EXPEDITION GUIDE ACADEMY
Soft Skills for Expedition Guiding
About the Course
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The skills you can’t see are often the ones that matter most. They are the backbone of a high-functioning team and the key to an unforgettable guest experience. While technical abilities, like driving a Zodiac or operating a VHF radio, are essential, "soft skills" are just as critical for a successful expedition.
Soft Skills for Expedition Guiding (SSE) is a two-day, in-person intensive training course. This training is designed for expedition cruise guides of all levels, from aspiring guides to established professionals, who want to master team dynamics, improve risk-based decision-making, and gain the conflict resolution tools necessary for professional excellence.
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Since discovering The Professional Guide’s Handbook, it has been our dream to offer a bespoke program dedicated to these "soft skills". We are beyond excited to host the book’s author, Colby Brokvist, in Denmark to lead this exclusive EGA course.
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What You’ll Gain
You will improve knowledge and performance in the following skill sets
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Communication
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Teamwork
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Guide Professionalism
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Risk Management & Decision Making (specific to teams)
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Interpersonal Conflict (colleagues and guests)
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Guests Experience​
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Challenging Scenarios
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SSE Course Outline​
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Course Elements
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Foundations: Guest Experience & Role of Guides
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Self Awareness & Team Dynamics
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Understanding Group and Team Needs
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Foundations of Team Communication
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Professionalism: Expectations & Interactions
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Safety Management
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Conducting Guest Briefings
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Decision-making
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Guest Experience Delivery & Interpretation
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Feedback and Guest Evaluations
* Please note that Course Elements are subject to change. Your instructors will adjust according to the participants and time
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Location: Denmark
Language: English Proficient
Age: 18+
Previous experience: None required​
Who is the course for?
Those new to the industry and seasoned guides. The course is designed for anyone looking to strengthen their ability to function in team settings, add skills to the CV, and strengthen methodologies and systems for teamwork, communication and decision-making.​
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Ratio Theoretical & Practical Firearm Training: 1:12
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Duration: 2 days
Maximum: 12
Minimum: 10​
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Price: USD $ 1100
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​Colby Brokvist
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Colby Brokvist is a professional expedition guide and educator. He has led expeditions globally since 2004, ranging from backpacking to wildlife photography to polar sailing, with a particular focus on conservation travel. As the author of The Professional Guide’s Handbook and founder of Waypoint Guide Academy, Colby teaches expedition leadership and conservation communication to guides of all adventure disciplines.
As a certified Senior Polar Guide, Colby currently serves as Chair of the Polar Tourism Guides Association, where he helps shape industry standards for excellence in guiding. He is also featured in The Guide, a short film by World Wildlife Fund, and proudly represents Tomorrow’s Air, a nonprofit connecting travelers with progressive climate solutions.​​​
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This training is designed not only for guides and expedition staff, but also for scientists, field teams and any adventure travel guide who works in team settings.
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Key topics:
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Creating guests experince
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Communication
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What professionalism looks like
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Managing risks
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Briefings and managing guests
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Practical Course Information
Once you have booked
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Once you have booked your place on the Soft Skills for Expedition Guiding course, you will receive a confirmation email, followed by a Practical Information email, with specific pre-course information. This will include exact location details, how to get there, the course outline, and timings. Included are also accommodation suggestions. Please note that this information is provided after booking.
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Arrival and Departure Recommendations
The course takes place in the heart of Copenhagen. We highly recommend that participants arrive the day before the course starts and leave the day after. This leaves a healthy buffer for you. More information on this is provided in the Practical Information email mentioned above.
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Accommodation and Meals
Participants will take care of booking their own accommodation in Copenhagen.
During the 2 days with us, participants will have lunch provided (vegetarian sandwiches) together with coffee and tea. Breakfast and dinner are not included.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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Other Notes
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We only offer the Soft Skills for Expedition Guiding course once this year. The dates have been thought through carefully to make it easy for those of you who also wish to book our Zodiac Rescue & First Aid course or are already booked on our Comprehensive Guide Course.
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Certification
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Successful completion of the course leads to a certificate issued by the EGA, bearing both the Expedition Guide Academy's (EGA) stamp and the Waypoint Guide Academy's stamp. Both academies are PTGA-approved training providers. It's a great paper to have in your hand when you apply for guiding jobs.
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