Jerred in Training

Jerred's interest in physical fitness isn't new. He's a trained boxer, but he never believed he could do something he loved and make a living at it. "If I did something I enjoyed, I couldn't consider that work." Jerred's practicum at Specialty Training, Inc., however, has shown him that not only is becoming a personal trainer a viable option, he can have a powerful impact on people through this profession.

Jerred shadowed personal trainer Bob Omlin during his practicum – observing Bob's treatment and exercise recommendations for his clients. Afterward, he and Bob would discuss one-on-one why Bob chose the methods and exercises he did. Jerred studied the anatomy and physiology behind the profession on his own, but by shadowing Bob, he witnessed the all-important client interaction. "When somebody comes in and says, 'I want to be in better shape,' it's Bob's job to physically exhaust them." The road ahead is going to be pretty grueling, but while Bob is pushing them physically, "he's also lifting them up and letting them know they're going to make it through this."

Through the Vocational Advancement program and his practicum, Jerred gained "the confidence I needed to leave the trail of dead-end jobs I was on, a trail I thought I was destined to follow the rest of my life."