Vasa Fitness Taps ISSA to Turn Its Employees Into Personal Trainers

The HVLP operator will sponsor up to 150 trainer certifications for its staffers annually as gyms look to strengthen their coaching pipelines amid growing personal training demand

Vasa Fitness is looking within its own ranks to find its next generation of personal trainers.

The high-value, low-price (HVLP) gym operator has partnered with the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) to launch Trainer in Training, a career development program that will sponsor up to 150 ISSA Personal Trainer certifications annually for eligible Vasa employees.

Launching this month, the program gives participating team members access to ISSA’s certification curriculum before providing hands-on coaching opportunities inside Vasa clubs, creating a direct pathway from education to a potential career as a personal trainer.

The initiative serves a dual purpose for the fast-growing gym operator: giving existing employees a path to advance their careers while building an internal pipeline of certified trainers as Vasa expands its footprint and personal training business.

“At Vasa, we’re committed to creating opportunities for our people to learn, grow and build meaningful careers,” Vasa CEO Michael Osanloo said. “By partnering with ISSA to provide access to industry-leading education and certification, we’re helping passionate individuals become exceptional coaches while strengthening the experience our members can expect at every Vasa club.”

Vasa currently operates 73 gyms across nearly 10 states in the Midwest and Mountain regions, making it one of the largest health club operators in the U.S.

Operators Invest in the Trainer Pipeline

Vasa’s program arrives as major gym operators and certification organizations forge closer ties to address fitness industry staffing needs while capitalizing on growing consumer interest in personal training.

ISSA struck a similar partnership with 24 Hour Fitness last year, although that initiative targeted club leadership rather than aspiring trainers. Under the program, nearly 250 24 Hour Fitness general managers were tasked with completing ISSA’s Certified Personal Trainer coursework, giving club leaders a deeper understanding of coaching.

More recently, luxury operator Life Time partnered with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) to guarantee interviews for NASM-Certified Personal Trainers who apply for open entry-level positions in its Dynamic Personal Training program.

The moves come as personal training becomes an increasingly important piece of the gym business. Younger consumers are helping drive demand for personal training and small-group offerings, while Life Time founder and CEO Bahram Akradi has said the company’s Dynamic Personal Training business has generated “record-breaking” revenue at some clubs.

ISSA said the new initiative will initially focus on upskilling Vasa front desk managers, with the certification organization serving as Vasa’s preferred education partner.

“By upskilling 150 Front Desk Managers through ISSA, Vasa is tackling industry staffing needs head-on by nurturing talent from within,” ISSA vice president of strategic partnerships Kurt Mangum II said.

The partnership also fits into ISSA’s broader push to more directly connect fitness education with employment. Its Career Connect platform links its community of students and certified professionals with more than 23,000 partner locations globally.