Active Health Group - Aaron Perales's Testimonial

Aaron Perales's Testimonial - Gibraltar

Why did you choose to train with the Active Health Group?

When I decided to study towards becoming a sports therapist, I made loads of research into many courses offered. Being a non-regulated profession, and many sports therapy courses, I was looking for a course that was recognised and validated by the main governing bodies, i.e Society of Sports Therapists and Sports Therapy Organisation. When I came across the course offered by AHG, it was a course validated by these organisations, and which suited me as it was held over 25 days, instead of during weekends like other courses. Being from abroad I found it easier to travel once and complete the whole course rather than having to travel every month. I also found the course syllabus very complete and interesting, so I did not think twice about enrolling.

When you were searching for training was your alternative option if you couldn't have trained with us?

One other course I did look into was the diploma course offered by Sports Rehab & Education Services Ltd. However, this course was also held during the weekends, and in Scotland, which would make it even harder for me to travel to the course. I did email them for info, especially fees, which did not show on their website, but they were never very helpful.

Did we fulfill what you expected to learn and achieve?

Definitely, I have enjoyed every minute of the course, and I have learnt a great deal. I never thought I could have learnt so much in 5 weeks. The groups were small, which made learning easier as you had a lot more time to ask tutors questions and discuss issues. I was a bit sceptical as to whether I would be able to train as a sports therapist and have the confidence after only 5 weeks, but I can confirm that although I feel I have much practice and experience to gain, I am confident enough in giving a professional service to any client.

How did you feel about booking on to a course in a different country? Did you have any difficulties/worries about coming to the UK?

Studying in the uk was not new to me, as I had been to Cardiff when I finished my A-levels. However, having settled back in Gibraltar, it is not easy to leave and spend time in another country, but I was aware that if I were to study to become a sports therapist, this was something I had to do. Apart from the fact of not knowing anyone in Manchester, I had no problems of travelling to UK, and I settled in fairly quickly.

Did The Active Health Group offer enough support in your enrolment or do you think we could have offered more support?

AHG were very helpful at all times during my registration. I received all my documents and text books fairly quickly. They were also very helpful when I could not make it to the practical session on a few occasions, and they managed to re-schedule my training to other dates.

Would you recommend other people travel to us to the UK to do the training or do you feel your alternative training could have been a better option?

Being from Gibraltar, the options to study at home are very limited, so we have to travel abroad. However, I would definitely recommend anyone to study at AHG, as it is a great experience, and a great ways of meeting people with similar interests and make friends.

What could we have done to improve your stay?

Cant think of anything, my stay was very busy and hectic, so didn't have much time to get bored. The course was quite intense, so it required quite a bit of time to research and revise.

Did you feel safe in the UK? Were you happy with the hotel and location?

I did feel safe at all times. For the 5 weeks I managed to rent a flat just 10 minutes walk from the course, which was very convenient, as it was a nice flat in an ideal location.

Did you enjoy the course?

I enjoyed every minute of the course. If it would have been any longer I would not have minded.

How can we help to support you once you return home and set up in business. Or how did we support you in setting up?

After the course, I have been in contact with most of the tutors, which are available for advice on any issues like setting up, marketing tips etc. AHG also helps with regards to insurance.

Additional Comments

These last 5 weeks studying towards my diploma in sports therapy with active health group have been brilliant. After making up my mind that I wanted to focus on sports therapy as my new career, I began researching all available courses, which varied in length, course content, method of study etc. I was looking for a recognised course that would enable me to practice as a sports therapist, and one that was validated by the main governing bodies. When I came across the advanced diploma offered by active health group I did not think about it twice. It was a nationally recognised course, the course content covered every single topic, and the method of studying suited me perfectly. Being form outside the UK I could not possibly travel once a month every month, so their intensive 5 week course was perfect. Once registered for the course, I was sent my course text books fairly soon, and at all times the staff were very helpful with whatever query or problem I had. The pre-course studying we had to do was quite demanding, but was required to have the basic theoretical knowledge prior to attending the 5 week course. Together with the course text books we also received information on accommodation options close to the training centre, as well as other information that was useful such as maps etc.

Once in the UK, I found settling in quite easy. The flat I rented out was very close to the centre, and very close to active health group, which to my surprise was just in the city centre, very close to all amenities. Once the course started I realised how friendly and helpful everyone was. The number of students was not too many, which meant we got plenty of time to discuss issues we had with tutors, and we were able to get plenty of hours of practice. At all times our progress was monitored, and we were able to discuss this during our regular tutorials with our assigned tutors. The course content was interesting and at the same time fun, as we were able to have plenty of hands-on experience from day 1. During the final week of assessments, the tutors and lecturers were at hand to provide us with any help we needed, especially revising areas that we may have struggled slightly, and made all this process as easy going as possible. Once completed the course, the lecturers have been available for advice on issues such as starting-up in business, or simply for a chat on treatment suggestions etc. These 5 weeks have been one of the best experiences ever, having learnt so much from some of the best professionals in this industry. I definitely recommend Active Health Group to anyone interested in a career in sports therapy.