Career Switch - Personal Trainer
Changing careers used to feel like a dramatic plot twist. These days, it often looks like a normal life decision people make when their work stops being what it used to be, their priorities shift or their industry moves on without them. Some people want a role with clearer progression. Some want work that feels useful. Some simply want to finish the week with a bit more energy left in the tank and/or money in the bank.
In this article we give you a step-by-step career change guide and add the missing layer many readers want: up-to-date data on what’s happening in the world of work, plus practical ways to use that information when you’re mapping out your own career change.
A big reason career change feels “everywhere” is that job mobility is genuinely baked into modern work. Research summarised by the University of Queensland in Australis suggests the average person tends to move through 3–7 careers across their working life.
On top of that, job-to-job movement is a regular part of the UK labour market, even when people stay in similar occupational areas. Data from the UK Labour Force Survey shows that job-to-job moves increased from about 530,000 in mid-2020 to 994,000 in early 2022, reflecting strong labour mobility across the workforce. (Office for National Statistics) Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development also suggests that around 27.4 % of UK workers move to a new employer each year, with most people remaining with the same organisation from one year to the next but a substantial share changing roles or contexts within the same occupational landscape. (cipd.org) This detail matters because “change” often looks like a new employer, a different setting, or a new specialism rather than a complete reinvention of your professional direction.
There’s also a clear global “thinking about it” trend. Data from Gallup’s Global Workplace Report shows that around 51% of employees worldwide are actively seeking a new job or open to new opportunities, highlighting how common career reconsideration has become across industries and regions. This doesn’t mean everyone is about to resign, but it does show that a significant proportion of the global workforce is regularly reassessing where they are and where they want to go next.
It’s tempting to assume career change is mainly a young person’s game. That story misses a lot of reality.
Mid-career change is now a recognised pattern in the data. An OECD report on longer working lives cites the 2022 AARP Global Employee Survey, noting that almost one in two workers aged 45+ hopes to or expects to change jobs within the next three years.
The OECD also points to something interesting about mid-career mobility and long-term employment. Across the countries they analysed, the likelihood of being employed at age 60 was about 62% for people who experienced a job change at ages 45–54, compared with about 54% for those who did not. This is correlation, not a promise, yet it supports the idea that staying mobile can be part of staying employable over time.
So the “who” is broad. Career change includes new starters, mid-career pivots, returners and experienced professionals repositioning themselves in a shifting market.
Career change usually starts as a feeling. Then it becomes a list of reasons.
One major driver is skills. People can feel their current role shrinking while new tools and expectations grow around them. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs research reports that employers estimate 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted over the next five years and that six in ten workers will require training before 2027, with only about half seen to have access to adequate training opportunities today.
Another driver is confidence in transferable skills. PwC’s workforce survey reporting gives useful insight into what employees believe about their own capability. In their Australian findings, among workers likely to switch employers, 63% said they have “hidden” skills and 69% agreed it would be easy to find a new job that uses their skills.
That combination of skills changing fast, plus growing awareness of transferable skills, creates a very common modern scenario of, people do not hate work as a concept, they hate feeling stuck in a role that no longer matches their strengths or their future.
If career change is common, why do so many people stay where they are for ages after they’ve decided they want something new?
A big barrier is the “gap fear”. People worry about stepping away, taking a break, or having an imperfect CV.
The reality looks different. An Investopedia piece reporting on a LinkedIn survey states that 62% of workers have taken career breaks, with parenting and career development among the most common reasons. It also notes a shift in how employers view candidates with breaks, alongside practical ideas for re-entry such as upskilling, networking and presenting the break clearly.
Another barrier is financial. People often need a plan that respects their bills, their dependants and their time. Career change becomes far easier when it’s treated as a project with stages, not a dramatic overnight leap.
The world of work is in a cycle of ongoing skills change. That doesn’t mean every job is disappearing. It does mean “I’ll learn once and I’m sorted” is not how most industries work now.
The World Economic Forum’s research highlights training needs through 2027 and the types of skills expected to grow in importance, including analytical thinking, creative thinking and technology literacy.
This matters for career changers because it changes the game. Hiring managers increasingly look for people who can learn, adapt and apply skills in new contexts. That becomes your advantage when you can show evidence of learning and application, not just intention.
This is where short, focused training fits naturally into a transition plan. For some people that looks like formal qualifications. For others it looks like certifications, supervised practice, or structured learning blocks. Plenty of people exploring new pathways also explore fitness courses as part of a move into more hands-on, people-focused work, especially when they want a role built around coaching, communication and real-world results.
Changing careers can still feel overwhelming when it lives only in your head. A clear plan turns a big, uncertain idea into a series of manageable steps. It gives you confidence because you’re no longer relying on hope or guesswork, you’re working from intention and evidence. You don’t need everything figured out at once, but having a structure to follow makes it far easier to move forward with purpose rather than hesitation.
Before you start looking at roles, take a beat and get specific about the kind of working life you’re aiming for. Write down what you want your days to look like in simple terms: the pace, the environment, the type of work, the level of interaction with people, your preferred schedule and how you want to feel at the end of the day. Keep it grounded in reality. This becomes your filter later, so you stop getting pulled towards roles that sound good on paper and still leave you drained.
Career change often starts as “I can’t do this anymore.” That’s valid, but it’s not a plan. Take a look at the parts of your current job that are pushing you towards the exit. Is it the work itself, the culture, the lack of autonomy, the hours, the instability, the pay structure, or the feeling that your skills aren’t being used properly? This step matters because it helps you avoid switching into a new role that comes with the same frustrations in a different uniform.
