Back to School:
Franchisees Find Success With Internship Programs
F
or Planet Fitness® franchisees, finding
talent and quality labor will forever
be a reality of doing business. Some
franchisees, however, have found success
in bypassing traditional hiring methods by
looking to local educational organizations to
locate fresh-minded team members.
Aside from providing a solution to
the need for temporary or part-time help,
bringing in college students shows a commit-
ment to a younger demographic. After all, it
is these individuals who will grow to become
the business leaders of the future.
Each franchise group that offers
internship opportunities structures their
program in a slightly different way, but for
most groups, it all starts with career fairs.
Sunshine Fitness Looks to
Master Marketing
“We have partnerships with area
colleges such as the University of Central
Florida, Rollins College and Full Sail
University,” said Anthony Roberts Jr.,
marketing manager with Eric Dore and
Shane McGuiness’s Sunshine Fitness
Management. “Annually, we attend their
career fairs to raise awareness for job and
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The marketing department at Sunshine Fitness
hired Ken Landis, left, as an intern in 2017.
Landis gained skills in marketing, communica-
tions, social media and content marketing during
his tenure with the franchise group.
career opportunities we have – whether
they are interested in careers in the fitness
lifestyle industry or just looking to make
extra money while in school.”
Sunshine Fitness
Management’s
internship program,
established in 2017,
was geared toward
individuals looking
to gain experience in
marketing, commu-
by Christina Cannon
nications, social
media or content
marketing. After attending career fairs and
vetting resumes, the company conducts
in-person interviews.
“Once an interview is scheduled,
applicants are tasked with visiting the
nearest Planet Fitness, provided a week
pass and informed to report back their
thoughts on the company/atmosphere of
our gyms to see if they consider it a best-fit
for them,” explained Roberts Jr. “This was
essential due to the individual having to
work in an office setting but on behalf of
our clubs. So, visiting a club would provide
them with a sense of our brand and its
unique offerings.”
After receiving over 50 applications,
Sunshine Fitness Management brought
Ken Landis on board.
“Ken was ultimately selected due