HPW Student Internship Experience – Kylie Behnke 15′
Interning at the Fidelity Investments Fitness Center was an incredible experience. While working in this corporate fitness center I was given the opportunity to teach group fitness, facilitate fitness assessments, shadow personal training, exercise prescription, design programs, create promotional pieces, and above all developing relationships with the fitness center members. I was able to grow as a fitness professional through these experiences as a fitness specialist intern. My fellow intern and I developed an incentive program to encourage everyday use of the fitness center. We created the program, promoted to the members, and prepared the bulletins and recording materials. The Team Triathlon Challenge was designed for each team to finish the length of a triathlon using the treadmill, bike and rowing machine. All of the participants were enthusiastic and competitive during the month long program. It was a huge success and we saw member attendance, perseverance and miles per day increase. My second week I was given the opportunity to teach group fitness, despite my apprehensiveness I said yes. Over the weeks I learned so much from attending classes with the full time instructors and tips from participants. I have absolutely loved teaching and have taught every type of group fitness class the fitness center offers. The Fidelity members are loyal class attendees and are the best students and critics. Group fitness taught me how to communicate, educate and facilitate exercise. Throughout the internship experience I was able to interact with all employees on a health related level. I facilitated fitness assessments for numerous employees. This was good experience and interesting in a diverse population. I was also able to present a Mind Your Health: Back Health seminar to any
interested Fidelity employee. While interning with the Health Fitness Specialists at Fidelity Investments I learned much more than I expected. Over my internship experience I gained confidence in my skills, developed many more valuable skills, and acquired independence. This internship was an irreplaceable experience in my academic career.
Objectives
- Fitness Assessment Skills:
- Begin the internship experience by shadowing fitness assessment appointments conducted by full time staff members. Areas for development include: height, weight, body composition (using the Omron as well as skin fold calipers for 3 and/or 7 site skin fold methods), blood pressure, heart rate, circumference measurements, sit and reach flexibility test, push-up and curl up muscular endurance tests, and various cardiovascular endurance protocols. Within the first 2-3 weeks of her internship, he/she will practice these measurements on full time staff members, and as her skills improve and our staff feels comfortable, he/she will begin performing supervised fitness assessments on members as needed. By roughly week 8-10, the intern should be able to perform full fitness assessments on any Fitness Center member.
- Interaction with Clients:
- Interaction with clients is very important at Fidelity Fitness Center and we provide excellent customer service to every patron who walks through our doors. It is expected to meet and exceed this expectation. Interaction with clients will begin on her first day by greeting members as they come and go from the Fitness Center. She will learn general front desk duties (signing up new members, cancelling memberships, changing payment membership payment method, answering questions, making appointments, etc.) which will improve the way she can serve members and nonmembers. The intern should also spend time on the floor interacting with clients when appropriate. By the time her internship is complete, she should know the names of most members, have built rapport and relationships with many of our members, as well as how to perform any and all front desk duties.
- Program Design:
- The intern will begin her internship experience by shadowing program orientation/exercise prescription appointments conducted by full time staff members. Within the first few of her internship, she will practice written case study exercise prescription assignments discussed during weekly supervisor meeting. Also within the first week or two of her internship, she will practice hands-on program orientation/exercise prescription appointments. As her skills improve and our staff feels comfortable, she will begin performing supervised program orientation appointments on members as needed; and when all feel she is ready, she will begin receiving her own unsupervised program orientation appointments with members. By roughly week 8-10, the intern should be able to perform full program orientation or write full exercise prescriptions for any Fitness Center member.
