My Placement Year at True Adventure HQ!
Company News, Expedition News | 19th February 2018
I got to experience a new country and everything that can be associated with it such as the differing cultures, climates and terrains. During our expedition we found ourselves trekking at altitude, renovating a refugee school and relaxing in the grounds of one of the worlds most iconic buildings, the Taj Mahal. From the moment we all landed back at Heathrow I knew that being out on expedition was something that I would like to do in the long run.
Knowing this was a path I wanted to follow wasn’t something that I found easy to convey to my family who thought I should be pursuing a more ‘academic’ career choice. As a result, I ended up achieving a place at university to study Law. Within a matter of weeks I knew that the course was not the one for me and I made the decision to call my mum and tell her I was leaving … I was there for the wrong reasons. Now back at home and without a job I had to decide what to do and quickly. I applied to an outdoor activities company to work as an Activity Instructor / Group Leader.
With my application accepted I was soon packing my bags again and heading to Lincolnshire to complete an intensive 10-day training assessment. With this passed, I settled into a new life at Caythorpe Court. My role within the company allowed me to work with all varieties of groups from school groups, youth groups, disabled groups to charities and EFL students. It was my job to provide both the pastoral care and deliver a vast range of outdoor activities. Over the 18-months spent in the company I was certain that working in the outdoor industry was the one for me. With that decision firmly made in my head a placed another call to my mum. This time telling her I was going to be coming back home to embark on a 4-year degree programme at the University of Chichester and that my interview was the following week …
With my interview over and done with I was offered an unconditional place to study Outdoor & Adventure Education, a 4-year degree with a compulsory placement year in the third year. Reflecting back on my time in India I chose to contact True Adventure and ask if there was any possibility of completing the duration of my placement with them. I was asked to pop into the office to have a chat with Tom and from there I walked away with my placement confirmed and a part time job to go with it. I was now part of the True Adventure Team.
Since embarking
on my placement year I have been presented with new challenges, from dealing
with leaders and agents, to helping in school meetings and assisting on an
expedition to Tanzania. Every opportunity I have been given has allowed me to
gain an in-depth understanding of how the company works, both out in the field
and behind the scene in the office. My colleagues have also afforded me the
chance to improve my communication skills, boost my confidence and given me the
chance to work independently and use my own initiative. Taking all these skills
forward, I’m confident in my ability to successfully complete my degree and
settle in to a career in the outdoor industry.
