Job Profile

What does your job involve and what might a typical day involve?

Helping groups of school children from 8-18 years to explore the natural world around them. We deliver many sessions in Biology, Geography, History and Geology.

There is no such thing as a typical day as a Field Studies Instructor as there are so many different sessions. You could be rock pooling with 10 year olds, exploring a castle or helping A level students understand how a river changes along its course.

As well as all the field studies hilarity you get to instruct adventurous activities such as Archery, Climbing and Zip wire.

What qualifications and experience did you have before starting the job?

I have a degree in Biological Science (Ecology) and experience of working with children in the Guide Association and helping to complete the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Although my previous knowledge and experience comes in useful, PGL provided all the training I needed. The personal qualities that have helped me in my job are dedication and a friendly approach to meeting new people.

What are the best and worst bits of your job?

The best parts of the job are passing on your knowledge and getting children enthusiastic about a subject you are interested in. The variety of activities that we instruct and guests that we meet makes the job more pleasing than anything I have done before. There is a great social side to the job as we live on site and get to work closely with a group of people who all share the same interests and often become great friends. I get to live in an awe inspiring area which I would not be able to live in otherwise.

Occasionally during busy periods the long hours can be tiring, but seeing what the kids get out of a stay at PGL makes it all worthwhile.

What satisfaction do you get from your work and how does it make a difference?

I always go home feeling that I have made a difference to a child’s day, if not their life. Whether it is through helping a terrified child overcome a fear of heights or watching inner city children who have never seen the sea before find a whole new world.

Do you have any tips for someone looking for a career in this area?

Experience working with young people helps get you started. Developing any (or all) of the qualities below would put you on the right path to doing a great job as a Field Studies Instructor: -

• Bags of energy
• A sense of humour
• A willingness to learn
• Patience
• Flexibility
• Appreciation of the outdoors
• A light hearted approach to the weather!!
  
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