Work on the wild side

WHO said education can’t be fun, thrilling and fulfilling?

A passion for adventure and the outdoors is driving avid adventurer Felix BeckSwindale to accumulate skills and qualifications through TasTAFE’s Drysdale campus.

Studying a Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation, Felix, 23, hopes to secure a challenging and exciting career as a secondary outdoor education and science teacher.

“I’ve got some good friends who are outdoor education teachers and the overwhelming theme is that they are stoked on life and have lots of time for activities,” Felix said.

“They have a fulfilment for what they’re doing through making other people’s lives more exciting and teaching new skills.”

Felix has found TasTAFE good for much more than gaining skills and qualifications as through the organisation he has not only gained friends as well as invaluable experiences and life skills.

“It’s a good place to be, to learn and grow as a person and to develop the skills you need to get a job as a guide or run outdoor ed programs,” he said.

“The best aspect of the training is how committed the teachers and instructors are. “They give a lot of themselves which inspires you to put in the hard work to get the most out of the course.”

Felix graduated from the University of Tasmania in August this year with a Bachelor of Marine Science.

While studying at university, he completed several TasTAFE short courses including White Water Rescue, Wilderness First Aid, Expedition Medicine, as well as Rafting Guides and Single Pitch Canyon Guides. The short courses qualified him to become a guide with Cradle Mountain Canyons, where he took clients hiking, climbing, sliding and jumping through the world heritage area.

His qualifications then helped him secure employment with Penny Royal Adventures, in Launceston. They also enabled him to take part in volunteer programs, including taking school groups river rafting.

With his experience and short course qualifications, Felix was able to qualify for Certificate IV in Outdoor Guiding without having done the Certificate III course.

Felix believes that through his training, he is better equipped for everyday life and the adventurous lifestyle he desires.

“For my everyday life it will help with time management, planning personal missions and making all sorts of trips and activities that I like to do a lot more streamlined.”

“It’s really comprehensive and there’s a lot of time for consolidating your skills so you do get quite confident in your ability to perform what you’re learning.”

Felix has undertaken many extreme wilderness adventures as part of his Certificate IV training.

“I’ve done everything from advanced first aid, to managing incidents and patients in the bush, some intense scenarios that really push your limits, so it’s pretty fun to be a part of.

“I’ve done rafting and white water kayaking in some areas around Hobart that I hadn’t explored before, bushwalking and navigation, which is super interesting, and climbing and abseiling at Freycinet.”

Once he completes his Certificate IV, Felix hopes to study a Master of Education interstate.