We at Venture Forth have been on the forefront of training and assessment in the adventure guide industry since 1994 and have trained more accredited adventure guides than anyone else in Africa. Over the many years we have tried to adapt to market requirements and student needs with our training products.

A number of issues face especially younger people entering the adventure industry.

These include:

1. The confusing number of short courses, training programmes, gap-year programmes, diplomas and degrees available on the market. Many of these are not CATHSSETA accredited or are offered by institutions or instructors who have no real adventure guiding experience.

2. The need for personal activity experience required by each qualification. You cannot be a guide if you do not have a high level of personal skill and experience in the activity. Opportunities to gain this experience under qualified, mature supervision and in an organised cost-effective method is not available.

3. Little available guidance from anyone experienced in the industry and often the available “guidance” and “advice” is just plain wrong or misinformed.

4. No planned career path or career advice is easily available.

5. It is difficult to contact employers in the industry and make a real career out of adventure.

6. There is confusion about what an adventure guide is as opposed to an adventure-based learning facilitator (youth camp councillor).

7. There are some theory-based adventure tourism programmes on the market that offer very limited hard skills and no guide accreditation after completion.

8. Obtaining practical real-world work experience is difficult to arrange.

9. The incorrect assumption that adventure guiding is “not a real job” and has limited earning potential.

We designed the Year@GuideSchool Programme to overcome the above problems. Although it is primarily aimed at younger students (18 – 25 year olds) it is suitable for anyone wanting to enter the industry.