Paddlesport instructor training
Do you want to turn your passion for paddlesports into a profession?
Begin your journey today with Original Wild!
- AWARD-WINNING ADVENTURE COMPANY
- PADDLESPORT LEADER/INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATION
- 4 WEEKS // MONDAY - THURSDAY
- BESPOKE DEVELOPMENT - ONLY 6 SPACES PER COURSE
No experience necessary!
Our family-feel 4-week training course will give you all the tools you need need to begin work as a paddlesport instructor anywhere in the world. Gain the necessary qualifications and become confident, competent and comfortable leading groups on the water.
Based in and around Bath, a vibrant and historic city, our team will make sure you get the most out of your time with us. We are experts in the field of paddling and we know just what it takes to become a great instructor.
A maximum of 6 trainees per course gives you more 1 to 1 time with our trainers and helps them give you a much more bespoke, supported experience. We can tailor each module to suit your learning style and adapt training as and when necessary.
Running regularly throughout the season, our course enables you to learn the skills needed to find work whatever your future plans. We guarantee each trainee an interview with Original Wild for potential long-term positions as either a seasonal or full-time instructor.
Why Original Wild?
As an outdoor adventure company, we know exactly what to look for when it comes to hiring great staff. We employ only the best instructors, so you can be sure our high standards transfer to your learning.
Being a great outdoor instructor isn’t just about which qualifications you hold, what’s more important is who you are as a person. The best instructors are those who show passion and enthusiasm, whilst being approachable and supportive, and able to think ahead and problem solve. Our course gives you the best start to begin your new career as we don’t just focus on qualifications, we work to help you develop yourself as a well-rounded individual.
Life as a paddlesport instructor isn’t only great for your mental and physical health, it’s also super rewarding to help others experience adventure too! Your passion for the outdoors could help ignite an interest in the next generation of explorers.
The south-west of England has some of the most iconic rivers all within touching distance of our base. From our much-loved River Avon, to the famed River Wye, to the adventurous River Dart; the routes, journeys and practice grounds are many.
The surrounding rivers and oceans have everything required to grow your confidence, increase your technical ability and level-up your capacity to work outside as a paddlesport instructor.
Our course includes:
QUALIFICATIONS
- British Canoeing Discover Award
- British Canoeing Explore Award
- British Canoeing Paddlesport Instructor/Leader
- Foundation Safety & Rescue Training
- Learn to roll a kayak with swimming pool sessions
- Raft building training
ESSENTIAL
- Outdoor First Aid at Work
- Child Safeguarding training
- Leave No Trace awareness training
- Experience working with real customers
- Teambuilding and feedback experience
- Group management experience
PLUS:
- White water adventure trip!
ADD-ONS (not included in course cost):
- Equipment Package (subsidised via trade)
- Accommodation arrangement
and.. memories that will last a lifetime!
Already trained but looking for assessment? Let us know!
Overview
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Pay in full or 3 separate payments
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Award-winning adventure company
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4 weeks, running throughout the season
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Great support with only 6 trainees per course
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No experience necessary
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Experience and qualifications to kick-start your career as a paddlesport instructor
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Qualify to lead groups in three disciplines
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Real customer interaction on sessions
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Paddleboard, Kayak & Canoe
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Indoor and outdoor learning
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Access to equipment during the course
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Guaranteed post-course interview
Book now
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What's Included?
Following a successful 4-week training course, you can expect to gain the following qualifications:
PADDLE
- British Canoeing Discover Award
- British Canoeing Explore Award
- British Canoeing Paddlesport Instructor/Leader
- Foundation Safety & Rescue Training
- Learn to roll a kayak with swimming pool sessions
- Raft building training
ESSENTIAL
- Outdoor First Aid at Work
- Child Safeguarding training
- Leave No Trace awareness training
- Experience working with real customers
- Teambuilding and feedback experience
- Group management and feedback experience
ADD-ONS (not included in course cost):
- Equipment Package (subsidised via trade)
- Accommodation arrangement
During your paddlesport instructor training course, you’re not just collecting qualifications. Although these are obviously fairly important towards a life of epic adventure, there’s much more to it than just that! We can work with you to learn and improve the following skills:
- Paddling a variety of craft: paddleboard, kayak & canoe
- Reading the river
- First aid capacity
- Group management and feedback
- Confidence in front of groups
- Remaining calm under pressure
- Resilience through adventure
- Session planning
- Equipment care
- Overall fitness
During your course our instructors will be taking you around the south-west to experience the best that this part of the country has to offer.
