Courses

Date: October 22, 2020

Time: 7:00 PM 

Cost: Free - Interpretive Guides Association members only

This CPD event is a great way to learn about Wood Buffalo National Park, discover the interpretive techniques they use, and find out about interpretive job opportunities in the North.

Presenters: Helen Panter and Kaitlyn Belanger from Wood Buffalo National Park and Tom Groening from Naatsih’ch’oh National Park Reserve.

The talk will be online via on Google Meets and will be about an hour long, with 30 minutes of interpretation, and 20 minutes of Q and A.

Location:

• This course will be done online via Zoom Meetings. You must have a good internet connection to be available by video throughout the course and the zoom app to participate in this course.

Course Cost: $649 plus GST

Course Schedule:

Day 1: 

• Fundamentals of Interpretation Lecture/Workshop (9:00 am – 5:30 pm)

Day 2:

• Fundamentals of Interpretation Lecture/Workshop (9:00 am – 5:30 pm)

Day 3:

• Park Management, Ecological & Cultural Integrity Classroom and Field Trip Sessions all done online. 

Day 4:

• Geology and  Ecology of the Canadian Rockies Lecture (9:00 am - 5:30 pm)

Day 5:

• Geology and Ecology Field Trip - done online (9:00 am – 5:30 pm)

Day 6:

• Interpretation Workshop (9:00 am – 1:00 pm)
• Sense of place (2:00 pm - 5:30 pm)

This course is designed for those individuals who have experience working as guides in the Canadian Rockies. It goes much deeper into the material than the Apprentice Interpreter Course. You may find the IGA How to Interpret and Natural and Cultural History of the Canadian Rockies handbooks helpful in preparing for this course. You can purchase them here

Please note: This is only a course. In order to become accredited as a Professional Interpreter, you must pass the oral and written exams. In order to take both exams, you must qualify with enough hours of experience and expertise. You will be emailed a copy of the Professional Interpreter application package when you register and pay for this course. Please read through it to find out if you qualify to take the exams.

Exams will take place in December, January, Feb, May, June and September each year. Exams each cost an additional $75 plus GST. Please email courses@interpretiveguides.org with your completed application package if you are interested in taking these two exams and make sure to book an exam date at that time.

Cost:

IGA members: $450 plus GST

Non-members: $500 plus GST

Dates: November 12-15, 2020

Times: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm daily

Location: Suite 203, 820 Main St. Canmore

This 40 hour Wilderness First Aid course teaches comprehensive first aid and CPR techniques.

It is a more appropriate and recommended level of training for individuals working as hiking guides, allowing you to respond to emergencies in isolated or wilderness settings.

The course covers material in Standard First Aid & CPR, plus advanced strategies for providing extended care for more than 24 hours. Part of the course is taught in an outdoor setting and requires greater physical activity and endurance than typical first aid training.

If you do not have time to take all 4 days you can also sign up for the first two days to receive the 20 hour Wilderness and Remote First Aid certificate.

Please read and be prepared to adhere to our COVID-19 policy

Contact Wendy at programs@interpretiveguides.org if you have questions.

Times:

• Day 1 - 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

• Day 2 - 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. Exam from 6:00 - 7:00 pm

Location: This course is online via Zoom Meetings. You must have a stable connection where we can see your video and hear your audio throughout the exam. 

Cost: $360 plus GST  

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

• Once you have registered for this course you will receive an email with the course agenda, the  pre-reading document and the course handbooks. Pre-reading will help you pass the exam. If you do not receive this email, please check your junk mail folder or email us at courses@interpretiveguides.org.

• You must receive 70% or more on all 5 sections of the exam to become accredited.

• A one-year IGA membership is included in the cost of this course. Once you have registered, you will have access to the members' section of our website. This section gives you access to your certification(s), membership card, course files, handbooks, pro-deal information, receipts and more. 

To Obtain the Hiking Guide Certification

If you plan to work as a hiking guide you will also need to take our Group Management Course. With both courses, you will become certified by us as an apprentice hiking guide.

Dates: November 16, 17 & 18, 2020

Cost: $399 plus GST

Times

• Days 1 & 2: 8:30am – 12:30 pm - Classroom Instruction.
  1:00pm - 5:30pm – Instructional Hike.
• Day 3: 8:30am - 5:00 pm-  Full Day Hike.

Location: Classroom sessions will be held online via Zoom. Your wifi connection must be good enough to be able to keep your camera on throughout the first day of the course. Attendance and participation are mandatory so we need to know you are online thoughout the session. 

Trail locations TBA.

Please contact us at courses@interpretiveguides.org for more information.

Course pre-requisites:

1. Valid first aid certificate (Minimum 16 hour Standard First Aid)
2. Hiking resume. Details for the hiking resume can be found in the GM pre-course package.

Hiking resumes and 1st aid certificates must be sent to Colin Murton at courses@interpretiveguides.org prior to day one of the course.

After you register and pay for the course, an email will be sent to you with the PRE-COURSE DOCUMENT and HOMEWORK. If you do not receive this right away please check your JUNK MAIL and/or get in touch with us at courses@interpretiveguides.org. 

Date: November 26, 2020

Time: 7:00 PM 

Cost: Free - Interpretive Guides Association members only

This CPD event is a great way to learn about Ivvavik National Park, discover the interpretive techniques they use, and find out about interpretive job opportunities in the North.

Presenter: Kyle Mustard.

The talk will be online via on Google Meets and will be about an hour long, with 30 minutes of interpretation, and 20 minutes of Q and A.

This course is available to individuals who already have a group management certification in good standing. It will allow you to guide in all 4 seasons.

The course is 1.5 days (1/2 day classroom + 1 day outside)

• November 30: 1:30 - 5:30 pm Classroom. Location: Online via Zoom Meetings. Your wifi connection must be good enough to be able to keep your camera on throughout this portion of the course. Attendance and participation are mandatory so we need to know you are online thoughout the session. 
• December 1: 8:30 - 5:00 pm Outdoors. Location: We will hold the outdoor portion of the course in both the Bow Valley and and Jasper if registrations warrant. Trail location TBA
• Cost: $189 plus GST

• Pre-requisites – 40 hour wilderness first aid PLUS: Apprentice hiking guide, professional hiking guide or master hiking guide certification with the IGA.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING COURSE DETAILS:

There is homework to complete before this course. This homework will be sent as soon as you register and pay for the course. Please read through everything thoroughly and send a copy of your first aid certification and hiking resume to courses@interpretiveguides.org as soon as possible.

Upon registration, you will be sent the meeting link, meeting ID and password

Thank you for the payment for your PI oral exam.

Now that you are registered for this exam make sure to complete the following as soon as possible: 

1. If you haven't already done so, email in your PI application package along with all documents to validate your points for approval.

2. Complete your oral exam outline and email it to Wendy Niven.

3. Contact Wendy to set your oral exam video submission date. 

Please note that video submissions dates are available in May, June, the first two weeks of July, November, December and January. 

Wendy Niven's email = programs@interpretiveguides.org

Once payment is received you have 6 months to complete this exam. If you have not started the exam process within these 6 months your exam fee will be forfitted and you will need to pay the exam fee again if you choose to do it at a later date. 

There are no refunds given on exam fees.

Purchase pdf Group Management Handbook

Purchase a PDF of the Canadian Rockies Natural/Cultural History Handbook

Purchase a PDF version of the Interpretation Handbook

Cost: $89 plus GST

Course Cost: $89 plus GST