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A
Job To Love
You and your guiding team are leading
a group of tourists on a hike in a remote
wilderness park. It’s your third
day of hiking and your group is walking
along a river, against the backdrop
of an imposing mountain. Suddenly you
hear something ahead and motion for
everyone to be silent. In the distance
there’s a grizzly bear splashing
in the river looking for fish. You lead
the group to a safe place where they
can still see the bear. You can tell
that the tourists are really excited—they’ve
never seen anything like this before.
And you . . . well, you’re just
happy to have this land as your home
and share its wonders with people from
around the world.
Ecotourism
guides lead tourists to ecologically
important sites, guide them through
nature-based activities, and teach
them to respect the natural and cultural
environment. As an ecotourism guide,
you’re responsible for knowing
where to go, how to get there, and
where to stay once you’re there.
Most guides work in teams of two or
three and are responsible for groups
of two to twenty tourists. They spend
most of their time outdoors showing
off the beauty of the natural land
and explaining its cultural, historical,
and environmental importance. Many
Aboriginal ecotourism guides live
in their home communities and their
extensive knowledge of the land appeals
to tourists.
Being
a guide has its tough moments. Weather
is always a consideration and it may
seem like somebody in the group is
always too cold or too hot. As a guide,
you’ll have to listen to client
complaints and fix their problems.
There are also other environmental
hazards to consider, such as wildlife
and the potential of natural disasters
that will really put your skills to
the test. Then again, it’s these
kinds of elements that make the job
a daily adventure and allow you to
meet fascinating people from around
the world.
Job
Description
Ecotourism guides share the beauty of
natural places with tourists and encourage
them to learn about the outdoors and
about animals, plants, and the earth
as a whole. Much of the job involves
working with people, so ecotourism guides
must be excellent communicators. For
example, while leading groups through
the prairies, you tell them traditional
stories and explain why buffalo hunts
were once vital. Or you might be on
a rafting trip and have to teach your
group how to set up camp for the night.
Ecotourism guides work for private companies,
tour operators, governments, and environmental
organizations. Other ecotourism guides
are self-employed.
Job
Duties
- Greet
tourists
- Describe
and market tours, including their
length, time, and subject matter
- Plan
itineraries, lunch stops, and breaks
- Explain
to tourists how they should behave
on a tour
- Organize
and guide tourists on sightseeing
and educational tours, in a manner
that does not harm the environment
- Create
learning programs such as interactive
displays, nature hikes, and slide
shows
- Answer
questions and provide information
about your surroundings
- Ensure
that tourists follow proper safety
rules and administer first aid if
required
- Operate
transport vehicles
Fact
In 1999, Aboriginal tourism organizations
employed about 14,000 people in Canada.
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High
school courses that will prepare you
for a job as an ecotourism guide include
geography, physical education, hospitality,
sciences, mathematics, English, and
other languages. Aboriginal studies,
history, and languages will prepare
you for work in a multi-cultural setting.
Talk to your career or academic counsellor
about options, like communications and
business.
The
minimum education requirement for
an ecotourism guide is a high school
diploma. A diploma or bachelor’s
degree may be required in a related
program such as tourism management,
hospitality management, environmental
tourism, leisure studies or recreation
management. Many ecotourism programs
at post-secondary institutions require
a previous undergraduate degree or
diploma in environmental science,
business or tourism. Advanced education
will make you more competitive in
the job market and you’ll find
it easier to get a full-time job and
negotiate your salary.
Before
entering the workforce, some ecotourism
guides require training and certification
in:
- Standard
and Wilderness First Aid
- Wilderness
survival
- Orienteering
- Food
preparation basics
Look
into specific high school pre-requisites
set by the college or university you
would like to attend.
Professional
certification is available for some
ecotourism specialities, such as hot
air ballooning, mountaineering, and
guiding for National Parks.
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Ecotourism
guides with a high school diploma
make an average of $12,000.00 per
year.
Ecotourism
guides with a college diploma make
an average of $20,000.00 per year.
Ecotourism
guides with a university degree make
an average of $32,000.00 per year.
Ecotourism
guides with several years experience
and education make an average of $68,000.00
per year.
Financial
Assistance
In addition to the general scholarship
tips listed in the BUILD MY CAREER
section, the following awards are
specific to ecotourism guides:
Casino Regina Award
Six scholarships of $1,000.00 each
(for university studies) and five
scholarships of $500.00 each (for
technical studies) are awarded to
entrance or undergraduate students
enrolled in a university degree program.
Contact: Financial Aid Office
University Centre, Room 229
University of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4S 0A2
Telephone: (306) 585-4743
CCAB-CHIP
Hospitality: Leaders in Tourism Scholarships
A $2,000.00 award is given to a student
of Aboriginal heritage, in any year
of study in the field of hospitality,
who demonstrates leadership and school
or community service.
Contact: Canadian Council for
Aboriginal Business
Dr. Judy New, Program Director
204A St. George Street
Coach House, Main Floor
Toronto, ON
M5R 2N5
Telephone: (416) 961-8663, ext. 227
Fax: (416) 961-3995
email: faayinfo@ccab.com
website: http://www.ccab.com
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Some
of the best knowledge you’ll
gain for this job will come from listening
to the stories and wisdom of your
relations. Learn about the land and
its history by listening to the stories
of your Elders. Ask them about places
important to your community and find
out what makes them significant. Spend
time outdoors because knowledge of
the natural world, its plants, and
animals will make your studies easier
and impress employers.
Relate to people in similar jobs:
- High
school science teacher
- Science
camp co-ordinator
- University
professor
- Environmental
trainer
Relate
and interact with science camp co-ordinators.
Ask them what they like about their
job and how you should get started.
Aboriginal Tourism Team Canada
Suite 820, 275 Slater Street
Ottawa, ON
K1P 5H9
Toll free: 1-800-724-7872
Telephone: (613) 235-2067
Fax: (613) 235-0396
email: admino@attc.ca
website: www.attc.ca
The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)
1333 H Street NW, Suite 300 East Tower
Washington, DC 20005
U.S.A.
Phone: +1 202 347 9203
Website: www.ecotourism.org
Email: info@ecotourism.org
Relate with other students. There
are Aboriginal student associations
and resource centres at most universities.
Visit these centres to find out what
they have to offer. Also, look into
community, friendship, and multi-cultural
centres. You can also join local bird
watching, naturalist, and outdoor
recreation clubs.
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