Name
Will Mackaness
Destination
Thompson Rivers University (TRU)
British Columbia
Canada
Course
Bachelor of Applied Science (Adventure
Ecotourism)
“Through my exchange [with TRU] I participated
in the Adventure Guide Diploma (AGD) - a twoyear course, of which sixty percent of that time is
spent in the field.
The training program attracts worldwide scrutiny
and sets the standard for training whitewater,
ocean, climbing and ski guides in Canada. ”
W
hen I first came here in 2002 I had no idea that people
lived in such temperatures, let alone went about the
daily lives. The up side of this climate, which couldn’t
be further away from arid Australia, plus the addition of huge
mountain ranges, is the production of 12 metres of natural
snowfall per year (Rogers Pass, BC). waterfall ice, the size and
height, bigger than a football field (Weeping Wall, AB) and the
preservation of 18 000 year old glacier ice, from the peak of the
last ice age (2% of landmass).
I’m talking about Canada of course, the mountainous part of
western Canada and the two provinces of British Columbia and
Alberta. From the west Coast of Canada through to the prairies
of Alberta span several mountain ranges including the Coastal
Mountains, Interior Mountains and Rocky Mountains.
These mountain rangers have helped shaped the culture
of western Canada, with their recreational and tourism
opportunities. Canada is a world leader in Adventure tourism,
with western Canada being the epicenter of the industry. Western
Canada has a thriving adventure industry with large segments
of Hiking, Rock climbing and Mountaineering, Helicopter skiing,
hiking and mountaineering, ski touring, sea kayaking, white water
rafting and kayaking.
Thompson Rivers University and the Adventure tourism
department have lead the way with internationally known experts
and researchers. Developing since 1992, Adventure Tourism
training that is not only highly regarded in Canada but also
internationally.
Through my exchange I participated in the Adventure
guide diploma (AGD). The AGD is a two-year course,
of which sixty percent of that time is spent in the field.
The program aims to provide a well rounded program
of study, with students training in the various water,
mountain and snow based adventure sports. Theory
courses are compressed modularized format, for
example a 12 day course from 9am to 4pm. Theory
courses range from legal liability and business
management, to instructional skills and guiding
leadership.
A sample of some of the subjects that I participated
in are Mountaineering 1, Sea kayak 1, Rock Climbing
3, Wilderness Travel, Guiding Leadership, Legal
Liability and Risk Management, Emergency Situation
Management, Rope Rescue, and ski tour 1.
Britich Columbia and Alberta have thriving backcountry
ski touring and helicopter skiing industries. Ski tour 1
is a seven day field course where students are flown
into a commercial backcountry Chalet via a bell 212
helicopter. The course is designed to give you the basic
foundational skills to lead a group in the backcountry
snow environment, which includes make decisions in
Avalanche terrain, efficient uphill track setting, and
safe decent group management, snow shelter building
techniques and winter glacier travel.
My fellow students in the Adventure Guide Diploma
ranged in age from 19 years old to 42 years old, some
where already quite experience within the Adventure
tourism industry, for example an Icelandic Adventure
Business owner while others had strong recreational
backgrounds in hopes of turning their passions into their
career.
We were also quite diverse in our nationalities with,
myself from Australia, two Icelandic folk, a Norwegian,
a Swede, a Fin, a Frenchman and a Scotsman. Which
made for some excellent cultural exchange. On some
field trips it felt like the token Canadian was the
odd person out.
The faculty of the Adventure department
are true expertise of their field, they have
extensive experience in operating adventure
tourism business, developing industry
standards, teaching and instruction, and expert
consultation with the industry. With this much experience
they are defiantly memorable characters. In addition to the
faculty, guides currently working within the industry are employed
on a regular basis to run instructional field courses. Within the
mountain stream these are Association of Canadian Mountain
guide qualified guides. This mix of experience keeps the training
and the program relevant and at the forefront of industry best
practice.
Exchange Tips
Preparation Australian exchange students
require a student visa to study in Canada.
The best way to apply for a student visa
is online via the Canadian Citizenship and
Immigration web site. This is an expansive
website although if you take the time to navigate
you will most likely find the information you
require. I found the online application process quite
straightforward. Currently the processing time for
student visa as of August 2011, using the online
application process is 73 days.
If you would like to work during your studies or stay longer
for the purpose of work and holiday, Australians now have
the option to receive a 2 year working holiday visa to
Canada. Australians can receive multiples of these visas
until the age of 31.
Insurance International students must sign up to British
Columbia provincial health insurance if their total stay in
BC is for more than six months. International students are
eligible for BC health insurance. It cost $60 per month and
covers general hospital and doctor care. There is a waiting
period of two month + the rest of the month after you arrive
in BC. So you will have to purchase travel insurance for the
time you are not covered by BC health.
Applying for the AGD To participate in the Adventure Guide
Diploma as an exchange student I had to apply to their
regular application process, which consists of documenting
all the relevant outdoor experience, and outlining my goals
for the future.
Keep in mind that I was the first exchange student from
CSU to participate in any TRU program, and I think perhaps
the first exchange student to participate in the Adventure
Guide Diploma.
The Campus is located in Kamloops, British Columbia. Kamloops
is situated in central British Columbia on a high Plateau, with
larger mountain ranges to the east and west it is relatively dry
compared with much of BC, and has quite an arid landscape.
Kamloops while being quite centrally located to the BC Coast,
rivers and Mountains in my opinion is not particularly inspiring,
now keep in mind I have spent time in some spectacular
Canadian mountain towns like Banff, Canmore and Revelstoke.
Thankfully with the Adventure Guide Diploma you are always
away on field trips and Kamloops does provide for a good rest
away from the lure of the mountain activities. It’s not that bad!
If you’re worried about culture shock don’t be, you’re more
likely to get climate shock or lack of sun and warm days shock.
Canadian’s are very similar to Australians. Here are some
differences and similarities; Canadians have a similar sense
of humour, although they my struggle with sarcasm a little,
Canadian’s are defiantly more polite and less out spoken.
There language is less playful then ours, more formal and more
descriptive than ours.
And lastly a caution, if you love adventure, adventure sports and
adventurous people beware you might just wont to stay!
Will Mackaness, 2011
As far as prerequisites go, if you have completed the
Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation component of the
Adventure Ecotourism degree with some prior experience,
and an adventurous attitude you will have no problem with
being accepted.
Additional costs There were additional costs associated
with my exchange because of the participation in the
Adventure Guide Diploma. This amounted to roughly
$3000 per semester depending on which field electives
where chosen. Field course costs range from $300 to
$900 and represent in my opinion excellent value. For
example ski tour 1 cost $700. The trip consisted of
being flown in and out by helicopter to a back country
chalet, the use of school skis, a 1:5, ACMG guide to
student ratio was used for the weeks instruction. This
purchased commercially would be more than three
times the price.
Clothing and Other Equipment Most likely you are
going to have to equip your self with clothing more
suitable for the Canadian climate. TRU provides a lot
of the equipment needed for courses although there
is defiantly items where it is much more beneficial to
have your own well fitting pair. Mountain Equipment
Co-op is a Canadian gear store that produces its own
line of products mostly clothing and also stocks other
outdoor brands. MEC’s prices are usually the best you
will find in Canada. MEC’s line of out door clothing is
excellent quality and value for money.