Want a career in the outdoors? Get paid to become a professional Outdoor Instructor!

 

1st, 2nd and 3rd year Trainee options (depending on experience)

 

·     Private room in shared house, all bills and food included

·     All training costs and NGB qualifications included

·     Full details below

 

Our Trainee scheme is designed to give you the skills, qualifications and confidence to pursue a career in the outdoor industry.

 

Background: In our industry there exists a catch 22 where you can’t get qualifications without experience and you can’t get experience without qualifications. The solve for this has been to volunteer time at an outdoor centre and pay to do your qualifications privately or to pay thousands of pounds to enrol in a fast-track instructor scheme where you solely work towards qualifications but have limited time consolidating your skills with groups.

 

We recognised that there needs to be another way and for the last 20 years we have run a highly successful voluntary Trainee Scheme which offers NGB qualifications and a contribution to your expenses. Our scheme consistently produces highly qualified outdoor professionals, many of our staff are snapped up by respected companies like Outward Bound, Low Mill, Newlands while others use their sought after qualifications and experience to travel the world. New Zealand seems to be the favoured destination!

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When we have a vacancy at High Adventure for a full time permanent instructor we always recruit from our trainees as we believe they are the best out there.

 

Our 1st year trainee scheme is open to anyone with a passion for the outdoors and a desire to share that passion with others. You do not need any qualifications other than a driving licence; you just need to be a nice,

enthusiastic person. You don’t need to be an academic either, just practical and a good hands on learner.

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Our 2nd and 3rd year trainee schemes can be joined by those who already have some experience and/or NGB’s and wish to attain a full complement of qualifications while improving their soft skills in a professional and supportive environment.

If you already have some experience working at a Centre and have site specific qualifications but not NGB’s and feel starting at Year 1 would be a step backwards, don’t worry as we can slot you into the scheme and not teach you to suck eggs!

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The Trainee Scheme is a 12 month voluntary commitment where you will learn everything you need to become a well rounded professional. Following a period of induction you will take a full and active role in the life of the business, you will be mentored and trained in all the activities we offer and gain National Governing Body awards in climbing, caving, paddling and cycling along with 1st aid and in house activities (details below).

 

After 12 months you may be invited to volunteer as a second year trainee and gain higher level qualifications like Mountain Leader and PCV minibus driver.

A third year is offered to Trainees who wish to further consolidate and improve their CV with a training budget that you can spend on the area you wish to specialise.

 

We offer the following contributions to your expenses:

£450 per month Year 1

£600 per month Year 2

£750 per month Year 3

 

All your bills are paid and food is provided while groups are in residence (most of the time). Your personal expenses are of course your own business but as we provide staff clothing and you have use of our equipment you should find that if you limit your essentials to your phone contract, beer tokens and personal luxuries our training scheme is a financially sound way to become a professional instructor of multiple activities.

 

While volunteering on the trainee scheme we will treat you as a respected colleague and team member and we will afford you the same conditions as our permanent workforce.

 

Qualifications you should achieve:

(This list is totally realistic and achievable to every trainee but requires time and effort on your part to get the right skill level for each qualification)

 

It is important to understand that NGB’s are professional qualifications that are recognised by every employer, they are not in-house qualifications. In house qualifications are only valid at the business you received them. In house qualifications are important to show employers the depth of your skillset but if you are comparing us against another training option then look closely at the NGB’s offered.

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Year 1 Trainee – NGB

Rock Climbing Instructor (RCI) – Training

Level 1 LCMLA Training and Assessment (Caving)

Foundation Safety and Rescue Training (paddling)

Paddle Explore Award

Paddlesport Instructor

Paddlesport Leader

MIAS Road Leader (Cycling)

PCV Medical (minibus)

PCV Theory Test

CPC Mod 2&4 (minibus)

16 hour Outdoor First Aid and Assessment

 

Year 1 Trainee – In House training

PPE Inspection

Bike Maintenance

Coaching processes

GCSE delivery

Manual handling

Archery

High Ropes

Low Ropes

Indoor Climbing and bouldering

Onsite Abseil

Local crag climbing and Abseil

Team building

Cycling

Labyrinth

Caving

Stream scramble

Zip wire

 

In addition to all of the above you will be a part of the team and involved in every aspect of the running of a busy outdoor centre. As your skills progress you will be given more responsibility with groups. You have access to all of our equipment and vehicles to allow you to get out and about and a professional and knowledgeable team to mentor and support you on your journey.

 

Year 2 Trainee – NGB

Rock Climbing Award (RCI) Assessment

Mountain Leader Training (ML)

Canoe Award Training and Assessment

White Water Training and Assessment

Paddlesport Coach training

PCV practical training and Assessment (minibus)

Year 2 Trainee - In House

Continued development and mentoring in all areas covered in year 1

 

Year 3 Trainee – NGB

Your choice of specialism up to a course value of £1300, options include:

Level 2 LCMLA Training and Assessment (caving)

Mountain Leader Assessment

Paddlesport Coach Assessment

White water Kayak Leader

White Water Safety and Rescue

Canoe leader

MIAS Training and assessment (mountain biking)

BCA Mines Training and Assessment

IOL Buschcraft course

Coaching Processes Training with Steve Banks

 

The role in general

As a Trainee at High Adventure you will be expected to volunteer for 12 months and help facilitate the running of the Centre on a day to day basis.

The bulk of your training will obviously occur during the first few months of your time with us along with a considerable amount of time shadowing experienced instructors and developing your skills in preparation for getting experience leading groups during our busier times. When we are really busy you will be gaining experience with groups in the areas you have qualified in, it obviously cannot be all training all year, so you will spend a significant amount of time in front of groups honing your skills as an instructor. When bookings ease after the Summer more time is again dedicated to specific training and assessments.

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