Raft Guide Training & Apprenticeship - June-July 2012

Want to be a whitewater raft guide on the best rivers in Canada?
Why not learn with the best guide training company in British Columbia!

6-week Apprenticeship, June 1-July 14
Full Apprenticeship/100% work study (Option is now full)	$0.00
Full Apprenticeship/50% work study	$1200.00
Full Apprenticeship/No work study	$2400.00

Professional raft guiding, the ultimate job!

Few jobs can compare. Where else can you get an incredible adrenaline rush, live and work outdoors, and share good times with guests from around the world? Guests will often ask, "You get PAID to do this?"
A guide license is a ticket to travel. Many of our guides travel the world working as a white water rafting guide during our winter months, including destinations as New Zealand, Chile, Australia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Nepal, Austria, and Africa. REO's high standards will prepare you to guide almost anywhere in the world.

Guide School 2010 Video

Swift water rescue training

Becoming a raft guide

I see ya! Learning river skills is relatively easy. Becoming a professional river guide is not. REO offers one of the most comprehensive guide training programs in North America. Our instructors will earn your respect. They are focused and committed to your success. Each instructor is a raft and kayak expert, certified as a Swiftwater Rescue Technician. They are confident, friendly and easy-going. Bryan Fogelman, President and Founder, started REO's training school in 1986. Bryan sets course standards, selects and monitors instructors, and handpicks program participants.

BC Rivers require high standards

British Columbia is a whitewater mecca with over 200 commercially rafted river sections. Many of these rivers are in remote wilderness settings where operating and safety standards must be high due to time and distance from assistance. BC rivers are natural, free-running and typically cold-water rivers, and many have unique features and hazards.

Many of the world's most popular river runs are below dams where water flows are controlled and often the same day after day. Canadian rivers, on the other hand, run free and natural and thus require more diverse guiding skills. Although REO's guide training program sets high standards, previous experience is not required. The only qualifications you need are good swimming ability, an outgoing personality, a good work ethic, and the desire to learn and live outdoors.

Your classroom is the great outdoors

Our mission is to prepare trainees for excellence in guiding and to develop professional standards of customer care and service. The specific goals are to provide the skills training, on-river experience, and practical knowledge to safely guide rafts through Class 3 and 4 rapids (moderate to advanced). In addition, all trainees will get practical hands-on experience in resort maintenance, trip planning and preparation, kitchen and meal preparation, logistics management, housekeeping & guest care. These skills will enable you to play a key role with any rafting company in the world.

Course Information

6-week Apprenticeship: June 1-July 14, 2012

If you want to be a professional river guide or raft serious Class 4+ whitewater........this is your program. Since 1986, REO has offered one of the most comprehensive guide training schools in North America. This advanced whitewater course introduces you to a wide range of rivers and difficulties from Class 1 all the way to Class 4+. We train you to guide both oar and paddle rafts, teach basic swiftwater rescue skills, and how to run rivers using the best judgment possible.

British Columbia offers some of the most challenging and amazing whitewater in North America. You will train on rivers that are among the steepest and most technical that are rafted commercially in Canada. Our training will take place on a number of rivers depending on river levels and may include the Nahatlatch (Class 4); Nicola (Class 2-3); Coquihalla (Class 3+); Green (Class 2-3); and Chehalis (Class 3-4).

All students learn at different speeds and six to ten weeks is a normal training time to gain the skills and confidence to guide continuous Class 4 rapids. Each year, individuals take this training course to gain the skills and knowledge to safely paddle whitewater rivers, not necessarily to become river guides. Thus, this program is ideal for anyone with a sincere interest in paddling and exploring Canada's amazing rivers.

Optional Class 2 Apprenticeship: Dates - June 1-14, 2012

A shorter, optional apprenticeship is available for those wishing to guide Class 1-2 rapids. This 2-week program includes 4 days on-river training & optional work-study experience. Course topics include river features and hazards, guest and trip management to ensure safety and comfort, and intro to swift-water rescue. Graduates will have the knowledge to safely guide Class 1-2 river sections such as the lower Green and the River of Golden Dreams. Training will include oar rafts, paddle rafts and kayaks. Cost with 100% work-study: $0. Cost with 40-hours work-study: $400.

