FGASA Professional Field Guide Course
Details
Outline
The curriculum is designed to encompass the highest level of skills, experience and qualifications possible that you will need to get be a high quality, professional employable guide, researcher or conservationist in the given time. Although we follow the
FGASA syllabus we add additional training, equivalent to FGASA level 2 knowledge, as well as drawing on the knowledge and experience of the trainers, to broaden your knowledge, enhance experiences and put you a step, or two, above the average graduate. We
have purposely and carefully picked additional activities that will not only add to your enjoyment but more importantly make you more employable long-term, without compromising the vital foundation needed to reach your best potential as a field guide. Students
come out at the end of the Bushwise course having had the most amazing experience and exposure to African fauna and flora, whilst gaining the highest standard of knowledge and expertise possible for an entry level guide. This is what Bushwise graduates sort
after employment in the industry and what they are renowned for.
The curriculum includes the following topics:
- Introduction to guiding in the natural environment
- Creating a guided nature experience
- Geology
- Astronomy
- Weather & climate
- Ecology
- Taxonomy
- Biomes of Southern Africa
- Botany – trees & grasses
- Arthropods
- Amphibians
- Reptiles
- Fish
- Birds
- Mammals
- Understanding animal behaviour
- Conservation management & historical habitation
- Vehicle Skills and basic mechanics
- 4 x 4 training
- Specialist guest speakers
- Hospitality & hosting basics in a lodge environment
- Principles of anti-poaching
- Survival & navigation
- Viewing potentially dangerous animals
- Rifles & rifle handling
- Bush first aid skills
- Tracking (Cybertrack Track and Sign)
- Wildlife photography
We aim to incorporate practical sessions specifically aimed at the topic covered, after each lecture to ensure the knowledge is immediately imbedded in your memory. These include activities such as “Frogging Night” in the dam after the amphibian lecture, or astronomy practicals on sleepout after the astronomy lecture and survival practicals in the bush – making fire, collecting water etc. To study all areas in as much detail as we think necessary to become a top quality guide there is a lot to cover and you need to be prepared to be focused, dedicated and willing to put in the hours to reach the standards require to pass both the FGASA and the Bushwise’s internal standards for theory and practical assessments. Students will not be offered a placement if they have not passed both sets of evaluations. Staff will assist and support you during the course but the motivation to learn needs to come from you, the student. So although the experiences you will have will be amazing, this is not a holiday. It is a training institution that strives for the best results in our students, and we require dedicated and focused students for this course. This is something you should consider before signing up.
Bushwise runs FGASA’s (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa) accredited professional field guide courses, during these courses, we do not loose focus on our goal of producing guides of excellence by diversifying into other areas…we do what we do best and to uphold our excellent reputation… long courses that produce high quality and well sought after guides.
We focus on training students to the highest standard possible in both theoretical knowledge and practical experience to enable them to get the best jobs in the future. We include additional qualifications in the course, which are carefully chosen to ensure there is no compromise on core foundation subjects needed as a guide, to promote our students in the industry and the field they are striving to start a career in.
It is important to note that Bushwise is not ‘just a Level 1 course’, students are taught up to a Level 2 standard to ensure they are highly knowledgeable and immediately prepared from the moment they start their guiding career.
If you are looking to work within big 5 reserves then you need to sign up with Bushwise , as our course provides a focus on working around dangerous game and all practical training is carried out in a 26,000hectare wilderness reserve with dangerous animals including elephant, lion, hippo, buffalo, leopard and rhino. ...
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