How To Become A Personal Trainer At DW Fitness

With DW Fitness, you can become a personal trainer and start an exciting career. This article will break down the steps required to achieve this and tell you exactly how to make it possible.

But first, if you’re looking to break your way into the industry, our Personal Trainer Diploma is just what you need to do this! Find out more by downloading our course prospectus or enter your details below.

Learn More About DW Fitness Before You Become A PT There

DW Fitness was a retail and fitness business with over 70 gym branches across the UK. However, in 2020 it was announced that DW Fitness had entered administration, and was shutting down. 

A large number of its locations were purchased by Frasers Group, who turned them into Everlast Fitness Clubs and Sports Direct branches. Other fitness chains such as JD Gyms also took over locations. 

For example, this previous DW Fitness Gym in South Liverpool is now a branch of JD Gyms:

Most of the gyms once owned by DW Fitness are still open - they’re just under a new name. This means for those wondering how to become a successful personal trainer at DW Fitness, it’s still possible, but the location will just be operated by a different gym or fitness chain. 

For instance, if the previous DW Fitness had facilities unique to that location, it’s likely they will still be available. If the gym had a pool when it was DW, the likelihood is it will still have one as a Sports Direct or JD Gym.

Websites such as HuntDown Fitness allows users to find any previously owned DW gyms:

By using this, you can see if any previous DW Fitness Gyms in your area are being operated by another chain or have permanently closed down. If they’re still open, you can go on to apply for a role with whichever chain currently occupies these facilities.

As Frasers Group purchased a significant number of DW Fitness branches, many of them became Everlast and Sports Direct locations.

You'll also see Fitness First gyms, as these continued as an offshoot from DW Fitness, alongside a few that became JD locations.

With this in mind, for those looking to become a personal trainer for DW Fitness, the average salary according to Indeed for PTs at Fitness First is highlighted below:

Although it’s difficult to find an average salary across all previous DW fitness establishments as they’re now owned by different businesses, you can get an idea by seeing the average salary of PTs for companies who have taken over the gyms.

According to Indeed, other personal trainer salaries from gyms that took over from DW Fitness include:

• Everlast Fitness - £30,000
• JD Gyms - £28,701

While operating under a different brand, these gyms are largely the same as DW Fitness. With this in mind, it’s time to find out just what you need to find employment here. 

How To Become A Personal Trainer At DW Fitness

To become a personal trainer with DW Sports, or any gym for that matter, there are a number of steps you’ll need to complete to get there. We’ll break each one down to get you on the right path to start an exciting career.

Step 1 - Secure The Right Qualifications To Become A Personal Trainer For DW Sports

To become a personal trainer for a previous DW Fitness branch, the qualifications and skills will be the same ones required for many other fitness chains across the UK.

If you want to become a personal trainer fast, a Personal Trainer Diploma may be the best option for you.

If studied full time, you can gain both Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in as little as 4 weeks. This is an ideal way for those without any prior qualifications to break their way into the industry, as both qualifications are necessary to work as a PT at DW fitness.

We’ll look at both of these qualifications in depth now.

#1 - Start Your Industry Journey By Qualifying As A Level 2 Fitness Instructor

The most common role for those entering the industry in places similar to DW Fitness is a Level 2 Fitness Instructor. This is designed for those looking to work within a gym or fitness environment and works as a foundation for gaining further qualifications.

These courses equip students with the fundamental skills and knowledge required to become an exceptional fitness instructor. It teaches students how to instruct and evaluate 1-on-1 gym programmes, and qualifies you to progress onto a personal trainer course.

A Level 2 Fitness Instructor qualification is necessary for working in a gym, allowing you to gain industry experience and understand how to accurately train groups and teach classes.

For example, this job advertisement posted on Indeed for a casual gym instructor states how applicants should hold a minimum of a Level 2 qualification:

Although some job ads state qualifications like this are ‘preferred’, it’s important to gain these qualifications for further employment. It also allows you to advance to the level of a personal trainer.

However, before enrolling on any course, you should ensure the one you choose is regulated by Ofqual and endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

This is the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector. Enrolling on a course with CIMSPA accreditation means you can be assured it meets industry standards.

You’ll be confident you’re taking a high quality course and qualify with the required level of skill.

