Meet Stephanie Lunn - One of our three Scholarship Winners

I was admittedly uncertain about starting a course in Personal Training, but so far I have had nothing but positive experiences with AIPT, and glad I'm I took up the opportunity!

My initial phone call to a Careers Advisor to enquiry about the course gave me so much enthusiasm, and then the chance to save some money on an early special offer was the extra little push to have me sign up the next day!

I’ve always been a busy person, and with a full-time job and many other commitments in my community, I truly appreciate the flexibility and time frame that this course has to be able to study when it’s most convenient for me. It would be ideal to have a set timetable each week, but with a job that has seasonal work, it suits me to have less pressure and flexibility in the busier months.

My motivation for this course originally comes from my love of sport, fitness and the outdoors. My other passion is agriculture, and my job as a farming advisor allows me to get out and find time to be active outside. Serious injury two years ago left me weak and unconditioned, and the impact this had on my physical energy and happiness truly reiterated to me how important it is to stay motivated to keep active, particularly as we get older and different priorities take over.

While working in NSW in 2017, I came across a fantastic initiative called Active Farmers who focus on improving the physical and mental health of farmers and people in rural communities through exercise and group interaction. The small towns they service benefit greatly and are so enthusiastic that it was certainly an attractive idea. For me also, it seemed like a great way to combine two of my passions and potentially take it further in the future as my lifestyle and career changes.

I have since moved to back to country SA in what was one of the worst drought years experienced in decades and seen first-hand the effect this has had on farmers, their families and small business owners in these communities. This was the final motivation, and now my aim to get an Active Farmers program off of the ground in SA. I want to travel to small towns in my area and provide them with access to regular fitness classes, to people who are otherwise limited by availability and distance.

I have seen in larger towns the popularity and demand for Personal trainers and the positive impact it is having on these communities! So it is my hope that I can promote healthy, active lifestyles whilst bringing people together and this will in turn help people understand the relationship between a healthy lifestyle and staying connected with others to achieve more positive mental health.

I also want to show and inspire others that they can also do a course like this remotely and make a positive impact on their community. The more people I can encourage, the greater the potential this program has to take off and make a positive impact!

For more on personal training and ways you can break into the fitness world, take a look at AIPT's nationally recognised courses in Fitness and Personal Training. Call 1300 616 180 today!