NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
OUTDOOR INSTRUCTOR TRAINING ACADEMY
- No previous experience necessary
- 16 weeks of intensive training
- 16 National governing body qualifications
- Training and assessments included
- Accommodation and catering included
- European ski trip
- Nationwide training & trips
- Full equipment package
- Workshops from industry experts
- Unlimited shadowing opportunities
- Full-time contracts available on completion
COURSE STARTS 30TH OCTOBER 2022
overview
The training runs five days a week. We’ll begin each day with a morning briefing and finish with an evening review. There'll be time to sort out your kit before sitting down to a home-cooked evening meal in the lodge. Take full advantage of our facilities on your evenings and at weekends to process your learning, and develop your personal skills.
Training for outdoor qualifications involves adventuring in a wide variety of environments. That's why our course includes a European Ski Trip as well as overnight and day trips to National Parks and Areas of Outstanding National Beauty across the UK.
There will be plenty of opportunities to shadow our experienced instructors and we’ll be hosting a series of evening lectures delivered by industry experts. You’ll work with instructors from our team alongside accredited professionals whom we know and trust. In short, you’ll receive the best training in the industry! You will be trained by the industry’s best coaches in the qualifications required to ensure year-round employment opportunities as an outdoor professional
This course will push you to your limits – but it promises to be a rewarding experience, as you'll graduate with a strong belief in yourself and an exciting future working in the great outdoors. My team and I will be here to support you every step of the way.
Luke Moore
Course Director
COURSE STARTS 31st OCTOBER 2022
rock sports
The Mountain Training Rock Climbing Instructor (RCI) Award is the industry standard for instructing climbing and abseiling in the UK. It qualifies you to work in indoor climbing centres, climbing walls and outside on rock.
Your first step will be to develop your personal climbing. We’ll coach and support you to ensure you are climbing beyond the RCI standard of lead climbing at severe grade. You’ll train on some of the best limestone crags in the UK, including the famous Cheddar Gorge and you’ll have access to our private on-site rock sport quarry. In the evenings we’ll continue your training at indoor climbing centres.
Your course includes trips to the Peak District, Dartmoor and the South Coast, so you can log some of the best climbs in the country. Next, you’ll go through an intensive, three-day RCI training programme with Mountain Training, the awarding body. This will cover technical competence, management and decision making, teaching skills and the climbing environment.
In order to complete your RCI assessment, you'll just need to log additional indoor and outdoor climbs and observe or assist with climbing sessions. We will provide live shadowing opportunities during and after the course. You may not be ready for your RCI assessment within the 16 weeks; however, we’ll work with you to get your prerequisites completed and arrange your assessment when you are ready.
paddle sports
The British Canoeing Paddlesport Instructor qualifies you to run introductory sessions on canals, lakes and rivers in kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards.
Your first step will be to develop your personal paddling skills in kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards. Once you’re confident on flat water we’ll push you further on moving white water.
With trips to Dartmoor and South Wales and rolling sessions in the swimming pool, you’ll soon be a confident and skilled paddler.
Once you have developed your personal skills you will attend a Foundation and Safety Rescue Training which will teach you how to look after yourself and others while on the water. This will lead onto a Paddlesport Instructor training and assessment course which qualifies you to lead introductory sessions in paddle sports.
You will also be trained and assessed for the White Water Kayak Award, Canoe Award, Stand up Paddle Board Award and undertake a White Water Safety and Rescue course.
You'll finish the course as a confident paddler and a qualified British Canoeing Paddlesport Instructor with Canoe and Kayak Awards. This, along with the RCI Climbing Instructor qualification are the two main qualifications expected by the industry.
SNOW SPORTS
The UKSS Level 1 Ski Instructor award qualifies you to instruct on artificial dry slopes or indoor snow domes.
Our training program is unique, not only do we include all the must-have summer qualifications but we are the only course that also includes an essential winter snowsport qualification. With our own snowsport park on-site there is no easier way to complete this qualification.
Our experienced instructors will get you from snowplough to parallel skiing in no time. Once you can turn, control speed and avoid others, you can take advantage of using the slope anytime. You will also have an opportunity to learn to snowboard in your own time and we can advise you how to get dual qualified.
Once you are ready, external coaches from Snowsport England will guide you through the UKSS Level 1 Ski Instructor Training which focuses on refining your personal skiing and how to manage and teach groups.
After completing this training you will need to log shadowing and coaching hours before completing the Alpine Instructor assessment. We will support you by providing opportunities to shadow lessons that run during evenings and weekends.
CAVING
The British Caving Association Local Cave Leader Award Level 1 is the industry standard for leading groups in caves.
The first step to gaining this award is to become a proficient and experienced caver. There is no better place in the world to do this. The Mendip Hills conceals the largest underground cave network in the UK and is the birth place of cave diving. You will explore some beginner caves and our experienced team will guide you through more adventurous systems and underground sumps on the Mendip Hills, South Wales and the Peak District.