#2 - Increase Your Employment Opportunities By Qualifying As A Level 3 Personal Trainer

To advance from gym instructor to personal trainer, you will need to complete a Level 3 Personal Training qualification. To work as a personal trainer in a fitness centre or gym, it’s crucial you have this, not only to gain employment, but develop your own skills and knowledge.

You will learn how to programme training sessions and deliver effective PT sessions, as well as the business side of the industry and how you can maximise opportunities.

Once again, although some places will list the qualification as ‘preferred’, it is an absolute necessity to find success in the fitness industry. 

For example, this ad from Ultimate Performance for a personal trainer lists the qualification as preferred:

It’s vital that you have this qualification to find employment as a PT. Not only will it be a requirement to work in most gyms, clients can be assured they’re being trained by a credible trainer with plenty of knowledge.

If you want to become a personal trainer at DW Sports (or Everlast Gyms as it’s now been taken over), you’ll be required to have completed a Level 3 Personal Trainer Course:

Based on your experience and career goals, you can expect to work between 12 - 16 hours as a fitness coach or personal trainer with Everlast Gyms. 

There is also the option to take on more hours to build client growth and drop gym floor hours to maximise PT earning potential.

While employed as a fitness coach at Everlast Gyms, they offer the chance to receive discounted personal trainer rent. The company also has dedicated marketing to assist your business services both online and offline.

- - - - 

Aside from looking to work at DW Fitness, you can become a personal trainer in other ways, and these articles can help with this:

• How To Become A Personal Trainer At PureGym
• How To Become A Freelance Personal Trainer 
• 9 Best Gyms To Work For As A Personal Trainer

Step 2 - Apply For A DW Personal Trainer Job With Your Chosen Fitness Facility

Although there is no longer DW Fitness, you can become a personal trainer for one of their renovated branches in the same way.

To apply for a role with your chosen gym branch, you can use job listing websites such as Indeed or Glassdoor. With websites like Indeed, you can search for the type of job you want as well as the location you’re looking to work in.

For example, if the job we’re looking for is ‘Personal Trainer’ in ‘Liverpool, Merseyside’, we’ll be presented with 69 jobs related to this search:

If you meet the criteria listed on individual job advertisements, you can either send your personal training CV directly to the employer if they’ve provided their email address or this can be sent through Indeed. 

Some fitness chains may also have their own websites dedicated to posting job opportunities. For example, Fitness First, which was bought out by DW Fitness in 2016, still has chains operating under this name and have their own job advertising platform:

Similar to Indeed, you can specify the kind of fitness role you’re looking for (such as ‘Personal Trainer’) and enter the location you want to work in. Searching for personal trainer jobs in London brings up 45 vacancies, for instance.

However, if you live in an area with a former DW Fitness gym that’s advertising for a personal trainer, you may hand your CV directly to them in-person. Although, you should only do this if the advertisement requests this. 

Some employers may not want physical copies handed to them during working hours. You should also be aware this could easily be placed somewhere and forgotten about, or not handed over to the employer by the member of staff you may leave it with.

Step 3 - Undergo The Hiring Process To Become A DW Personal Trainer

Once you’ve found a personal trainer vacancy with a previous DW Fitness branch and you fit the criteria, it’s time to start the application process. We understand this can be a daunting task so we’ve provided a guide to help you know what to expect as a personal trainer.

#1 - The Initial Call Regarding Your DW Personal Trainer Application

After following the application process by providing an employer with the information they’ve specified, such as your CV and PT cover letter, this will lead to the first stage in the hiring process if you’re successful.

You will be given an initial phone screening from the employer. This is unlikely a formal interview but more of a discussion about your motivations for applying and to understand why you want to become a personal trainer for a previous DW Fitness branch. 

This is a great opportunity to stand out as a personal trainer as you can ask any questions about the role and convey your enthusiasm and passion for the role.

#2 - Interviewing For The Role Of A Personal Trainer At DW

If the phone call is successful, you will be invited for an interview. This may be offered either during the call or you may be contacted shortly after.

The interview will either be face-to-face or by video call. It will be taken by a member of the gym or fitness club’s hiring team. Based largely on what’s included in your CV, they will ask you different personal trainer interview questions, allowing you to expand upon your skills and experience. 

With this in mind, you need to ensure you're familiar with your CV and haven’t embellished or outright lied about experience or qualifications. This will reflect badly on you and will likely jeopardise your chance of landing the role.

