Becoming wise to diversity in the bush

WORKING in the wild is not for the faint-hearted, and no one can blame you for thinking it’s a career reserved for men.

But this Women’s Month, Bushwise – leaders in accredited field guide training programmes – focuses on its women guides and debunks the myth that men dominate the industry.

“Our intake figures show that there’s a 50-50 split. This demonstrates that women are taking kindly to making their mark on this sector,” said academy founder, Sophie Niemann.

Melanie Groenewald said working as a field guide has been her childhood dream.

Now, she lives that dream, but not after a few stops and starts. In July last year, Groenewald enrolled in Bushwise’s 23- week professional field guide training course.

“It’s simple,” she said. “If you love what you do, everything falls into place. The train- ing is world-class (and) you’re guaranteed employment, and you get to learn something new about yourself and the industry every day.”

While Tasha van den Aardweg studied towards a degree in biodiversity and ecology, she remained fascinated by the bush. She, too, enrolled for a Bushwise course.

“Women can contribute to changing the face of the industry. If women represent 50% of field guides in South Africa, only women can increase this representation. No industry is too masculine or too challenging,” she said.

Niemann said: “Melanie and Tasha’s comments show us that women really are committed to changing the face of this industry.

“We need more young girls to start seeing it as not just a man’s world, but as a career path where they can excel.” – Weekend Argus Reporter