Three new innovative certificate pathways have launched at City College offering students an opportunity to jump into their careers early.
The three new certificates, fitness trainer, pre-sports medicine and coaching, launched at the start of this fall semester and are ready for registration for spring 2026. They are aimed toward students who are looking for careers within the sports, fitness and healthcare industries.
The Physical Education Department has been working on these certification pathways for over a year. In the summer 2024, they began meeting with the faculty involved and started writing the program curriculum
“In May of this year we got the approval,” Chair of Physical Education Kathleen O’Connor said. “We have all been so enthusiastic about these programs.”
The certificates place a big emphasis on hands-on experience with their work experience requirements.
All of the certificate heads have met with local businesses and organizations about getting students work experience.
“We have worked with everyone, Page Youth, San Marcos High,” Ashley Farias, head of the coaching certificate said. “We picked their brains. If they could build a program, what would it be?”
With all three certificates relating to fitness and sports, there is hope amongst the certificate heads that students will utilize all of these certificates to further their educational and career goals. It can lead to students getting career opportunities right out of City College and not necessarily needing to attend a four-year college.
“It’s huge to have a program where they don’t have to go to a four-year if they don’t want to,” Susan Houlihan-Davis, head of the pre-sports medicine certificate said. “We are hoping that our programs will actually overlap each other.”
In recent years, kinesiology has been a rapidly growing major, sitting as the seventh most popular in the country.
Currently, City College has over 200 declared kinesiology majors, many of whom are starting these certificate programs. These programs offer credits for kinesiology students and provide them a way to get real experience which many four-year institutions are looking for in prospective transfer students.
“They can do these programs, get their kinesiology for transfer and go on to a four-year,” O’Connor said. “I think there is a real advantage to that.”
The certificate programs take just one year to complete and would include 16 units per certificate. Therefore, students have the opportunity to enter the workforce within their career field while still working towards a degree.
“The way the program is able to be completed within a year is great,” Diego Ramirez, co-head of the fitness certificate program said. “You can actually start your career, getting a paycheck while still getting an education.”
While the programs are still young, the Physical Education Department foresees that they will grow.
“Once we get the word out to those students it will start generating more interest,” O’Connor said. “I’m happy to meet with anyone that is curious and wants more information.”
The department will host an open house Nov. 9 for kinesiology majors and anyone else interested in these certification programs in the East Campus Room 20.