To apply, send your resume and cover letter to Info@reorafting.com with REO Apprenticeship 2012 in the subject header. We will contact you for a phone or Skype interview. Please provide 3-5 work references if applying for a full apprenticeship with the work-study option. Please note the following:

Prerequisites: minimum 15 years old, good swimming ability and able to communicate in English.
Smoke Free: Guide School is a smoke-free environment.
Instructor Ratio: Our Instructor/student ratio is typically 4:1 or better to optimize your learning
Meals: Meals, beverages and snacks are included. Trainees with special dietary needs must contact us; we cannot guarantee that our meal program will fit all special diets.
Camping gear: Students will need their own tents, sleeping bags and personal gear.
Equipment: We provide basic gear: wetsuits, booties, helmet and lifejacket. However, those who wish to become professional guides should provide their own wetsuit, river shoes, lifejacket, helmet, river knife, and whistle.
Text Book: The Complete White-Water Rafter by Jeff Bennett
Please try an obtain a copy prior to the start of the program - can be hard to find so start looking early.
Visas for Non-residents: Many of our guide school attendees and apprentices arrive from outside Canada. A work visa is not required for the Apprenticeship. If you wish to obtain potential employment with REO you must arrange your own working holiday visa prior to arriving in Canada.
Whitewater Kayakers: Paddlers with Class 3-5 whitewater kayaking experience but no or limited raft guide training may exempt the Class 2 program and focus on the Class 3 course (4 weeks). To apply, email your application to Info@reorafting.com, outlining your whitewater paddling experience.

Work-study Option (April - July 2012)

Work-study options are available prior to and during the apprenticeship to reduce course costs. A 100% work-study option requires 240 hours of work-study and requires that participants arrive 1-2 weeks prior to the official start date. A 50% work-study requires 120 hours of work-study and $1200. Please note that all meals, beverages, snacks, camping and resort amenities are included for the full 6-week term based on successfully meeting the terms and standards of the work-study program.

Work-study projects include preparation of meals for REO guests, kitchen and camp clean-up, maintenance, painting, general labour, river shuttles, housekeeping and laundry, construction, firewood collection, etc. A maximum of three 100% work-study positions are available so apply early. Please note that preparation of your personal meals and clean-up of your meals is not time that is included in the program. Please allow a minimum of 1 hour per day for looking after your personal kitchen duties. Do you have construction or auto mechanic experience, carpentry skills, a BC Class 2 or 4 drivers license, or special sales and marketing experience? If so, you may qualify for the Advanced Work-study program. Please call for details.

Highlights of the program:

Introduction to all facets of a resort-based adventure tour company
Ability to work off 25-100% of the course and training fees. The amount of work-study you qualify for depends on your skill set, when you apply, and when you are available to start your program.
Possibility of work-study terms in our reservations office, in Whistler, BC, and in April if you have advanced work-study skills (may include paid work).
To qualify for Work-study, you must apply by April 1, 2012 and indicate your areas of experience and interest (landscaping, general labour, kitchen, construction, carpentry, auto mechanics, marketing, sales, office, reservations, etc.), date available to start, and amount of work-study you prefer.

Post Guide-School Apprenticeship

Will 12-days of on-river training with a Senior Trip Leader make you a Professional River Guide? Like any highly skilled trade, becoming a professional raft guide takes time and follow-up training and experience may be required. Learning curves vary and some trainees may require additional time and training to get a full endorsement from us to guide Class 3-4+ whitewater. Depending on how well you perform during the apprenticeship (your work-study performance carries more weight than your on-river performance) and our bookings, you will either be offered a paid position with REO upon completion or a 3-week apprenticeship extension if you are not quite ready for full endorsement on the Nahatlatch. A third option is that we may have work on Class 2 river sections in Whistler for which you will have full endorsement (this requires you move to Whistler).

3-week Apprenticeship Extension Includes:

3 days of intensive guide training with a Senior Trip Leader
3 familiarization trips with a TL on a commercial rafting trip
1 supervised "endorsement" run with a Senior Trip Leader
Meals, camping, equipment and use of the resort for the 3-week apprenticeship
100 work-study hours

Custom Whitewater Training (3-12 days)

REO provides custom whitewater training for a diverse market including Fisheries Department employees, Search and Rescue staff, Department of Defense and military training, private boaters (preparing for an expedition trip), as well as corporate team-building, cadets, and student groups. REO will organize a custom program that uses parts of our Whitewater Guide School training including learning to row oar rafts, rescue and swiftwater training, whitewater dynamics and hazards, rock rappelling and safety & risk management.

Course Fees: $750 CDN pp for a 3-day course for 8 or more; $675 CDN for group of 12+; Call for rates for groups of 16+ and longer training programs.
Meals (optional): $120 CDN pp for 3 days including beverages, snacks, desserts
Lodging (optional): $120 CDN pp for shared occupancy cabin tents with linen for 3 nights.
Camping: No charge for camping in own tent with meal plan purchase
Deposit: $400 non-refundable deposit upon reservation - balance due prior to arriving at REO
Instructor/Student Ratio: 5:1 or better (5 students per instructor)
Taxes: All fees plus 12% HST and 3% LWAF
Weekend Surcharge: Will apply for training programs on a Saturday or Sunday in July or August.