various work contexts. 

Cost & payment.

You can pay for your course upfront via VISA/MasterCard or a bank deposit. Alternatively, we offer instalment plans that can be paid over several weeks or fortnights.

Your course fee includes

Graduation Hat icon

Delivery and assessment of your qualification

Book icon

Study materials (including all resources)

Speech Bubbles

Ongoing support from our Education Team

We offer two payment methods

Piggybank icon

Full fee upfront

Payment icon

Instalment plans

For more information about the course costs, please call us on 1300 616 180.

Why choose AIPT?

AIPT Australia Wide

100+ campus locations

We're all around Australia, with locations near you.

Icon with a open hand and coin

Flexible payment options

A range of payment options to suit your lifestyle.

Icon of two people standing together

Learn from real fitness professionals, in real gyms

Designed to give you a practical experience in a real gym environment.

Our mission

Largest network of industry partnerships

The largest network of employers, fitness professionals and fitness business owners.

“

They have an excellent range of courses on offer, as well as superb customer service that made me feel welcomed and supported throughout my studies.

“

I spoke with Tamara, who was wonderful. She gave me all the information about the course and kept in touch right throughout the enrolment process.

“

Studying my theory online and at my pace allowed me to continue working full-time. The face-to-face component was amazing, working with an experienced instructor.

“

AIPT supported me from the moment I joined. Even through COVID times, they carried on and were always there for me if I needed anything.

“

Studying with AIPT allowed me to study while working 5 days a week and at university. It allowed flexibility while ensuring I received the best education possible .

careers-in-fitness-desktopcareers-in-fitness-mobile

You may also be interested in.

SIS40221

Certificate IV in Fitness.

Become qualified as a Personal Trainer with a Certificate IV in Fitness and equip yourself with the skills to start your own personal training business.

SIS40221 Certificate IV in Fitness + Entry Requirements

Fast-Track Personal Training Course.

Become a qualified Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor with this all-in-one fast-tracked personal training course.

SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness + SIS40221 Certificate IV in Fitness

Complete Personal Training Course.

Our Complete Personal Training Course Package offers a Certificate III and IV in Fitness, enabling you to work as a qualified Personal Trainer.