COEUR d'ALENE - Garth Profitt is a soft-spoken 67-year-old. But his quiet nature isn't a sign of detachment from life. Far from it. For Profitt, who is on his third career, life is just getting going.Profitt, who has worked as a sports broadcaster and a carpenter, recently received the Idaho Community Foundation Professional Workforce Scholarship. The trades and industry scholarship allowed Profitt to take his life in a new direction by returning to North Idaho College for his personal trainer certificate.

Profitt became interested in becoming a personal trainer in his mid-50s because of the income and the physical nature of the work. However, until he retired from carpentry at age 63, he said didn't have enough time, energy or money to go back to school."I was still young enough and strong enough and physical enough to do something," Profitt said. "Plus I needed to work because carpentry didn't have the 401(k) plan."

Additionally, Profitt was drawn to the idea of being able to help others. He said that he has always helped people in one way or another, either by volunteering as an emergency medical technician or at Kootenai Medical Center."Well, it's going to help me," he said. "It's going to help me physically. You're going to get stronger. You're going to eat better, and then I thought, 'Boy, there are a lot of other people out there that really need help.'"

Personal trainer certification is a noncredit course offered through NIC's Workforce Training Center in Post Falls. The course is divided into three sections, with 15 hours of classroom instruction, 15 hours of practical instruction and a 30-hour internship at a local gym, according to Workforce and Community Education Director Marie Price. The course is taught by Aaron Latimer, who has a doctorate in physical therapy and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

"There are a lot of local facilities that use personal trainers," Price said. "With the increase in health clubs and sports training facilities in our area, the need for personal trainers has increased."For Profitt, one of the benefits of the personal trainer certification course was that it forced him to use his mind in ways he wasn't used to.

"Boy, I was surprised how it helped my brain," he said. "As a carpenter you know, you're reading blueprints, doing a lot of math because you're figuring out stuff. But this was totally strange to me because it was science. It's just like applying your biceps or triceps. You know stretching them out."Profitt is working on his internship hours at Snap Fitness in Coeur d'Alene and hopes to work for a club or on his own once certified.

The next personal trainer certification course will be offered from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Tuesday through April 1 on the NIC campus in Coeur d'Alene. Cost is $549 plus books.The course is open for enrollment through the NIC Workforce Training Center.

For more information or to register, call (208) 769-3333 or go to www.workforcetraining.nic.edu.Eli Francovich is a North Idaho College journalism student and College Relations intern.