Activity Instructor Training

Everyone who joins PGL in a UK-based instructing role for the first time will be required to complete our ten day residential selection and training course, which is usually held at Boreatton Park, our activity centre in Shropshire.

Your aptitude during the course, together with your previous experience and personal preferences will determine whether your role on centre will be purely instructing activities, or whether it will involve, for example, a mix of instructing activities and running evening entertainments.

The training course falls into two areas: activity-related and guest care-related. You'll complete sessions covering the following topics:

Practical instructional skills
Planning and delivering evening entertainments
Child protection
Group Management
Working with guests and customers
How to identify homesickness and bullying

Of course you'll also complete training sessions in PGL's core activities. These vary depending on your centre's activities but include:

Abseiling
Aeroball
Archery
Challenge Course
Canoeing
Climbing
Dragon Boat Racing
Fencing
Giant Swing
High Ropes Courses
Initiative Exercises
Low Ropes Courses
Mountain Biking
Orienteering
Quad Biking
Raft Building
Rifle Shooting
Sensory Trail
Trapeze
Tunnel Trail
Zip Wire

Throughout your training course, you will be placed into groups and allocated a Team Leader. The Team Leader will be your mentor during the course, on hand as your first port of call to answer any questions you have as well as any issues or concerns with the course. Likewise, if we have thoughts regarding your input into the course, your Team Leader will sit down with you and discuss them on a one-to-one basis.

Does the course cost anything?

Something for free? Well, pretty much! Get yourself to your training centre and we will give you accommodation and meals during the course. We will also arrange and provide transport onwards to your activity centre, usually by coach or minibus. Please note that you will not be paid during the course so make sure you bring enough money with you to last these initial few days through until your first pay date.

What if I fail the course?

The course is designed to find your strengths and specialities rather than your weaknesses. However, if you are unsuccessful or you decide that activity instructing isn't for you, we can look at alternative vacancies within the company or offer advice on how to work on areas that may need attention.