As part of its Urban Community Development (UCD) initiative for self-employment, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will give shape to a contingent of personal fitness trainers in the city.
The civic body will train 150 persons in the age group of 22 to 30 years as personal fitness trainers in the first phase of the initiative, which is expected to be taken up by the end of this month. According to officials, selected candidates will undergo training at GMR Group’s RAXA Academy.
“There is severe shortage of personal trainers who visit people at home and guide them in physical fitness. This is despite the fact that many are prepared to pay handsome fee for the service. That is why we have decided to carry out the initiative, which will go a long way in ensuring self-employment,” an official said.
Initially, two batches for men and one batch for women, with an intake of 50 members each, will be offered a 45-day training and 15 days of follow-up, before they are deputed to the North, Central and West zones. The civic body is considering setting up a call centre to cater for those who need the services of personal fitness trainers.
GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar, who conceived the training module, said the city faced shortage of trained fitness instructors. “I personally estimate that even 6,000 to 7,000 such trainers can find adequate work offer in the city. We will start with 150 persons and then scale up the training in phases,” he added. Apart from the customary training, the instructors will be given orientation in yoga, aerobics and warm-up exercises. Given the changing lifestyle, many are keen to engage fitness trainers who pay personal attention to them, besides helping them practise yoga and aerobics in the comfort of their homes.
An official notification seeking youngsters interested in undergoing training is expected to be issued next week. “Our sports wing has been entrusted with the task of screening applicants, and the UCD wing will coordinate. We are looking at sending the first batch for training by the third week of the month,” Mr. Somesh Kumar said.