Once you have the required personal experience you will complete the British Caving Association Local Cave Leader Award training. This will further improve your personal skills and teach you to confidently manage groups within a cave.
Once qualified you can lead groups in specific caves, but it is a simple authorisation process to add additional caves to your award once you are familiar with them – making this qualification useful in many areas in the UK.
OUTDOOR PURSUITS
You’ll have all the training and industry qualifications that outdoor centres are looking for. However, we don’t stop there. The Mendip Accelerated Instructor Training programme will ensure you have everything you need to be in constant demand as a professional outdoor instructor.
Duke of Edinburgh: We’ll support you through the invaluable Duke of Edinburgh Supervisor and Assessor course which will enable you to supervise DofE groups.
Target Sports: The Archery GB leader and YPS tutor courses will enable you coach introductory sessions in Archery and Air Rifles.
Bushcraft: Our 250 acre woodland base is the perfect venue to become an expert in bushcraft and forest school.
Navigation and Expedition Skills: We will ensure your personal navigation is excellent and you will have plenty of opportunities to develop your expedition skills.
OTHER qualifications
To be a working, outdoor professional you’ll need an outdoor first aid and safeguarding qualification. The course includes a comprehensive, two-day ITC Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid and a UK Coaching Safeguarding and Protecting Children Course.
You’ll also complete a Food Hygiene Level 2 certificate which will be useful in most residential outdoor centres and for leading bushcraft sessions.
These essential extras will give employers the confidence to offer you longer contracts with immediate starts.
EXPEDITIONS
During the course, you will visit various National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty so you can canoe, climb, walk and cave in some of the best areas of the country.
The course includes week-long residential training in the Peak District and the Lake District. We will also regularly spend the day out training on Exmoor, the Quantocks, South Wales and Dartmoor.
The costs of all trips are included in your course fees. We will provide transport, accommodation and food so you can focus on training and development.
WORKSHOPS
We’ll host weekly workshops, presentations and seminars from industry professionals which will give you invaluable insight into life as an outdoor instructor. Our busy, outdoor activity centre will be open throughout your course. This provides an unparalleled opportunity to shadow sessions and observe the different instructional styles first hand. You’ll also use this time to start preparing for your new career.
We’ll help you create a professional CV with your information presented in a way we know the industry likes. We will guarantee you an interview here at Mendip Outdoor Pursuits.
QUALIFICATIONS
16 National Governing Body Qualifications. All qualification costs are included in your course fees. You will be trained by the industry’s best coaches in the qualifications required to ensure year-round employment opportunities as an outdoor professional
Mountain Training (MT)
Rock Climbing Instructor Training
Rock Climbing Instructor Assessment
British Caving Association (BCA)
Cave Leader Training
British Canoeing (BC)
Paddlesport Instructor
Paddle Explore Award
White Water Award
Canoe Award
Stand Up Paddleboard Award
Foundation Safety and Rescue
White Water Safety and Rescue
Duke Of Edinburgh (DofE)
DofE Supervisor & Assessor
Snowsports (SSE)
UKSS Level 1 Ski Instructor Training
UKSS Level 1 Ski Instructor Assessment
Archery GB (AGB)
Archery Leader Training & Assessment
National Small-Bore Rifle Association (NRSA)
Rifle Instructor Training & Assessment
Essential
ITC Level 3 Outdoor First Aid Award
UK Coaching Safeguarding and Protecting Children
Food Hygiene Level 2 Certificate
UK Government Enhanced DBS
Additional Training
Hill Walking, Expedition and Navigation Skills
Learn to Ski
Learn to Snowboard
Bushcraft & Forest School
Team Building Facilitation
COURSE SUMMARY
COURSE DATES: Starts 30th October 2022 for 16 weeks of intensive training with a break over Christmas. (You must be 18 by 30th October 2022)
COURSE LOCATION: Fully catered accommodation in a country lodge at Mendip Activity Centre, Churchill, BS25 5PQ. Training and trips take place locally and nationally.
QUALIFICATIONS: 16 National governing body qualifications, and a wide range of new skills and experiences.
JOB PROSPECTS: Summer and winter qualifications to ensure year-round employment opportunities. Unlimited shadowing opportunities and full-time contracts available on completion.
COST: Secure your space for £500. The remaining cost is £9,000, payable by 1st September 2022. Full equipment package available for an extra £800 (worth £1,700)
CAREER PROGRESSION
We will guarantee you an interview to start work immediately at Mendip Activity Centre!
Upon completion, apply for a seasonal, full-time, salaried position over our peak summer season which could be extended into a winter contract. Or, you could opt to join our freelance pool of instructors and pick and choose the work you want.
If you prefer to relocate after graduating we will introduce you to other outdoor centres, help you put together a CV and supply references so you can work where you want.
Whatever you decide to do on graduation, this course is well respected in the industry and we have designed it so you will finish with great career prospects.
