Today we learned the reason for two of our three teachers' absences... they quit! I hope it wasn't us!
But now that this is settled, we have more regular teachers, so the course can get back on track. Today we covered aerobic and anaerobic levels of training, learning to use the treadmills and so on, interval training and all that kind of stuff. Pretty basic for me, but of course not for some of the class.
We were supposed to pair up and take turns instructing each-other in the use of the machines. However, I had already done that in the morning - Noodles had never used the things, and with his eyesight he couldn't make out the buttons! But you press them and it confirms what you're doing in big red type on a screen, so with some messing around he could do it. He must have a great memory.
I just read the entire thread in one sitting.
You poor bastard!
I needed breaks to write it, I wouldn't want to read it in one go.
PTC said:
If you combine The Hulks and Shreks hatred of PT's and multiply by 1,000,000 , you will be close to the mark of my disgust in them for what they have done to my all time favourite past time of Physical Culture.
They've McD'sed it, basically - to appeal to everyone, it has to be good for no-one.
PTC said:
This is not directed at any individual, just pure disbelief that PT's are pumped out with zero knowledge. They just figure they can get a qualification after 4-16 weeks in school.
As we were discussing earlier, this isn't unique to PTs, or even to the physical activity industry in general. Qualifications are quite easy to get. On the other hand, if only 5% of people getting qualification X are doing a job with anything to do with X a few years later, does it matter much?
It just goes back to the individual. How much do I want to learn? I was saying to friends the other day, sometimes our classes finish early, but the teacher is always still around, and most are thrilled that someone's interested enough to ask questions.
For example, today with the cardio machines we had free gym time afterwards, the teacher was hanging around, anyone could go up and ask questions. About two-thirds the class just buggered off straight away, but a third of us stayed to work out, and a few of us asked questions. Some of it was just stuff like one guy needs a workout to improve his basketball (he wants to dunk, jump strength time!) but still it's all knowledge we're getting.
As in physical training, so too in education - you get out what you put in, it's much more up to you than any instructor.
And most people really don't know why they're there...
I had an interesting chat with one of the teachers, I asked,
"Obviously with 90 or whatever students at Holmesglen this semester, and all the others at CAE and AIF and the rest across the country, we're looking at a few thousand Cert III/IV graduates annually. There can't be jobs for all of them. And it doesn't seem like a lot will even try for those jobs, they'll end up doing something else? What makes someone stick with it or bail, in your experience?"
At first she replied about what gets people employed. "Not so much the knowledge, because you'll get the knowledge from experience, and more the communication skills, presentation and so on."
"Well that's for any job involving people. But I was thinking less from the employer's point of view in hiring people, and more from the point of view of the graduate, why do some lose interest either before or after getting a job in the industry? What makes them stay or bail?"
She replied, "Some people are thinking of the money, they hear about PTs earning $80 an hour and get excited, then get hired by a gym for $18 an hour, they don't like the early morning wakeups and dealing with ordinary clients not athletes."
I said, "Yeah, I got that impression, some people think it's big money and counting out Thorpey's reps on the bench or something, instead it's poor money and middle-aged fat people."
I didn't add that I've been working class all my life so I'm used to crap wages, and I'm more interested in ordinary people than professional athletes.
Anyway, I absolutely agree that most are pretty ordinary, and that the education is pretty sad.
But the ordinary ones won't last, and a better education is there for those who are interested. I aim not to be ordinary.
PTC said:
Please drop by PTC and have a look at how it operates Kyle, the time could be classed as learning. I have had quite a few students/PT's sit and watch at PTC.
Hmmm, I wonder if it could be classed as work placement?
It's a fair way (30km or so) on my crappy pushbike, so I'll have to wait till I've a chance to use the car.
PTC said:
Keep posting, this is a great insight.
Thanks, that was the idea. When I was considering doing the course I was looking around for information, I expected to see reviews of the different schools, blogs and that kind of thing - and there was nothing. Every time I thought I'd found information it was just some idiot's sales pitch for their own service. No-one could tell me anything useful.
When I finish, I may summarise it all in a little guide. It'd be nice to be able to encourage people who might be genuinely interested but never really thought about it, and let the not-so-interested know not to waste their time.
