Career in Adventure Sports

This career is designed to set you up for lifelong enjoyment in adventure pursuits. The increasing influx of tourists has made Adventure tourism a booming sector. Due to the involvement of the media (National Geographic, Discovery, AXN, etc), people have become more aware of the adventure sports activities around them and want to plan an adventure holiday instead of a routine vacation.

The demand of trained professionals in this field is much more than their availability. This is going to further increase in the near future. A qualified graduate with a certificate in adventure sports can pursue her/his career in a travel agency as an executive or guide.

Most Adventure Sports Institutes include technical skills modules in a large variety of sports. These include rock climbing, rappelling, river crossing, trekking, mountaineering, caving, camping, map reading, skiing, swimming, water safety and rescue, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, sailing, water surfing, skiing and white-water rafting.

Prospects
There are lots of courses available for both beginners and experienced sports people. It depends on what sort of sports you fancy doing. Many of the popular ones are water-based and tend to take in coastal areas (although large lakes are also used for some water sports). Ocean sports are often in tropical climates. Obviously, skiing and snowboarding tend to take place in cold places with lots of mountains and during the winter.
Most course providers on this site provide instructor training as well. This usually results in an internationally-recognized instructor certificate, which enables you to get paid work as a sports instructor around the world.

Opportunities for adventure sports professionals exist in the following types of organizations:

• Excursion agencies
• Holiday resorts, leisure camps and commercial recreation centers
• Sports centers and athletic clubs
• You can become an instructor in the discipline 
• Set up your own adventure sports centre
• Work as a liaison officer in various travel and tourism agencies
• Work in a training organization specializing in outdoor training.
• Adventure Sports Photographer

The Job

• Researching the activity and geographical area
• Goal Setting for all activities
• Risk assessment
• Collecting/ maintaining materials required for the activity
• Briefing participants on group skills, techniques
• Accompanying participants for the activity
• Route planning/ navigation/ activity detailing
• Completing accident and incident forms
• Participation in administrative activities in the camp

Personality Traits

• High degree of risk taking ability
• Ability to work in physically difficult terrains
• Excellent coaching skills
• Team-Worker
• Leadership Skills
• Ability to work under pressure & deadlines
• High degree of discipline in maintaining physical fitness
• Environmental awareness and love for conservation
• Awareness of first aid, camp management, map and compass reading and survival training

Salaries
An adventure sports instructor can expect a pay packet starting at Rs. 9000 - 10,000 per month. This can go up to Rs. 20,000 - 25,000, depending on what sport the instructor is dealing with.

Study Routes

Class XII may be completed in any subject. There are no subject restrictions.

• The basic criteria for admission is the physical fitness of the applicant to various basic mountaineering courses, the applicant should be between the ages of 16 and  40.
• For water sports courses, it is mandatory to know swimming.
• It is preferable if you have a bachelor’s degree. Proficiency in a foreign language is an advantage in getting jobs in tour and travel agencies.

Places to study
Diploma/ Certificate courses are offered by the following institutes in India -

• Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling.
• Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi.
• Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering, Batote, J&K.
• Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali. (himachal.nic.in/dmas)
• Regional Mountaineering Centre, McLeodganj.
• Winter Sports Skiing Centre, Kulu.
• High Altitude Trekking & Skiing Centre, Narkanda.
• Mountaineering Sub-Centres, Bharmour and Jispa.
• Water Sports Centre, Bilaspur.
• Regional Water Sports Centre, Pong Dam.
• Adventure Sports Centre, Hatkoti
• Balloon Club of India, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, New Delhi
• Tenzing Norgay Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Jawahar Parbat, Darjeeling
• The Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering
• The National Institute of Water Sports in Panjim, Goa
• India Outdoors, H20, National Education Foundation (NEF), Pune
• Himalayan Adventure Institute, Mussorie.

Colleges Overseas

USA

• Red Rock Community college
• Glendale community College
• Scottsdale community College
• University of Alaska Southeast
• School: Challenge New Mexico
• Zion Rock and Mountain Guides

United Kingdom

• David Matthews Adventure Activities
• KECO Centre
• Outdoorlite Ventures

Australia

• Global Village English Centre
• Outdoor Education Group
• First Track Adventures
• Bogong Outdoor Education Centre

New Zealand

• Adventure center – Kelly College

Source: Compass One

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