Adventure Education Leadership - Explore A Career |
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| Skills needed to succeed in the AEL field |
Develop skills and knowledge - Physical fitness is essential ; learn about good nutrition and be active
- Develop excellent communication skills - oral and written
- Develop basic knowledge and experience with a cross section of technical skills
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Technical Skills
- Backpacking and Low Impact Camping
- Ice, Rock, and Mountain Climbing
- Cross country, Downhill, and Telemark Skiing; Snowboarding
- Canoeing, Kayaking, Rafting, River Rescue
- Weather, Navigation, Search & Rescue
- Equipment Maintenance and Repair
- Video, Photography, Audio Visual
- Advance and Backcountry First Aid Skills
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Interpersonal Skills - Teaching
- Group dynamics
- Working with groups
- Working with various populations
- Conflict resolution
- Diversity training
| Leadership Skills - Program design
- Logistics
- Risk management
- Judgment
- Wilderness ethics
- Decision making
- Leading
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Become an expert - Develop advanced technical outdoor recreation skills in 2-3 areas
- Practice your skills 20-30 days per year. Develop the advanced skills you will need. Just do it!
Operate Vehicles - Obtain a driver's license; get experience hauling and backing trailers
- Have a drivers license and clean record; become eligible to drive Unity vans
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| Obtain Certifications |
- Trip Leader
- Maine Guide
- Lifeguarding
- Ski Instructor, PSIA
- National Ski Patrol Avalanche Search & Rescue, NASAR
- Wilderness EMT
| - River Rescue - ACA
- Raft Guide
- Responder/CPR
Unity College First Aid - Unity College Challenge Course
- Unity College Climbing Wall
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| Career Advice |
- ATTEND the Unity Career Fair- talk with the professionals in your field, conduct informational interviews
- TALK with upperclassman - where did they volunteer, intern, and find employment?
- ASK faculty, and CRC about Unity alumni who are employed in the adventure education and adventure therapy fields. Call alumni who are working in an area you want to work; introduce yourself, let them know you are looking for advice, internship, job
- JOIN Assoc. for Experiential Education, Assoc. for Outdoor Recreation Educators, American Canoe Association, (for annual regional meets) by your Junior year.
- ATTEND area, state, regional, national recreation conferences
- READ Magazines - Backpacker, Outside, Canoe & Kayak, Sports & Spokes, Climbing, Sea Kayaker, Cross Country Skier and other magazines and professional journals for your area of expertise. Also read various association newsletters.
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| Jobs for AEL Students |
- Association for Experiential Education - Select Jobs Clearinghouse - great jobs site for AEL students
- Adventure Sports- find a job anywhere in the United States by State, region or type of job
- American Camping Association - searchable database of positions across the country
- ECOJobs click on "Outdoor & Environmental Education Jobs"
- Outward Bound - Unity College and Outward Bound have teamed up to offer the semester-long Maine Wilderness Educator Course, to Unity sophomores. The class provides students with a solid foundation in organizing, leading, and teaching adventure education. A unique element is that students who successfully complete it go on to intern and then teach as Outward Bound instructors during the summer. By the time they graduate from Unity College, many will be able to move up to lead instructor status for Hurricane Island Outward Bound.
- Jobs & Careers in Outdoor, Environmental & Adventure Education Career Advice and jobListings
- Outdoor Ed Jobs - employment in Outdoor & Experiential Education
- YMCA - database of current jobs with YMCA throughout the country
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| What types of positions can I work in? |
| First positions to look for when you are first starting: - Summer Camps Select any positions that will help you get your foot in the door. Work your way up - counselor, water front, assistant director, trip guide, camp director. The American Camping Association has an application that will allow you to apply for many positions with the same application Another is CampJobs where you can post your resume and look up camps throughout the country
- Outfitters, Expedition Programs, Guide Services Any position to start and advance to other positions when you return the next summer
- Trail Crews - Many States have conservation corps trail crews where you can get experience working outdoors
- Student Conservation Association matches applicants to environmental related positions with federal, state agencies and non profit organizations across the country
- State and National Parks - Take any position to get your foot in the door. Consider working for a concessionaire, then network with parks staff to get a park job next year.
- Lifeguarding - for local and state parks; summer camps.
- Volunteering even half a day a week for the summer will provide you with valuable experience. You may need to ask repeatedly before being taken on as a volunteer.
When you have some skills and experience: - Seasonal, part-time and temporary positions Apply at all of he places suggested above; if you worked or volunteered there last year, your chances of employment in a more responsible position are greatly increased
- Programs that work with various populations - youth at risk, rehab centers, therapeutic campus, organization that work with people how have different learning styles and abilities
Remember it's all about NETWORKING. If you don't network how is anybody to know who you are and what you have to offer? Volunteering is where you are given the chance to schmooze with the professionals, use it wisely. This is where a lot of people get their first jobs.
Definition of "NETWORKING"- Introducing yourself to, and getting to know, people who might be able to tell you about a job. "An estimated 80% of all jobs are filled by word of mouth even though they may be advertised." The Career Search Handbook
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| After Unity, what do alumni do? |
Title and Organization - Kayak Tour Manager, Kitty Hawk Sports
- Wilderness Field Instructor, Aspen Achievement Academy
- Field Instructor, Hurricane Island Outward Bound School
- Climbing & Challenge course instructor, Camp Susan Curtis
- Trip Leader, North Country Rivers
- Habilitation Specialist, Community Connections
- Owner/Director, Ocean State Adventures
- Adventure programs coordinator & consultant, Quest program Quest program
- Recreation Center Director III Senior, Asheville Parks and Recreation
Degree, Major and School - Masters Recreation Administration, Aurora University
- Masters Exercise Science, University of New Hampshire
- Masters Kinesiology, James Madison University
- Masters of Arts Environmental Education, University of Rhode Island
- Doctorate Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Georgia
- Visit the CRC and get contact information for alums so
- you can get advice from former Unity students.
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| Develop a gift wish list |
If anyone asks what you would like for your birthday, Christmas, Chanukah, graduation etc. suggest the following |
- Sleeping bag
- Backpack
- Workshop $$
- Outdoor clothing - 4 seasons
- Outdoor related books/journals
| - Compass and binoculars
- Equipment for your area of expertise
- Rain Suit
- Poly pro underwear
- Hiking Boots
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Need some equipment in the meantime? Stop by the equipment room in the OAC. With a $20.00 refundable deposit you can take out equipment including canoes, backpacks, snowshoes, skis, wet suits and much more! Top
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| Grad School Links |
- GradSchool.com
This site will allow you to search for schools that have outdoor recreation related graduate programs, try Recreation and Park Management and Education-Outdoors, also try Kinesiology, Sports and Physical Education
- Grad School Page - Unity's webpage with resources for students considering graduate studies.
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| Professional Association Links |
- Association of Experiential Education - develops and promotes experiential education. The Association is committed to support professional development, theoretical advancement, and evaluation of experiential education worldwide.
- Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education - is an organization developed by and for outdoor recreation and education professionals and students. It provides opportunities for professionals and students in the field of outdoor recreation and education to exchange information, promote the preservation and conservation of the natural environment, and address issues common to college, university, community, military, and other not-for-profit outdoor recreation and education programs.
- Outdoor Industry Association -To promote and preserve the human-powered outdoor recreation industry. It has job listings, Government affairs, a list of fairs, expos, and conference.
- Outdoor Ed.com - This isn't a professional organization site, but it does have some useful info including: upcoming conferences, job postings, company and training listings. Information on first aid and emergency care. Schools that have degree programs in all levels.
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For more information about the Adventure Education Leadership
program at Unity College click here Top |
