Medi, Sports Instructor

I moved to Finland from Algeria in 2018. I took a Finnish language course, which included an apprenticeship that I completed at Töölön Kisahalli. It was my first contact with the work of a sports instructor, and I got excited about it right away. I have played football all my life, but it was not possible to study sports in Algeria, so I had studied to be an accountant. However, due to the pandemic, I had to wait until April 2021 before the next apprenticeship was available for application. Of the 16 applicants, 4 were selected, so I was able to start my two-year studies. 

I immediately felt that this was my field. I already had the chance to work in a wide range of sports services locations during my studies. I remember how nervous I was to be on stage for the first time at Seniorsäpinät (Senior Shindigs) and lead a warm-up session for over a hundred seniors. I completed the qualification of a swimming instructor right at the beginning of my studies and got my own schoolchildren swimming groups. After graduating in 2023, I had a few fixed-term jobs, and then in the summer of 2024 I got a permanent job as a physical education instructor.  

In my work, I guide diverse groups from gym courses to schoolchildren swimming sessions, children’s and adults’ swimming schools, water exercise and group exercise. In addition, I answer customers’ questions once a week at Liikuntaluuri phone service. I also spend some time on planning the sessions. I often receive praise from customers for the music choices of my sessions, which are not quite conventional. 

It is really rewarding to help customers move and see how they experience success. In swimming schools for children and adults, for example, the best thing is how surprised and delighted they are when they first notice that they are staying afloat. I also remember a senior who, at the beginning of the gym course, could barely lift 16 kilograms in the leg press. A couple of months later, the weight was already well over 50 kg. 

I have received tremendous support and advice from my colleagues. In particular, I remember one co-worker’s good advice: if you want to learn, listen to people. There is a lot of feedback from customers that you can learn from. I still notice progress in myself all the time.  

The best part of my job is my co-workers. Spending 8 hours a day with co-workers makes them feel like a second family.