Bushwise to tackle skills scarcity head on

Charles Delport

Too many field guiding courses are offering quick, superficial training that doesn't equip students with the skills they need to get a job, advance their career or, in some cases, even pass the Level 1 Field Guide Association of SA exam, says Charles Delport, Head Trainer at Bushwise.

Bushwise claims that over six years an average of 94% of its students passed the FGASA exams at the first attempt. It's most recent group of 29 graduates achieved an average mark of 90.76%.

In addition to providing in-depth theoretical and practical training over 25 weeks Bushwise also offers a 50-week programme which includes an internship at a top safari lodge.

According to Delport, South African field guides are in demand and many hopeful candidates consider it an industry with low-barriers to entry and good career prospects compared to many other sectors of the economy.

"The problem is that the safari operators don't have the time or inclination to train an insufficiently knowledgeable guide on the job. Nor can they afford let someone who has just scraped through the FGASA exam and with no work experience guide a group of international tourists who've paid top dollar for the experience.

"The tragedy is that people who sign up for these cheaper short, intense courses don't realise that even if they pass the exam they may have trouble getting a job. The problem is then compounded because potentially good guides become disillusioned and are lost to the industry."

He argues that this is why some minimum standards, other than just the FGASA level 1 exam are needed when it comes to field guide training.