A fully sponsored safari career training and employment programme for students from local communities in South Africa has kicked off. Under the initiative, Bushwise Field Guides will provide comprehensive field guide training to eight local students every six months, who will then go into positions at aha lodges around the country and with Mankwe Game Trackers in the Pilanesberg.
The partnership between Bushwise, aha Hotels & Lodges, and Mankwe GAMETRACKERS hopes to train and employ about 40 candidates over three years, while promoting skills development and transformation in the wildlife tourism industry.
“We are very excited to have the first candidates arriving in a few weeks’ time. These candidates will go on to become full-time employees in our lodges, and we hope that they will continue to grow with us for many years to come,” says aha Hotels & Lodges CEO, Graeme Edmond.
The first group of eight future field guides will begin their training in the Greater Makalali Game Reserve, home to the aha Makalali Private Game Lodge and Bushwise’s Mahlahla campus. Uniforms have been sponsored by Ruggedwear, an industry-leading bushwear provider based and manufactured exclusively in South Africa.
The training provided by Bushwise will include field guide qualifications, track and sign training, trailing, 4×4 driving, guiding ethics, conservation, community engagement, first aid training, and more.
