OCCUPATION: Aerobics Instructor

Name: Zoe Thomas-Hagmann

Employer: Aerobic Paradise, Huntington Harbour

Thumbs up: “I enjoy interacting with people and helping them feel good about themselves and their bodies. People drag into class after work and when they leave here, they’re on top of the world because they’ve left all that stress and tension behind. This is a helping profession, kind of like being a nurse. I’ve had people come up to me after class to tell me that exercising helped them get through a divorce or some other trying time.”

Thumbs down: “Aerobics instructors get burned out sometimes because you have to be ‘up’ for every class, even when you’re having a bad day.”

Next step: “I would like to work with retarded children and the elderly. They have very special physiological needs.”

Advice: “It’s important to have solid background knowledge when designing fitness routines. That’s why I prefer to hire instructors with a four-year degree in physical education or kinesiology.”

Salary range: Health clubs often pay beginning instructors minimum wage, with pay increases based on experience. Some instructors make $10 to $25 per hour.

Educational and training requirements: Certification workshops are offered by community colleges, Reebok, the American Council on Exercise and the Aerobic Fitness Assn. of America. Some clubs also require a four-year degree in dance, physical education or kinesiology.

Size of work force: Small, there are about 1,500 aerobics instructors employed in Orange County.

Expected demand: Steady.

Job description: Aerobics instructors lead group exercise sessions, instructing participants in warm-up, stretching, cardiovascular and cool-down routines.

Major employing industries: Health clubs, YMCAs, corporations with on-site gyms, community centers and community colleges.

For more information: Contact the American Council on Exercise at (213) 832-1595 or the Aerobic Fitness Assn. of America at (800) 446-2322.