This is where most people accidentally undersell themselves. Instead of listing job titles and responsibilities, focus on outcomes. Think about what you actually do that creates value. You manage projects. You organise chaos. You deal with difficult conversations. You teach people. You solve problems under pressure. You build relationships. You write clearly. You can also include skills you’ve picked up outside work, because they still count when they show capability.
If you’re not sure what your transferable skills are, look at the tasks people come to you for. Pay attention to what you do naturally that others struggle with. That’s often the clearest clue.
Once you’ve got a shortlist of directions, start collecting real information. Speak to people already doing the job. Ask what an average week looks like, what the hardest part is and what they wish they’d known at the start. Look at job ads, but read them for patterns. Notice what skills keep showing up. Notice what qualifications are genuinely required and what is “nice to have”.
The goal here is a realistic picture of the work, not a fantasy version of it.
Now you can do a simple gap check. What do you already have that fits the new direction? What do you need to build?
This might be a hard skill gap, such as learning a specific tool, getting a qualification or building a portfolio. It might be a credibility gap, where you need some proof you can do the work, even if you already know you can. It might be an experience gap, where you need practical exposure through shadowing, volunteering, freelance projects or part-time work.
This step turns “I want a career change” into a practical route with clear building blocks.
A plan only works if it fits your life. Create a simple timeline that respects your time, your energy and your finances. Give yourself stages.
One stage might be research and conversations. Another stage might be learning or training. Another might be building experience. Another might be applying and interviewing. Keep it steady and realistic. The point is progress you can repeat, not a sudden burst followed by burnout.
Career change becomes easier when you take actions that produce evidence. Evidence builds confidence.
That can be completing a small project, earning a certification, volunteering once a week, taking on a trial client, building a portfolio piece or doing structured learning that shows commitment and competence. These steps give you something real to talk about in interviews and help your new professional identity feel genuine, not theoretical.
You’re not rewriting your life story. You’re rewriting your positioning.
Shift your CV away from old job titles and towards the skills and outcomes that fit your next role. Use language from the job ads you’re aiming at, but keep it honest and human. Put your transition steps in there too, because it shows intent and action. Your LinkedIn profile should match, so there’s a consistent narrative when people look you up.
People are usually not suspicious of career change. They just want to understand it.
Have a simple explanation ready, which may include what you’ve learned about yourself, what you’re moving towards and what you’ve already done to prepare. Keep it calm and practical. That’s what makes the shift feel credible.
Your first plan isn’t your final plan. The point is to keep moving and learning from what you find. If you notice a direction doesn’t fit, adjust early. If something feels right, commit a little more. Review your progress every couple of weeks, then decide your next small steps.
Career change is not one decision. It’s a series of decisions that get easier once you start taking them.
To make this practical, here’s what a structured career change plan might look like if you’re aiming to move into personal training. This assumes you’re currently working full-time in another role and want to transition without unnecessary risk.
The first stage is about understanding the role properly. You spend some time researching what personal trainers actually do day to day, not just what it looks like on social media. Speak to working PTs in gyms, studios or online settings and ask direct questions about hours, income patterns, client retention and the physical and emotional demands of the job.
Alongside this, reflect on why fitness appeals to you as a career. Look at your own training background, interest in coaching, communication style and willingness to work with a wide range of clients. This stage builds confidence by replacing assumptions with real information.
Next, map your existing skills against what a personal trainer actually needs. Communication, motivation, planning, time management and client support often transfer well from other industries, even if the job titles look unrelated.
They then identify the formal requirements to practise as a personal trainer in the UK, including qualifications, insurance and first aid. At this point, choose an appropriate learning route or study option that fits around work and personal commitments, so training feels manageable rather than overwhelming.
While studying, begin to immerse yourself in the environment. This might involve observing sessions in a local gym, assisting a trainer informally or volunteering to help friends or family with structured workouts under appropriate boundaries.
The goal here isn’t income, it’s exposure. You’ll start to see how programmes are delivered, how clients behave in real life and how trainers adapt sessions on the spot. This practical insight makes the theory far more meaningful and helps you feel like they belong in the role.
As qualification progress continues, begin to practise coaching more deliberately. This could include running mock sessions, coaching small groups or supporting clients at no cost to gain experience and feedback. This activity should be built into your training.
Also start to think about their preferred working style. Gym-based, studio-based, freelance, online or a blend. This clarity shapes the next steps and avoids drifting into a setup that don’t suit your lifestyle.
Once qualified, update your CV and online profiles to reflect your new professional identity. Previous roles are reframed around transferable skills rather than unrelated job titles.
Begin applying for gym roles, studio opportunities or freelance arrangements while still working part-time in their previous career if needed. This staged approach reduces financial pressure and allows confidence to grow naturally through real client work.
After the first few months of paid work, review what’s working and what isn’t. Client types, hours, income patterns and energy levels all get assessed. Adjustments are made early, which prevents burnout and helps the career develop in a sustainable way.
A career change doesn’t require a perfect mindset. It requires a steady approach and some honest decisions.
The data supports the idea that many people change direction across a working life, and that job mobility shows up in real numbers. The skills landscape supports the idea that ongoing learning is normal. And the career-break data supports the idea that non-linear CVs are common.
So if you’re in that messy middle stage of thinking, planning, hesitating, you’re not behind. You’re in the part that actually counts.
Here’s How to Do It Without Blowing Everything Up Every January, the same thought creeps…
A new systematic review has landed in the low back pain world and it shines…
When One Programme Produces Ten Different Outcomes Most coaches have seen this play out. Two…
Most people start their study journey for a personal trainer qualification, yoga course, Pilates training…
Every coach remembers those tidy diagrams in training manuals. Blocks, waves, undulations, hypertrophy phases, strength…
Warm-ups feel like one of those unquestioned parts of training life. Most coaches ask clients…