EXPEDITION GUIDE ACADEMY
Comprehensive Guide Course
The EGA Comprehensive Guide Course (CGC) is a 7-day intensive course aimed at those looking to gain the foundational skills and knowledge for guiding aboard expedition cruise vessels. It will lay the foundation for you to enter the industry as a safe, professional and confident guide. The Comprehensive Guide Course is also designed to be relevant for you if you have already worked onboard ships but wish to upskill.
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In 2019, we offered our first Comprehensive Guide Course and have spent years making it the best it can be. We have taken feedback from our students, and we have turned the course into training where participants will gain a greater understanding of safe operating procedures and practices involved in working as an expedition guide. This course aims to provide a solid foundation of knowledge and the skills needed to operate safely on and off expedition ships. It is also a course where you will experience personal development during the time you spend with us and your fellow students.
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This course might not be for you if you prefer dry feet, short days and fancy hotels!
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We offer the Comprehensive Guide Course in both Denmark and New Zealand.
We offer two different options for the Comprehensive Guide Course.
1. The Comprehensive Guide Course, followed by EGA's Comprehensive PTGA Assessment. With this option, you commit to signing up for both the Comprehensive Guide Course (CGC) and the assessment (ASM).
2. Our stand-alone Comprehensive Guide Course option. This option does not have the assessment following the training.
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Course Content:
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Living and Working on Ships
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Field Navigation
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Field Communication
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Working with Small Boats/Zodiacs
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Driving Small Boats/Zodiacs
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Group Dynamics
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1.5-hour session on personal well-being onboard the ship
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Online pre-course component
Location: Denmark & New Zealand
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Approximately 60 hours of contact time during the course + 10 hours of self-directed learning pre-course
Language: English Proficient
Age: 18+
Previous experience: None required
Who is the course for?:
Seasoned guides already working on ships who would like to train and potentially prepare for PTGA assessments and those new to the industry, wanting to work as an expedition guide onboard ships.
The course is designed for anyone looking to become more skilled, safe and confident in expedition guiding.
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Minimum: 4 participants
Maximum: 6 participants
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Price: USD $3749
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Course Outline
Living and working on ships
Theoretical segment based on the online material as well as knowledge of the "soft skills" involved in expedition guiding. Learn about the specifics of living and working aboard an expedition cruise ship. Throughout the course, we'll cover life on board as an expedition staff member, staffing structures, roles onboard, professionalism, terminology and strategies for excelling in a ship-based workplace.
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Field Navigation
During the course, we'll focus on using handheld GPS units for field-based activities specific to expedition operations and professional best practices.
Field Communication
Participants can expect to use handheld VHF radios while driving zodiacs and operating in the field. We'll practice becoming proficient with the use of handheld VHF units in the field.
Working with Small Boats/ Zodiacs
Part of being an effective and efficient team member is working as shore staff for zodiac operations. The aim of this element is to learn about zodiac operations from a landing party perspective. Safely catching zodiacs, loading and unloading guests and uses of shore-stranding equipment are all elements that make up this part of the course.
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Driving Small Boats/ Zodiacs
Knowing how to safely drive zodiacs is a must-have skill for any expedition professional. Becoming familiar and proficient with zodiacs takes time and practice. With this course, you'll spend your time hands-on in the zodiac as you learn the techniques and strategies required for becoming a safe and professional small boat driver.
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Segment content:
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Learn the boat/gear
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Troubleshooting
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Driving techniques & guest management
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Safe driving stances & management of self
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High-speed manoeuvring
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Low-speed manoeuvring
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Embark/ disembark guests
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Man overboard (MOB)
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Passenger & self-rescue strategies
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Anchoring techniques
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Towing and being towed
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Gangway operations
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Beach approaches & departures
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Soft skills around guiding and managing guests
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Pre-course Learning
We realise that participants will have a range of experience levels and come from different backgrounds. To ensure we maximise our learning during the actual course, there will be an online learning component to be completed before attending the course. We find it important to have all participants on the same page regarding terminology and basic concepts around the course segments to maximize our time focusing on practical training and theory, best done when together. Expect to receive this material a month out from the course start. Please note that this is a mandatory component that must be completed before the course starts. The EGA can not issue your training certificate without completion.
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Because we believe in a holistic approach to being an expedition guide, the course outline for our Comprehensive Guide course also consists of the unique content below:
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Group Dynamics
An important part of working on expedition vessels is to work well within teams. You will get the taste of this during the course, simply because you (might) live together at the venue for over a week, you learn together, you fail together, you struggle together and you share joyful moments. Groups are very different, depending on who is part of them. But most often, it's some of the same dynamics that take place within a group. We believe that an important step in being aware and conscious of group dynamics, within your team, is to understand what you bring to the group yourself. This will help you understand your reaction in situations and to be a more empathic and self-aware team member.
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During the course, we will facilitate an approximate 4-hour session on this with our Organisational Consultant in organisational psychology.
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*Please note that this session will be different from the Comprehensive Guide Course in New Zealand.
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Personal well-being onboard the ship
Because we believe in a holistic approach to being an expedition guide we see the importance of focusing on how to maintain your personal well-being during the season. If you are doing well mentally and physically, you can take good care of guests and be Your Best Guide. There are many ways to do this onboard, and we are all different and need different things to feel good and be healthy. However, during a 1.5-hour session on this, you will be introduced to one option.
Whether you are on the Comprehensive Guide course followed by the assessment or the stand-alone
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Practical Course Information
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When you have booked
Once you have booked a spot on the Comprehensive Guide Course, you will receive a welcome letter with specific pre-course information. This will include the exact meeting times, location details, how to get there, what to bring (gear list) and what to expect. Please note that this information is provided after booking.
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Arrival and Departure
The course itself is 7 days of training; however, in the interests of maximising course delivery and instructor contact time, participants will need to arrive the afternoon/early evening the day before the course start date, where they will be welcomed and met by our instructors. Participants will depart in the afternoon on the final day of the course (unless booked on the assessments; then you will depart the morning after the last day of assessment). The EGA will inform you of the exact time you need to arrive and depart, which will be the same time for all participants. This information is provided after booking.
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Facilities
The training takes place both outside and indoors. We will spend a lot of time on the water, on the beach, in green areas, and indoors at the EGA Venue. At the venue, students will have coffee and tea available, including cow and oat milk.
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Accommodation
We offer accommodation on-site, at our training facility, referred to as the EGA venue. You're more than welcome to organise your own accommodation and stay off-site but we do encourage participants to stay on-site and engage in the full immersive learning experience, living with and getting to know your fellow students. It's also a fantastic way to see how it might be to stay close together with others, which is your reality onboard expedition ships. You can read more about the EGA venue here
If you wish to book our accommodation, please choose the 11-night option if you are doing a Comprehensive Guide course followed by the Comprehensive PTGA Assessment and the 8-night option if you are doing a stand-alone Comprehensive Guide course. Please note that you will leave in the morning of the last day of the course if you are booked on a stand-alone Comprehensive Guide Course.
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Certificate of Training
On completion of the Comprehensive Guide Course, you'll receive a 'Certificate of Training' from the Expedition Guide Academy outlining the course content covered. This is not only useful to you in your personal training development, but it is also useful to companies - potential employers. Since the EGA is an accredited training provider, this certificate is approved by the PTGA. Use this certificate to outline what you have been training, when you apply for your job as an expedition guide.
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Qualification and assessment
If you are looking at booking our Comprehensive Guide Course that's followed by the assessment, please make sure that you head over to our Certification with the EGA page for more details on this.
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