Field guide training at 18: What happens after the course?
If your child loves wildlife and wants to become a field guide, you’re probably looking at different courses and trying to work out which one is right for them. You’ll want to know how long training takes, what qualifications they’ll get, whether they’ll have the opportunity to do a work placement and what happens when they finish.
So, what if your child is 18 or 19 when they finish? What can they do next, and how can they use that time to prepare for a career in the wildlife industry? Let’s look at what you need to know!
Why does the age of 21 matter?
In South Africa, you need to be at least 21 to apply for the relevant Professional Driving Permit (PrDP) required to transport passengers professionally. Many safari guiding jobs involve driving guests on game drives, so having the required permit is essential for these roles.
Your child can complete their training and earn their guiding qualifications, including first aid, before turning 21. However, they won’t yet be eligible for every guiding job, particularly those that require them to drive guests.
But that doesn’t mean they have to sit around waiting for their 21st birthday!
There are other jobs across the wildlife and tourism industries, and the requirements depend on the role and the employer. Depending on their qualifications and interests, your child may be able to gain experience in another area while they’re still under 21.
It’s worth thinking about this when choosing a course, especially if your child is leaving school at 18. Knowing what they can do after training will help you decide which route makes the most sense for them.
What happens after the training?
Our 12-month IFGA Professional Safari Guide course includes 6 months of training followed by a 6-month work placement.
Our in-house placement and recruitment teams work closely with each student to find a suitable placement based on their qualifications, interests and available opportunities.
But what if your child is under 21 and can’t yet drive guests on game drives?
There are other ways to get started. Depending on the placements available, students may have the opportunity to work in guest service or back-of-house lodge operations, or even gain experience in areas such as conservation, research and animal welfare.
Working in a lodge gives students a feel for how things run day to day. They’ll learn to work with guests, be part of a team and understand what’s expected in a professional environment. For students under 21, being open to different placement options can also give them more opportunities to gain experience and discover which areas of the industry interest them most. This can help them decide on their next steps, whether that’s field guiding, conservation or another career in the wildlife industry.
A work placement doesn’t guarantee a permanent job at the lodge or reserve, but it gives students the chance to put their training into practice, learn what working in the industry involves, add valuable work experience to their CV and receive a reference letter to support future job applications.
For someone who finishes their training at 19, those 6 months can be a useful way to spend some of the time before turning 21. They’ll have a better understanding of the industry, some practical experience behind them and a clearer idea of the work they’d like to pursue.
But what about the Bushwise employment guarantee?
Bushwise offers an employment guarantee for eligible South African students aged 21 to 39 who complete any of our 12-month professional wildlife courses along with the 6-month placement. They also need to meet all the other minimum requirements in our Terms and Conditions.
The guarantee does not apply to students who complete our 6-month course or to those who are under 21 when they finish their 12-month course and placement.
We explain these conditions before students enrol, so they know exactly what the guarantee covers and whether they’re eligible. Completing a course, taking part in a placement and qualifying for the employment guarantee each have their own requirements.
You can read the full details on our employment guarantees page.
Which course is right for your child?
Every student is different! A 6-month course might suit someone who wants to qualify as a professional safari guide but doesn’t necessarily want to do a 6-month work placement afterwards. Another student may prefer our 12-month course, particularly if they want the additional practical experience.
Your child’s age may also play a part in deciding which course makes sense for them, especially if they’ll finish their training before turning 21.
And field guiding might not be the right fit for everyone. Your child might be more interested in conservation, game management or wildlife tourism. These career paths have different requirements, and some jobs and placements are open to people under 21.
We know it can be difficult to decide what you want to do at 18, especially when you’re still finding out what’s involved in different careers. That’s why we talk students and their parents through our courses, explain what’s included and help them understand the options available to them.
If you’d like to take a look at all of the options available, you can find all of our courses here.
