A report released by the U.S. Department of Labor predicts that career opportunities in the fitness market will grow faster than any other market, at least until 2012. If you're searching for a lasting career, Pilates may be the perfect choice.

There are many facilities across the U.S that offer classes for Pilates certification. You can find studios in New York, Florida and California, as well as many other states. Pilates certification can generally be divided into two areas, mat instruction and comprehensive instruction.

Usually classes for mat instruction are held at area health clubs or fitness centers. These are generally done quite quickly over the course of a single weekend or two. Most places will charge from $100 and up for this type of Pilates training.

To achieve certification in Pilates, comprehensive training will require a lot more time, anywhere from twelve to eighteen months. During that period you will need to work around 900 hours as a teacher apprentice and have to complete basic psychology and anatomy classes.

They may also require that you've had at least one year of previous Pilates training and have had a number of private sessions. The tuition fees will range anywhere from $2,000 up to $4,000.

There are many specialized fields for Pilates. You may choose to target athletes, children or go into rehabilitive Pilates. If your desire is to be a teacher, training classes of your own students, comprehensive training will teach you all you need to know.

If you can't find a facility or studio near you that provides Pilates training, there are many places online that will let you complete a home study course. These places may only require that you finish the training within a certain amount of months and will cost from $50 to several hundred.