Qualified Trainers powered by Archon Academy announces EMD UK Education Partnership

Qualified Trainers, powered by education and training provider Archon Academy, has announced an official Education Partnership with EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise, aimed at strengthening instructor education, professional development and workforce standards across the fitness and leisure sector.

The partnership brings together Archon Academy's education expertise, EMD UK's professional standards and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) framework, and Qualified Trainers' understanding of the operational challenges facing leisure operators.

Initially focusing on group exercise and Reformer Pilates, the collaboration aims to establish clearer, recognised pathways for instructors while helping operators develop appropriately qualified, insured and work-ready teams. Future opportunities could extend into swimming and padel.

As operators expand their programmes to meet changing consumer demand, ensuring instructors have appropriate qualifications, insurance and clearly defined scopes of practice is becoming increasingly important.

Richie Allan, VP of Growth & Partnerships at Qualified Trainers, said:

"Ultimately, we want to make it easier for operators to build the workforce they need without compromising on quality, compliance or confidence."

Under the agreement, Qualified Trainers powered by Archon Academy will be recognised within EMD UK's education and CPD partnership framework, including Verified Education Provider status, Education Partnership and CPD Recognition for three to five courses.

The organisations will also collaborate on clearer scopes of practice, including entry requirements, instructor competencies, safe delivery parameters and insurance considerations.

Dan Rees, CEO of EMD UK, said:

"Effective workforce governance is central to that ambition. By strengthening scopes of practice, qualification standards and professional recognition, we can provide greater clarity and confidence for instructors, training providers and operators, while ensuring the quality and safety of group exercise delivery."

The partnership will explore bridging pathways for fitness professionals moving into new disciplines and opportunities for operators to upskill existing teams, connecting recognised education more closely with workforce requirements.

Dan Burge, Director of Commercial Operations & Strategy at Archon Academy, said:

"Working with Qualified Trainers and EMD UK allows us to look at that whole journey – from education and recognised professional development through to compliance and deployment – and build pathways around what operators and instructors actually need."

For Qualified Trainers, the Education Partnership complements its workforce management platform, which supports compliance, cover, communication, payroll, rostering and workforce visibility.

Together, the organisations aim to create a more connected journey from education and professional recognition through to workforce readiness, helping operators develop qualified instructor teams for the future.