6-week field guide training course

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Antares is offering 6-week long courses that will prepare you for a career in Field Guiding. This does not necessarily mean that only aspirant Field Guides will benefit from the course. Anyone who has a genuine love of the bush and would like to know more about it will find the course rewarding.

Joey Dovey, a former student's mother, says:

He ''discovered'' Antares whilst in London and told me to have a look. I was very impressed. He was very motivated. I then realised an institution like Antares will be his only means to achieve his goal.

By reviewing your results, one can only say that you did a big contribution to obtain them. You must have an interesting way of conveying the knowledge (not teaching !!). You have put goals into my son's life and he is going to achieve his SKS.

Ian, from parents to a new friend, thanks what you did for our son, We are truly grateful. He has cleared his first hurdle.

The course follows the syllabus set out by FGASA, The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa.

The subjects that will be covered are diverse, covering topics such as astronomy, geology, anything to do with fauna and flora and a host of others. Emphasis will be placed on practical guiding techniques as well as theoretical training. Although only endorsed by FGASA to a level 1 standard, the depth of knowledge taught will be between a level 2 and level 3.

Antares will organise a special sitting of the level 1 FGASA exam that the students will sit on the final day of the course. In order to obtain the NQF 2 qualification, students will need to be practically assessed in addition to this. The NQF 2 qualification is the minimum that a guide needs to register as a legal guide in South Africa. The practical evaluation will be conducted throughout the course on an ongoing basis. There will be an additional R500 payable for this, comprising R350 for Antares and R150 for FGASA moderation fees. This assessment is an optional extra and need only be decided upon during the course.

The course also includes a Level 1&2 First Aid course. A minimum of 4 students are required before a course will be run. The 1st Aid module is outsourced to a professional registered company. If students are successful in this module they will receive a valid and recognised certificate, recognised internationally. A 1st Aid certificate is one of the membership requirements of FGASA as well as for National registration as a Field Guide with DEAT. Even if students have existing 1st Aid certificates, this is a subject that requires continual practice. Antares feels that students can only benefit from the inclusion of this module into the course itinerary.

The course is designed over 6 weeks to allow for an intensive study period but with ample time for discussion and field excursions. Special emphasis is placed on practical knowledge and a great deal of time is spent on improving identification techniques of trees, grasses and birds. Many former students have commented on how much they appreciated this aspect of the course and how it helped them to progress. Antares believes that knowledge retention levels will be far higher than if the same knowledge was to be learnt in half the time. Training will be from Mondays to Fridays and the students are free to do their own thing at the weekends. However students are set various presentations during the course and many students use their time at the weekends to prepare for these. Antares strongly believes it is important to allow time for the students to relax at the weekends so that they feel fresh and ready to learn again come Monday. If the students spent every day training over 6 weeks, their retention levels would drop dramatically and the benefits they can reap from this longer programme will not happen. The world famous Kruger National Park is only a short distance away and students may be able to reap many benefits and experiences from a weekend visit. Many students in the past have organised a hire car for a weekend and done such a trip. Ian is more than willing to help students with regards to booking a car or accommodation in the park.

Students are assessed every other Friday on anything that has been taught to date. In addition to the exams there is also a workbook that will need to be completed as well as an additional assignment that Ian will give to students prior to arrival.

The marks from the exams, the workbook and as well as from the continuous practical assessments count towards the final marks. This ensures that it is not a single exam that determines whether a student is successful or not. Students are required to get an average of 75% in each of the theory and practical components of the course, and 85% in the workbook. In order for students to be successful they are required to pass all 3 sections. It also allows the student an opportunity to see how well they are progressing and to make an adjustment if necessary. The students are given the opportunity to go over the exams and find out where they went wrong. This again improves the success rate of the student. Antares accepts a minimum of 4 students and a maximum of 8 students on each course. This ensures personal attention and ensures higher educational standards.

Our records show that students that have gone on to take the FGASA 1 exams have had an extremely high pass rate. Antares puts this down to the fact that students leave the centre having retained most of the knowledge they learnt, and more importantly, that they have begun an affinity with the bush which can only be nurtured by spending time in the bush. Many students have also gone on to pass their level 2 exams once they have found employment in the industry.

Jeff Williams, a former student, says:

"If you want to pass FGASA Level 1, practical and theoretical, this is the course for you. Ian Owtram is an absolutely excellent teacher with a wealth of bush experience. I would be surprised if you can find a better way of doing it".

There is a minimum age limit of 17 and students should preferably have completed their schooling to at least Matric or the equivalent. Students must also be competent and in possession of a current valid driving licence. All teaching is done in English so a sound understanding of the English language is recommended.

Accommodation is in semi-luxurious rooms. There is a spacious lounge area with open plan kitchen and adjacent dining area. There is a small swimming pool where the students can relax at the end of the day. The lecture room is fully equipped, spacious and air-conditioned. Antares is situated in the Balule Nature Reserve, 30kms from the Kruger National Park and Phalaborwa. Antares has traversing access to over 2000 Ha of game reserve. Regular sightings of elephant can be expected at the small waterhole in front of the centre and along the Olifants river. Other regular visitors such as giraffe, zebra, warthog, kudu as well as various nocturnal animals can also be seen. Recent visitors included several herds of elephants, a herd of buffalo, a pride of at least 10 lions and for the first time 2 Ground Hornbill.

Most of the training is done on foot and the daily programme starts with a 2 to 3-hour walk in the veldt before breakfast. Students must realise at this stage that work as a field guide requires physically fit people, this would equate to being able to walk for 5-6 kms in demanding conditions on occasions or being able to climb trees in the event of any emergency. After the morning activity, training is generally done in the classroom. Students are encouraged to read up on various subjects and will be expected to give presentations on specific topics at certain times. Students will spend 2 nights during the course sleeping under the stars on the reserve. Students will need to bring their own sleeping bags and sleeping mats for this special experience.

Students are advised that we are in a malaria area and that it is recommended that the relevant precautions be taken. Contact your local doctor for advice on this.

Although there is an extensive reference library available to students, it is recommended that students should bring their own books, particularly field guides on mammals, birds and trees, if possible. Students are also recommended to bring binoculars, cameras, neutral-coloured clothing and good walking shoes and your own swimming towels. The Centre is fully electrified and a free laundry service is provided.

Antares will also make available at the end of each course a list of possible contacts within the industry. This will aid students in their search for employment in the future but Antares offers no guarantees that any of these contacts have any vacancies at the time. We have a good rapport with many of the lodges and our students have found work at the following lodges amongst many others: Thornybush Game Lodge, Shumbalala Lodge, Lion Sands Game Lodge, Singita, Sediba Game Lodge (Welgevonden Reserve), Umlani Game Lodge, Welcome Tours, Letaka Safaris (Botswana), Elsa's Kopjie (Kenya), Umsuluzi Game Reserve, Finfoot Lodge, Tanda Tula Game Lodge and Sefapane lodge. We also pass on information to students about various employment and recruitment agencies. One such agency is lodgestaff.com, which is a unique online recruitment classified service catering to the African hospitality industry.

Courses will be run on the following dates. Dates are subject to change.

Students will be required to complete an indemnity form and a Code of Conduct form either on arrival at the centre or if they are under 21 years old they will need to have their parents/guardians complete these on their behalf. In this case the forms can be printed (see Legal Documents) and returned to Antares.

If you are interested in applying for the course, please fill out the application form.

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