So you want to be an Outdoor Educator?

We meet a lot of people in our travels who are interested in becoming Outdoor Educators, or working in the field of Outdoor & Experiential Education. This might even include positions as varied as Wilderness or  Eco-Tour Guides,  Advanced-Level Trippers, Expedition Leaders,  Adventure Leaders, Tour Operators, Logistics Coordinators, or even just Outdoor Enthusiasts.

We know as employers in this field, that there are some very definite must-haves for applicants who are interested in employment with many of the above-listed titles. The list of must-haves is even more important if you are looking to get a position beyond just basic camp counsellor roles and related pay-grades. The first and foremost amongst these must-haves is the necessity of possessing and maintaining current industry-standard certifications in things like Wilderness First Responder and Swiftwater Rescue Technician for those seeking to lead in a moving water environment. However, much like how nowadays you are no longer guaranteed a steady-paying job with an undergraduate degree, you must also possess more than just certifications. Experience is the name of the game, and without it you are unlikely to find work easily!

Seeing the need for a "one-stop-shop", Leaders of the Day have carefully crafted a modular program that serves all of these needs and more. Not only does our newly-updated Outdoor Educator Certification Program (OECP) allow you to combine the modules that are just right for you, your experience, and your desired work path, but we have strategically arranged them in such a way that allows you to tick these items off of your list in as short a time as possible and still be out in time for the peak of the summer season. Not only will you be able to contact a potential (or current employer) and tell them that you will have all of this new experience accumulated before the summer even starts, but you will have the rest of the summer to work and make money doing what you love more than anything - working outside!

Our Leadership Field Practicum delivers beyond just certifications and begins to add considerable experience to your resume... just what employers want to see.  Join us for an experience of a lifetime paddling the Harricanaw River starting in Quebec and paddling all the way to James Bay. Along the way you will learn all about low-impact camping, knot-tying, whitewater canoeing, risk assessment and group management, navigating with a map and compass, and of course the delicate craft of cooking over open fire, among other valuable skills. Once you reach James Bay, you will be met and water-taxied back to Moose Factory by First Nations community members. The next day you will say your goodbyes and board the Polar Bear Express Train as a group & travel back to Cochrane, ON where our team will meet and escort you back to base camp for a course-end graduation & celebration banquet!

As if that wasn't enough... we take things one step further. With our breadth and depth of experience in the field, Leaders of the Day Co-Founders, Tony Cox and I are invested in our students' success. We are happy to help you find the right fit in an employer or stream of Outdoor Education that reflects your strengths and talents. So much so, that we will observe each of you and make recommendations about where you might find a great fit with an employer. In some cases there can even be opportunities to further develop your skills as an intern or employee with Leaders of the Day.  In many cases we will be happy to make a call on your behalf and say really nice things about you too!

So there you have it. For more information about the different modules available with our OECP and the different skills taught within them, be sure to visit the OECP page on our website!

Thanks for visiting our blog. Stay tuned, as there is always more to come from Leaders of the Day and the Institute for Transformative Experience.

See you out there!
Jonathan Carroll
Co-Founder & Director
Leaders of the Day

Trailhead Program - University of Guelph

Most people say that if you are going to tell a story that you should start at the beginning.  However, in our line of work we spend a lot of time starting with the end in mind and then working our way backwards from there. So, as I sit to write a Blog about this year’s Trailhead Program partnership with the University of Guelph, I am drawn to do the same.  Endings after all are just really powerful new beginnings.

One of the things that I often tell students participating in our programs is that as the final day of their adventure approaches that there will be some moment, when they will “glance back over their shoulder” to take stock of all they have done and accomplished and that they will be truly amazed. Students often smile and take that comment in, perhaps thinking that it’s a nice idea or an interesting catch phrase, but on the final night of the expedition as we sit by the fire, there is no doubt that they all believe it.

It was Day 4 of our expedition in the interior of Algonquin Park. We had pushed hard to get off the beaten track and to escape the busier lakes and the tourist crowd. For our efforts, we found ourselves deep in the park. We had been rewarded with incredible wildlife encounters - including an unforgettable opportunity to drift by a moose in our canoes! We had incredible pastel sunsets and sunrises and the incredible satisfaction of knowing that it had been our own hard work and determination that had gotten us there.

  
Our group had worked hard and really pushed themselves to try new things. They portaged canoes, cooked on fires, camped in tents beneath the stars and learned to work with and trust one another while traveling some of Canada’s most beautiful landscapes. There was a lot of laughter, stories, great food and the opportunity to have a pause from the busy push of life and work, to dream about the future for a while in some stunning places.

As we set up our campsite for our final night together on a lake free from any other groups of adventurers, we excitedly re-capped all the incredible memories that people were going to be taking home with them. That night we baked fresh cinnamon buns over an open-fire then built up the fire to enjoy our final night on Moccasin Lake. 

As we sat there in the glow of the fire-light, many of the students spoke about how the expedition had really drawn out their strengths in unexpected ways and had helped them to focus their sights on their futures. Others spoke about how important it had been to share such a fun adventure with new friends. 

  





Trailhead Program graduates had this to say about their experience:
"The Trailhead program is one of the best pre-orientation events at the University of Guelph. I highly recommend you take part in this wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience to meet fellow first year students, learn about the environment, how you can do better in university, and have some fun! Canoeing in picturesque Algonquin Park under the mentorship of Leaders of the Day was life changing. As a first year student I learned and laughed a lot as our trip unfolded. If I had the chance, I would definitely go again. If you love canoeing, camping, having fun, the outdoors, getting ahead in university, and portaging then this is for you! Well maybe you won’t like portaging the very first time, but I bet you will by the end of the trip; I know I did!" - Alexander Heinze, first year student at the University of Guelph

"Once again, thanks again for such an amazing experience, I truly feel like a changed person and like I'm ready for this next adventure in my life."  - Holly McEwan, first year student at the University of Guelph

It was a group of strangers that arrived for their adventure on the Trailhead Program with Leaders of the Day this summer, but it was a group of friends who shared the bus ride home!  If you or someone you know will be enrolling at the University of Guelph as a new student this year, we invite you to be a part of the Trailhead Program experience.  After all, the Trailhead is where all great adventures begin.  Let us help you with the start of this one... You can register today by visiting the Trailhead Page at Leaders of the Day!