The interview is the time the hiring team will examine whether you have the right personal trainer skills. Here, they will see whether you have the confidence, enthusiasm, and passion for the role and will decide if you’re the right fit.

Although you may have all the required qualifications and experience, personality is a major factor in whether you’ll be hired. This means you must ensure you’re friendly and outgoing by allowing the positives of your personality to really shine through.

#3 - The Offer To Become A Personal Trainer At A DW Facility

The final and most obvious step of the hiring process is being offered the role! There isn’t a set time for you to find out if you’ve been successful as this will differ from each gym branch. 

The amount of time between an interview and job offer depends on:

• Number of applicants
• Amount of scheduled interviews 
• Popularity of the gym or fitness centre

This means it could be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for you to hear back regarding the success of your interview. With this in mind, don’t be too disheartened if you don’t hear back from a member of the hiring team straight away.

However, if you have been waiting a while or have been offered another job, you can email the employer about the progress of your application. 

Step 4 - Career Progression Opportunities For A DW Personal Trainer

You may be wondering what the possibilities are after you become a personal trainer for DW Fitness. However, there are opportunities for career progression within these gym branches themselves.

#1 - Develop Your Experience To Become A Gym Manager

With the right experience and training, you can become either a general manager or an assistant manager of a gym, and apply for jobs such as the one below:

As gym manager, you would be expected to have up to date knowledge of the fitness industry. In this role, you would have a lot of responsibility to ensure the smooth running of the gym. 

However, as a manager it’s less likely you would spend your time training clients. This is something to keep in mind if you’re passionate about working closely with people to achieve their goals.

For a full breakdown of the duties you'll undertake, check out our guide to the roles of a gym manager.

#2 - Become Self-Employed As A Freelance Personal Trainer

While working as a personal trainer in a gym branch, you could use this as the foundation to help you later become a freelance personal trainer. Being in stable employment with a steady income means you can use your spare time to complete extra qualifications and carve out your own niche.

You can do this successfully with CPD Courses. There are plenty of courses for you to find the right one, from bodyweight training to kettlebell courses. This range of courses can also be taken in just one day, meaning they can be completed easily alongside your job in a gym.

Working as a freelance PT gives you the freedom to train clients and become self-employed. For example, Grace Burt is a freelance personal trainer based in Bath and is also a personal trainer in DW Fitness First:

This gives her the flexibility to work wherever she wants without being restricted to just one place. She can increase her client base by travelling to client homes or locations, leading to more income.

#3 - Combine Your Personal Training Qualifications With Nutrition Coaching

To increase your chances of further employment, you can also complete specialist fitness courses to develop your fitness knowledge. 

If you want to develop your nutritional skills to complement your personal training, completing an accredited nutritionist course will allow you to do this.

For example, this job ad for a wellness centre fitness instructor lists nutrition as an essential qualification:

Nutrition courses can help you gain further employment and they will provide you with the knowledge surrounding the relationship between physical activity and food. 

You will be able to write specialised nutrition plans for clients, allowing you to expand your client base and target clients looking for both nutrition guidance and exercise plans.

#4 - Use Your Fitness Knowledge To Become An Exercise Referral Specialist

After developing your experience as a personal trainer for a gym similar to DW Fitness, you could progress onto GP exercise referral. Exercise referral specialists take referrals from the NHS, GPs, or private medical practitioners.

However, they can also find employment in council-run gyms and leisure centres which is ideal if you’re seeking a more consistent pay as local authorities often have pay grades that offer stability.

By completing a Level 3 Exercise Referral Course, you can create tailored programmes to help support those with chronic physical conditions or illnesses to improve their health and wellbeing. This is a rewarding career progression opportunity, allowing you to help others improve their quality of life.

Having this qualification will enable you to apply to roles such as this clinical exercise trainer with Longevity Health and Fitness:

The bottom line is, the more qualifications and industry experience you have, the greater chance of further employment and increasing your client base.

Before You Go!

By completing these necessary steps with DW Fitness, you can become a personal trainer in no time and start your ideal career today.

To start your ideal career in the fitness industry at a much quicker pace, our Personal Trainer Diploma is just the thing to do this. Gaining these qualifications increases your employability in any gym as a PT.

Download our course prospectus to find out more about how you can advance your career.