- Training/Coaching Ability:
- The intern will begin her internship experience by shadowing personal training appointments and various group fitness classes. Within the first week or two of her internship, the intern will practice written group fitness assignments discussed in a weekly meeting. Also within the first week or two of her internship, she will practice hands-on group fitness instruction skills with me and/or other staff members. As her skills improve and our staff feels comfortable, and will begin teaching small portions of our group fitness classes; and as she feels ready, she will begin to teach full group fitness classes, supervised by the regular instructor. By roughly week 10, the intern should be able to teach almost any class on the schedule with the exception of specialty classes such as Zumba, Yoga and Pilates (unless she has a special interest in those areas). She will likely gain more experience in group fitness than in personal training- she will mostly shadow personal training appointments throughout the duration of her internship, with the possibility of subbing in to train a client with a free session- sometime towards the end of her internship.
- Administrative/Health Promotion Tasks:
- The intern will be expected to assist with health promotion programs and conduct her own health promotion program of some sort during her internship that she will develop, market, and implement mostly on her own, but with the help of other staff members. Other health promotion duties the intern will be involved with include: marketing of Fitness Center programs, bulletin boards, the monthly Fitness Center newsletter, and other programs/data input as needed. By the time her internship is complete, the intern should have completed her health promotion program, including sending out a member feedback survey, compiling outcomes data if applicable, and completing a program review form.
- Internship/Development Plan:
- In the early stages of the internship the student should have an understanding of the key objectives he/she would like to accomplish during his/her experience with HFC. Each intern will meet with his or her immediate supervisor to determine the format and presentation of this information. This is a critical first step in establishing a well-focused internship.
- Program Planning and Budgeting:
- Each account is responsible for budgeting costs associated with the entire program at their site. The intern may assist in tracking information for monthly variance reports and may also become familiar with a budgeting system. Program plans are also determined on an annual basis by the account manager and are implemented annually, quarterly, monthly and weekly depending on the scope of the program. With this knowledge, along with the site demographics, health reports, and interest surveys, the intern may assist in determining new programs for the employees.
- Health Risk Reduction Programs:
- The HFC Health Improvement Programs are behavior modification seminars. They are designed to help employees increase their knowledge as well as set and reach personal health goals in a variety of lifestyle areas, such as nutrition, weight control, stress management, smoking cessation, blood pressure control, assertiveness and many others. In addition to observing and participating in the current programs, the intern may assist in planning, promoting and scheduling future classes.
- Marketing Strategies:
- Marketing the program and keeping it highly visible to the target population is key to the success of the overall program. Promotional tools such as phone and computer messages, bulletin boards, posters, desk drops and brochures are used most frequently. A combination of writing skills, creativity, and familiarity with graphics and word processing programs is a necessity.
- Fitness Center Operations:
- The intern should develop competency in using all of the equipment and may be expected to supervise the facility. Supervision requires outstanding customer service skills as well as knowledge of exercise, the facility procedures, and the equipment.
- Facility Maintenance:
- General maintenance of the fitness center and equipment is the responsibility of the entire staff. The intern may be responsible for daily, weekly, and monthly duties to ensure a high quality facility.
- Special Projects and Experiences:
- General maintenance of the fitness center and equipment is the responsibility of the entire staff. The intern may be responsible for daily, weekly, and monthly duties to ensure a high quality facility.
- Group Fitness Classes:
- One of the most important skills you will learn as an intern is how to teach group exercise classes. Your training will begin with you participating in all varieties of classes- at least 3 per week but preferably more if time allows. You will also practice teaching classes with a staff member, as well as on your own. At one point, you will begin team teaching with a staff member during various parts of that staff member’s class. By the last weeks of the internship you will be capable of teaching entire classes.
- Internship Project:
- Interns will be required to coordinate one major project, to be determined through consultation with, and approval of, the on-site Internship Coordinator and the college advisor. This project will reflect both the needs and interests of the student and the company.
- Internship Presentation:
- Interns will be required to complete one major presentation.
On-Site Supervisor
Stacy Rankin
Program Coordinator
100 New Millennium Way, Bldg 3,
Durham, NC 27709
stacy.rankin@fmr.com
919-458-3402
Hours
40 hours/week for 12 weeks Total 480 hours
Stipend
None
UW-Stevens Point Students Who Completed Internship
- Kylie Behnke, Summer 2015 (pictured above)