The traditional route to gaining a career in the outdoors has been to start at the bottom of the ladder working for an outdoor centre. If you are a young person looking for your first career and you have plenty of time and no financial overheads then this may still be the best bet. Google "LEA Outdoor centres" and write to them to find out what instructor training schemes they offer. Be prepared to spend a year working for nothing more than board and lodgings and you will gain valuable experience to get you started on your chosen career.

If you are looking for a career change then this is probably not a viable option financially or domestically! My mentor scheme may then help you progress towards a career in the mountains:

Course Duration: 3 consecutive months minimum
Course cost: £200 per month
Location: Snowdonia & Scotland

General Information:
This is an ideal opportunity for trainee instructors at any stage of their training to gain valuable assisting experience working alongside an experienced and highly qualified instructor and to benefit from a personalised career and personal skills development plan. The scheme gives a valuable insight into the instructing community and allows candidates to progress as far as they see fit over a period of time that suits an existing career and family life. The scheme only requires an input of 3-4 days per month and so is designed to sit alongside an existing career whether that it in the outdoor world or not.

I ask that all potential trainee instructors already have a reasonable level of personal experience in the mountains as walkers and/or climbers. If you are interested in this scheme then you will need to make a written application detailing your past experience, hopes and aspirations and attend an interview. If you are successful in your application you will receive:

Personal Skills Development:
As part of the mentor scheme you are entitled to 1 private guiding day each month (Monday to Friday) to build on your own personal skills or a place on any 2 day course each month. Visit our full range of courses here. You can of course book additional courses and private guiding as you see appropriate.

Shadowing Experience:
You can observe me in the running of a 2 day course each month from our range of navigation, hill skills, scrambling and climbing courses based on your level of experience and competence. You may also join us on our Scottish or International courses if they are relevant to your own career progression ie if you are working towards the Winter Mountain Leader or International Mountain Leader.

Ongoing support & advice:
You will receive ongoing advice on how best to progress your career. We will also sit down on a regular basis to prepare and then review a personalised career development plan. I will provide assistance in finding suitable training and assessment courses.

Personal Profile:
Having worked extensively with you by the time you present yourself for assessment at each level of the awards I will be able to provide you with the personal profile (reference) page of your logbook.

Employment:
I occasionally employ staff to assist me when I have large bookings. Qualified staff that I have mentored will be high on my list of employable staff. The higher your qualifications the greater the variety of work that I will be able to offer.

Progression:
As you work your way through the awards your requirements will change. I am able to assist you from the very basic awards all the way through to Mountaineering Instructor and International Mountain Leader.