Learners - YMCA Awards

    • YMCA Learners

    Our regulated health, fitness and wellbeing qualifications are designed with industry experts and employers. Whether you are looking to take your first steps into the industry or are already an established fitness professional, we have a qualification to help you get ahead.

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    See our Qualifications

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    We have over 200 centres around the UK. Enter your postcode to find the nearest centre to you

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    YMCA Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing
    Through completion of this qualification, learners will meet industry requirements for awareness and/or implementation of safeguarding procedures for adults and adults at risk, as set out within CIMSPA’s professional standard.
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    YMCA Level 3 Diploma in Gym Instructing and Personal Training (Practitioner)
    By completing this qualification, learners will meet industry requirements to become a Personal Trainer, as set out within the CIMSPA professional standard with additional scope to work with outdoors with groups.
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    YMCA Level 3 Diploma in Teaching Pilates (Practitioner)
    By completing this qualification, learners will meet industry requirements to become a Group Exercise Instructor – in the context of Pilates – as set out within the CIMSPA Core Group Exercise Instructor professional standard.
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    YMCA Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training (Practitioner)
    Through completion of this qualification, learners will meet industry requirements for awareness and/or implementation of safeguarding procedures for adults and adults at risk, as set out within CIMSPA’s professional standard.
    View Course
    YMCA Level 3 Diploma in Performance Massage
    This qualification enables learners to perform massage at a fundamental level on nonpathological tissue, perhaps as an adjunct to a personal training or gym session.
    View Course

    Benefits of learning with YMCA Awards

    Gain innovative qualifications designed to promote high standards within the sectors we operate 

    Developed in partnership with employers, training providers and professionals in the sector 

    From a globally recognised charity that invests its income into improving the lives of others 

    We have a qualification to help you get ahead

    Our regulated health, fitness and wellbeing qualifications are designed with industry experts and employers. Whether you are looking to take your first steps into the industry or are established fitness professionals, we have a qualification to help you get ahead.

    CIMSPA

    CIMSPA, supported by Careermap UK, has created a new ‘Careers Guide for the Sport and Physical Activity Sector’, the first definitive set of career advice and guidance for the sector. The guide is designed to help everyone in sport and physical activity realise their potential by showing clear routes into and through the sector. 

    Find out more

    Gain world class qualifications

    As experts in education, health and wellbeing we’ve been developing UK-regulated and globally-recognised qualifications for 25 years.

    See our Qualifications

    Are you already a learner?

    If you’ve already completed a qualification with YMCA Awards, you can access an electronic copy of your certificate or order a hardcopy through our Digital Certificates platform.

    Log into Digital Certificates

    External assessments are assessments that are both set and marked by YMCA Awards

    All external assessments must be invigilated, which means someone will supervise the assessment to ensure you are following the rules. This can either be done face-to-face with an invigilator in the same room as you or remotely using eProctoring software.

    Find out more about external assessments.

    Don’t take our word for it. Trust our members.

    Cerys

    Lecturer – Coleg Gwent

    “At Coleg Gwent, we love the flexibility this qualification provides. We can adapt the units delivered to the needs of each unique cohort whilst remaining confident learners are gaining the skills required to be successful in the sector.

    Following the introduction of the YMCA Level 2 Diploma in Exercise and Fitness Instructing, we’ve found learners are more enthusiastic to progress, either seeking employment within the sector or enrolling on to level 3 qualifications at the college. In fact, every learner who has left after this qualification has secured a job as a result of the knowledge and skills developed through this qualification.”

    Suzanna

    Owner – SMART Qualifications

    We are proud to have YMCA Awards as the Awarding body for our qualifications. The support from the External Verifiers and customer service team is brilliant!

    Whenever you call the team, they don’t rush you, they always take the time to clarify and support, even if we make mistakes.

    We are proud to deliver YMCA Awards qualifications and utilise the provided resources, which as a centre ensures that we are providing our learners the best learning journey for their chosen path.”

    Laurie

    Owner – Laurie Nichols Fitness Training Centre

    I’ve always had a great experience with YMCA Awards, someone always comes back to me whenever I have a query. 

    Everything works well, even when I call up with a query the team are always helpful. Robust and good work ethic, no grumbles. The team are very knowledgeable and if they don’t know the answer straight away, they make it quite clear. They take it away and come back to you. It’s really nice and very rare. It’s one of the reasons why I stick with them. They’re very patient with me.

    Lee

    Owner – Platinum Training Institute

    “CS team are fantastic, they rock. Love being with YMCA Awards.”

    Karen

    Tutor/assessor – KR Fitness Education

    “The customer service team are doing a great job and emails are always responded to very quickly which is helpful with pressing matters – overall really happy and ‘keep up the good work’.

    Neil

    Founder – London Pilates Academy

    “The team at YMCA Awards are valued partners to our education centre and crucial to the delivery of an excellent learning experience for our students. In particular, we appreciate how they are always available at the end of the phone to offer guidance and support.”

    Lee

    Managing Director – Health and Fitness Education Ltd (HFE)

    “We have worked with YMCA Awards now for almost 20 years and we could not be happier with the level of service and support that we have received during this period. YMCA Awards have always been innovators and forward-thinking in-terms of the qualifications that they develop, ensuring that their product range keeps pace with what the industry needs. That said, it is their focus on matters of quality assurance and continuous improvement that for us, makes them clear winners in the sector. Why would we go anywhere else?”

    Dave

    Owner – Envisage

    “We have had the pleasure of working with the YMCA Awards for over 20 years now, and we can confidently attest to their exceptional customer service. Their team is always responsive, reliable, and ethical in their approach, making them a joy to work with. Their qualifications are diverse and regularly updated to ensure they remain relevant and effective.

    Our learners have consistently reported a positive experience with YMCA Awards, enjoying their qualifications and going on to find employment after completion. We attribute this success to the organisation’s dedication to providing high-quality qualifications that meet the needs of learners and employers alike. As a centre, we appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the development of courses and assessment practices, ensuring that our expertise and knowledge are incorporated into the qualifications.”