How to become a health trainer

A health trainer supports people to improve their health by agreeing action plans with them and helping them change habits such as smoking, drinking or diet. You do not need a degree. The National Careers Service lists four routes in (a college course, an apprenticeship, volunteering, or applying directly) and gives typical pay of £24,000 for a starter to £30,000 with experience, over 37 to 40 hours a week that can include evenings and weekends.

What health trainers do

Health trainers work with people who have been referred and with people who come forward themselves. The National Careers Service lists the tasks: talking with clients about their situation and needs, agreeing action plans, supporting and motivating them to change harmful habits, explaining the benefits of healthier food and lifestyle choices, and introducing them to relevant local services. You work with individuals and also run group sessions, record activity levels and progress, and keep close links with community organisations.

You work in the community or in an office. The same page warns that the environment may be emotionally demanding.

Routes in

Direct application

You can apply directly if you understand community health and wellbeing issues, communicate well in English (and, for some jobs, in a second community language), and have 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 including maths and English. Qualifications or experience as a personal trainer, fitness instructor or dietitian can help.

College and apprenticeships

Relevant college courses include improving the public’s health, nutrition for health and personal training. Entry requirements vary by course. Apprenticeships with organisations offering health support services, such as the NHS, include the Community Sport and Health Officer Level 3 and the Community Health and Wellbeing Worker Level 3. For an advanced apprenticeship you will usually need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 including English and maths. With experience you may move on to a Public Health Practitioner Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship. Our guide to NHS apprenticeships explains how to find and apply for them.

Related work and volunteering

You can work in a related role such as pharmacy assistant, fitness trainer or community support adviser and complete health and wellbeing qualifications while you work. Volunteering in the NHS is another way to build experience, and the National Careers Service also points to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do it. Our guide to volunteering for experience covers how to use it in an application.

What employers look for

The National Careers Service says it helps to know the risk factors for health and wellbeing: smoking, drug or alcohol consumption, diet, lack of exercise and social isolation. You would also be expected to understand how the NHS values apply in your work. If you apply for an NHS post, our guide to NHS values-based interviews shows what to prepare. The skills the page lists include active listening, creating personalised support plans and charting progress, admin skills and using your initiative.

Where it leads

With experience you could become a team supervisor or senior health improvement specialist. Related jobs include health promotion specialist, social prescribing link worker and community development worker. Some people work self-employed as a health and wellbeing consultant.

Pay

The £24,000 to £30,000 range is typical pay from the National Careers Service, and the employer sets the actual salary. If the post is in the NHS, the advert shows the Agenda for Change band. Use the take-home pay calculator to see what a salary leaves after tax.