TAFE NSW Tamworth fitness graduate and Fit2Function Head Trainer/Director Adam Brook believes now is the ideal time to consider an exciting career in fitness as Australia and Tamworth continues to battle an obesity epidemic.

According to the Australian Government Institute of Health and Welfare 2019 report, nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of all Australian adults are overweight or obese. To make matters worse, Australian Health Policy Collaboration statistics reveal West Tamworth is officially the fattest place in the nation, with almost 80 per cent of all adults overweight and 48 per cent obese.

Mr Brook said a career change to the fitness industry gave his life real purpose in 2015, and with the Australian Government Jobs Outlook website predicting 21,000 new job openings across the country over the next five years, encouraged others to get involved.

“I studied fitness at TAFE NSW Tamworth because I needed change in my life. I was working a job in electrical that I was happy enough doing and could have done for the rest of my life, but I knew I needed more,” he said.

“I was at a local gym one day with a mate and saw a personal trainer working with a client. I watched him and thought to myself that’s exactly what I want to do.

“That’s when I knew studying at TAFE NSW was a no brainer. TAFE NSW helped me become as knowledgeable as possible to help make a positive impact on clients, and was a key factor in me gaining a position I love at Fit2Function.”

TAFE NSW Fitness Teacher, Eli Latsinos, added, “Adam was a highly motivated student, is passionate about fitness and his positive, can-do attitude has helped him become very successful at Fit2Function.

“Fitness is a career unlike many others. Some of the benefits include flexible working conditions, you get to meet lots of new people, you get a lot of satisfaction from helping people succeed, you get paid to work out and most importantly – it’s fun.”

Mr Latsinos said the first step to a career in fitness was obtaining at least a Certificate III in Fitness qualification, which teaches you how to instruct and support people of all ages, practice different forms of exercise, learn about human anatomy in relation to fitness, First Aid and how to ensure the safety of clients.

“TAFE NSW Tamworth has just obtained a range of new equipment including free weights and machines, as well as cardiovascular equipment and modern/contemporary pieces of equipment. It is exciting for us to be able to improve the learning experience of our students,” Mr Latsinos said.

For more information about the range of fitness courses available at TAFE NSW for enrolment in Semester 2, visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601.

Media contact: Luke Schuyler, TAFE NSW Media and Communications Business Partner, 0439 536 563.