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Saturday, 04 July 2009 16:42 UAE time

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Academy to fill fitness industry skills gaps

by ArabianBusiness.com staff writer  on Sunday, 11 May 2008

A new training academy has opened to improve the skills of fitness instructors in the UAE.

Established by Middle East FitPro (MEFITPRO) at Park Place on Sheikh Zayed Road, the academy offers internships to ensure new instructors have some experience rather than going out to work as soon as they are qualified, said founder and MEFIT managing director Greg Boucher.

"We will bring a master trainer over from the UK to train a group of trainers in FitPro programmes, and from that training we'll earmark who we think is the perfect role model with the right personality to roll the programmes out through the academy, starting in Dubai," he said.

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"We'll then implement this in other countries. There's a big need for this in places like Saudi Arabia and Oman. Clubs there have 20-30% membership retention - people are getting turned off and it's hurting the industry," added Boucher.

The academies will aim to provide training for those from across the Middle East region in order to help meet the requirements of nationalisation policies, already effective in places like Oman and Saudi Arabia, he said.


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