Apprentice Outdoor Activity Instructor

JCA Adventure

Shrewsbury, SY5 7AU

Closes in 11 days (Monday 2 December)

Posted on 2 September 2024

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Summary

If a 9-5 office job or sitting behind a desk all day is just not your thing, this could be just what you’re looking for. As experts in the outdoor activity industry, JCA will give you the tools to climb your way to the top and achieve industry recognised qualifications – a fantastic way to build your CV and progress within the outdoor industry!

Annual wage
£13,312 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

You will also have: Access to Travelopia’s Travel bar with a range of discounts across restaurants, high street retailers etc. JCA uniform inc. branded t-shirts, fleeces and jackets All of your meals included – even on your days off! Plus more..

Training course
Outdoor activity instructor (level 3)
Hours
This is a live-on-site position, where you will be typically working Monday to Friday, with some evenings and weekends. Shifts tbc.

40 hours a week

Possible start date

Thursday 2 January

Duration

1 year 1 month

Positions available

37

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

  • With JCA, no two days will look the same – we have over 40 activities & you will be trained in delivering all of these!
  • We have a range of outdoor and indoor activities and once your group arrives on-site, you are their instructor for the whole of their stay!
  • You’ll be the leader of the pack for activities such as fencing and archery in the sunshine, final shoot out at the laser quest and helping guests overcome their fears on the abseiling tower and aerial trek high above the trees! Your top priority will be keeping your pack safe and making sure everyone has the time of their lives!

Where you’ll work

JCA Adventure

Condover Hall

Condover

Shrewsbury

SY5 7AU

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

SHREWSBURY COLLEGES GROUP

Your training course

Outdoor activity instructor (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents
  • Find information on: the activity type and timings; outcome requirements; participant age; medical information; equipment and resourcing allocation; venue; weather conditions.
  • Prepare sessions to achieve the required outcomesg. enjoyment, thrill seeking, personal or team challenges, acquisition of new knowledge or skills.
  • Select methods to meet all participant needs g. visual impairment, mental and physical ability.
  • Select methods to respond to potential changes in the environmentg. wind increasing in a sailing session or rain making conditions slippery underfoot.
  • Collect appropriate equipment and resources.
  • Ensure the venue is set-up and ready to be used.
  • Maintain self and group safety when delivering the session.
  • Deliver an effective session briefing with clear instruction and following organisational procedures.
  • Perform a competent demonstration of the skills required for the activity or subject at the appropriate level for the session.
  • Provide on-going instruction to encourage learning and progression.
  • Follow organisational operating procedures to adapt to changes in the environment. E.g. thunderstorm, a wind shift to offshore in a surfing session.
  • Select and implement organisational procedures to deal with routine problems.g. broken equipment.
  • Provide basic First Aid to respond to accidents in a safe, prompt and effective manner. e.g. injured participant.
  • Initiate organisational procedures to summon support in the case of incidents or accidents.
  • Use the organisations set approaches for learning delivery.
  • Support individual and group engagement and participation in the session g. energisers, sharing responsibilities, appropriate pace.
  • Change the pace of the session to match participants’ speed of learning.
  • Identify and support the individual participants’ needs g. give personal attention, active listening, allow additional time, encouragement.
  • Apply simple techniques to deal with conflict and challenging behaviour g. redirection, increasing responsibility.
  • Use simple review techniques to check the achievement of required outcomes e.g. thumbs up; rounds; memorable moments.
  • Signpost participants to progression routes.
  • Complete a session within time, including the restoration of the venue, return of equipment and resources and any logging or recording requirements.
  • Use participant feedback and own reflection to suggest improvements to sessions.
  • Communicate with customers and colleagues in a clear, concise and effective manner.
  • Handle information in a way that conforms to policy and protects data.
  • Assist with the development and preparation of resources and support colleagues delivering sessions
  • Actively encourage whole group participation and promote equality and diversity.
  • Undertake activities to further develop knowledge and personal skills.
  • Reflect on own performance and make refinements.

Your training plan

Over the course of 13 months, we’ll give you all the training, equipment and confidence needed in this role – so no previous experience required!

At the end of the apprenticeship, you will achieve an industry recognised level 3 qualification in Outdoor Activity Leadership. And if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also have the chance to gain further external qualifications including:

- Fencing Leader
- FSRT & Paddle Sports instructor
- GB Orienteering
- GB Archery
- First Aid
- NPLQ

We offer our apprentices the opportunity to live on-site, so no boring commute to work, and all of your meals are included too!

There will be 5 to 6 weeks training on-site when you start, which will include: the full range of outdoor activities, health and safety, first aid, safeguarding & more.

You'll have the chance to make friends for life and tonnes of unforgettable memories whilst completing your apprenticeship, and the place you’ll call home is Condover Hall, our flagship centre in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Set in the stunning Shropshire countryside and just a stones throw from a lively town with lots to do.

At JCA, we have over 25 years’ experience in providing fun and educational adventures for school and youth groups. We’re big enough to challenge, small enough to care – You’ll never be just another number. We pride ourselves on having a close working relationship with all of our instructors – So if you’ve got your eye on development within the outdoor education industry, we’ll support and help you get there.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

  • English (grade C or 4)
  • Maths (grade C or 4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Team working
  • Physical fitness

Other requirements

The initial training programme runs for 5/6 weeks through January- February, you will need to be available for that full period. This is an on-site/live-in position for 13 months. Should you not have grade C/4 Maths and English GCSE, we can support with passing functional skills qualifications.

About this company

Established in 1994, JCA Adventure has been providing school groups with a platform for outdoor learning for over 25 years, enabling children to experience adventure education. Our UK activity centres offer a choice of one-day adventures, two to four-night multi-activity residential activities, netball and football tournament weekends, plus birthday parties for young adventurers. Our JCA team of group travel experts are committed to providing an experience that promotes education, personal development and of course, fun! Discover your perfect activity centre and let the adventure begin with JCA. Our years of experience in developing these adventures have seen JCA become one of the leading trusted providers of activity residential trips.

https://www.jca-adventure.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Once you have completed your apprenticeship, there are multiple options for you to progress in your career:

  • You could continue working for JCA and become a resident Seasonal Activity Instructor
  • You could progress to a Team Leader or Senior Activity Instructor within the team
  • You could branch out and experience a different type of adventure at one of our other seasonal centres across the UK
  • We also have options for instructors to work overseas with our other brands, SkiBound or TravelBound

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SHREWSBURY COLLEGES GROUP

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000274321.

Apply now

Closes in 11 days (Monday 2 December)

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

Company’s application instructions

Once you’ve made your application, you will be contacted by one of our friendly recruitment team for a chat, then invited to attend one of our Recruitment events on-site. During the event you’ll get to meet your potential new colleagues, explore what could be your new home/workplace and most of all, have fun! There will be the chance to try out some activities and really get the feel for what life is like here. Accommodation and meals will be covered by us for the whole event too!