New Year, New Challenge

The New Year is the perfect time to take on a new challenge, just like one part-time Shrewsbury Colleges Group student who is training her way to becoming a top-class fitness instructor.

Sally Tonge is a fitness-loving resident of the small Shropshire village, Snailbeach. With fellow active villager’s support, Sally hired a personal trainer to travel to their village hall and teach classes twice a week. Unfortunately, because of the travel distance, the trainer was unable to continue the classes. So Sally decided to take things into her own hands and looked into teaching the classes herself.

After extensive research Sally decided that Shrewsbury Colleges Group was the best place to train and in 2017 completed Level 2 ACTIVE IQ Certificate in Fitness Instructing (gym based exercise). Soon after, she completed the Level 2 ACTIVE IQ Certificate in Fitness Instructing (exercise to music) and not only taught in her village, but took her exercise group - Fit after Forty with Sal - to other people in Shropshire.

Shrewsbury Colleges Group has many part-time courses starting in January and February - where you can gain a professional qualification, learn a new trade, change your career, become an apprentice or simply start a fun hobby. To teach your own classes, like Sally, enrol for the Level 2 ACTIVE IQ Certificate in Fitness Instructing (gym based exercise) course starting on 17 January; become an avid author with a Creative Writing development course from 29 January; or tackle your Microsoft Office frustration on the Introduction to Using Microsoft Applications course on 26 February.

Currently, Sally is completing Level 2 ACTIVE IQ Award in Instructing Kettlebells at SCG as she enjoyed the learning experience and got on with the teachers. She said: “The part-time courses at Shrewsbury Colleges Group were perfect for me; they fit in around my career and social life. It was a very different experience coming back into education as an older learner, but the staff and fellow students made me feel welcome. The classes taught me exactly what I needed and I felt encouraged to take on the other fitness courses.

“Gaining these new skills has been brilliant and invigorating. There is so much on offer at Shrewsbury Colleges Group.”

To find out more about part time courses at SCG call 01743 342333 or visit www.scg.ac.uk/courses-starting-in-the-new-year