There will be a mixture of day and multi-day trips. Travel and accommodation when outside of Bath will be provided and organised by Original Wild at no extra cost.
The south-west is home to some incredible waterways and oceans which we will be exploring during your time on the course.
From the peaceful rivers of Bath & Somerset, to the extended journeys on the Wye, to the exhilarating white waters of the River Dart; we can adapt and plan our training to suit your skill level.
To operate safely and comfortably in the outdoors it is crucial to invest wisely in your kit. We understand that outdoor equipment can be expensive and, as such, we have designed our instructor training to keep your pre-course kit costs as low as possible.
We keep things simple so that you don’t have to fork out your hard-earned cash on equipment you may not necessarily need.
We have put together the following list of items that you will need to keep you comfortable, warm and safe during your time with us. These can all be purchased through Original Wild at trade price.
- Drysuit
- Paddlesport Gloves
- Paddlesport Boots
- Waterproof Jacket
- Beanie
- Head Torch
All other paddling equipment will be provided by Original Wild during the course.
It would be a shame to gain all of those qualifications and not know what to do next! Well, we’ve taken the pressure off slightly and guaranteed you an interview for work with Original Wild following successful completion of your outdoor instructor training course.
This could be in a few different capacities including seasonal, permanent and ad-hoc freelance work.
FAQ's
We understand that investment in your future can have a stretch on your finances. Payment can be made either in full or split over three separate payments. Your first payment will be required before the course and will act as a deposit to secure your place. The remaining payments will be agreed with you before the course starts. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about payment options.
As spaces are limited to 6, we suggest reaching out as soon as possible if you think this may be something you wish to explore. After a brief chat with our team, we can organise payment and send out confirmation of your place. Starting dates and further details will be confirmed upon receipt of payment.
All accommodation for overnight trips during your training is included in the cost of the course and is organised by Original Wild. If you are not local to Bath and require accommodation for the day-to-day learning, this is something we can definitely help with! We know many of the local accommodation providers and we will be happy to enquire on your behalf. If you would like to add full accommodation to the cost of your course then this can be arranged as a bolt-on. Please get in touch to discuss.
Due to the wide variety or personal food preferences we do not provide food in the price of the course. Whilst away on trips you can stock up on food in supermarkets, or eat out if you prefer (when a pub is in walking distance!).
All day-to-day training will be provided by the Original Wild staff team. You will be exposed to multiple disciplines across a multitude of landscapes with each staff member.
We know time is valuable and we encourage you to make the most of yours during your time with us. Our highly-qualified and friendly team have many years of experience working across a number of activity settings so we encourage you to ask as many questions as you can!
Our course has been developed and designed to be suitable for all levels of adventurers. Previous experience is not required, however it is recommended that you have a passion for being and working outdoors!
We require all trainees to be 18 years or above to book onto our course.
In short; your options are infinite! It is commonplace for outdoor instructors to travel the world and chase the endless summer between hemispheres. You could work a summer season in the UK before heading towards Australia or New Zealand to do it all again over there!
Our post-course interview guarantee also gives you the chance to become an instructor with us right here in Bath. We’re always looking for the right kind of people and we guarantee to seriously consider your place within Original Wild upon successful completion.
We can’t say for certain what’s the right choice for you. We *can* say, however, that if you enjoy being outdoors, if you like the idea of seeking adventure, if you feel a sense of achievement after helping people, if you’re bored of heading into an artificially lit office every day; then becoming an outdoor instructor could be just the thing you’re looking for!
Yes! We have hand-picked our training and qualifications to give you the absolute best chance of finding work after your course. As an outdoor adventure provider, we know exactly what we look for in new instructors.
Our course will give you a great foundation to springboard your career as a paddlesport instructor. Aside from potential roles within Original Wild, we have numerous contacts in the industry throughout the UK and can help guide you in the right direction.
Roles following on from this course can be found as part-time, seasonal, full-time, and freelance outdoor instructors.
