Exercise Training and Sports Academy (eta) in South Africa has signed up to become the first approved centre in the country to be accredited by health and fitness awarding body Central YMCA Qualifications (CYQ).

The agreement follows a 10-day visit by the CYQ Business Development Team to South Africa in March as part of the UK government’s Passport to Export scheme.

“Because of the international profile of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in South Africa, a key focus for the government there is very much on developing skills, particularly in the fitness industry,” said Lori Randall, business development manager and acting executive director of CYQ.

“Many of the football stadiums being constructed have sports centres attached to them and so there is a need for trained fitness professionals to operate within these environments.”

Gaining a CYQ-approved fitness qualification will also enable individuals from South Africa to join the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs), allowing them to take their skills to other countries.

As well accrediting as the South African centre, CYQ has approved a further 54 training centres in the UK, Ireland and Italy and issued nearly 39,000 certificates in the past financial year – a 5 per cent increase year on year.

Randall said: "This year we have put a firm focus on providing the best possible service to our customers; keeping all our fees as competitive as possible, introducing customer support advisors for each of our centres and providing extra training days to support delivery and assessment.”

Photograh: Rosi Prescott, CEO of Central YMCA and Lori Randall, business development manager and acting executive director of CYQ hand the agreement to be the South African centre to eta directors Linda and Steve Halliday.