Training for the adventure industry.

If you’ve ever wanted to be a ski instructor, life guard, surf instructor or rafting guide, check out the following podcast about getting the right training for the adventure industry to land that dream position.

The guest on the podcast is Mike Mathers, an industry veteran with decades of experience specialising in safety standards and programs in the outdoor adventure industry.

As you can well imagine, it’s a complex topic and we only just scratched the surface on the podcast.

Here are some topics we would have liked to include, or expand on,  but just didn’t get around to it.

1. When it comes to first aid training, you’re most likely patient will be a family member, a colleague, a friend, or yourself.
2. High levels of training massively increases your chances of getting employee housing in the ski industry. With a limited number of employee housing beds at most resorts, the rockstar Level 4 instructor who speaks multiple languages is going to get that bed ahead of a level 1 rookie.
3. More training = greater chance of getting invited to international professional development exchanges. Ski patrollers and lifeguards are regularly working in foreign countries so they can share knowledge about rescue techniques and the latest technology.
4. Training only goes so far. When it comes to tragedies in the adventure sector, the problems typically start with a decision to proceed with an activity in unsafe conditions. The more experience you have, the less likely you will underestimate the avalanche danger, the strength of rip in the surf, or the unseen danger in a river. Experience matters.
5. Suggested reading 50% of Mountaineering is uphill about mountain rescue pioneer Willi Pfisterer. He would say “There’s no heroes in a mountain rescue team, just people doing their jobs to the best of their ability”. The person in charge of  fuel supplies and packing first aid kits is just as important as the medic rapelling out of a helicopter.

We hope you enjoy this podcast and keep your eyes out for training opportunities on the “Get Trained Up” page due to go up in late January 2023.