search our members

We have over 120 members offering a range of services.





get outdoors

explore the UK outdoor services with our interactive mapping.

Articles on topics pertinent to today's industries

Learn to Earn by John Traynor, Editor of Outdoor Review

Anatom Academy combines formal teaching with hands-on instruction literally Credit: Anatom Sound product knowledge and experience are essential elements in outdoor retail Credit: OutDoor

Accreditation. It's a big word. In the context of the outdoor industries, in needs to be. After all, the term "outdoor industries" is pretty elastic including outdoor pursuits centre workers, national park rangers and sales people in specialist outdoor shops. And that's just scratching the surface of a fascinating kaleidoscope of opportunities where shared values and love of the outdoor environment add a dimension missing in most other areas of work.

The wide range of opportunities under the umbrella of “outdoors” is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to planning a career. There is no neat chart identifying what you need to do across the whole spectrum of the outdoor industries. Qualifications tend to be compartmentalised. Some are readily transferable; others are specific to sectors.

A keen interest in an outdoor activity is a good starting point. For instance, canoeing has a clearly defined structure for the acquisition of skills and qualification as an instructor. Qualifications across a range of disciplines, including mountain walking and climbing, can be earned on an ad hoc basis or by embarking on a full-time intensive course. Many are linked to a career in teaching; others are angled towards working in the private sector at outdoor centres.

The Institute for Outdoor Learning “encourages participation in outdoor learning by developing quality, safety and opportunity in outdoor provision and by supporting and enhancing the good practice of those who work in the field.” Membership is open to organisations and individuals. Reflecting the broad canvas of activities, many members are outdoor instructors, teachers, trainers, group leaders, centre managers, youth groups, outdoor centres, field study professionals, freelance instructors and students.

Unlike, say, the bicycle industry, the sector of the outdoor industries that supplies the gear needed for outdoor pursuits and adventure travel has no industry-wide structured training and qualification. Endorsed by the Association of Cycle Traders, mechanics and bike technicians in bike shops may earn Cyquest accreditation on top of in-house training. Recognised throughout the cycle industry, it’s a readily transferable skill acquisition and highly regarded. In the outdoor gear market, supply or retail, in-house training may combine a structured approach to internal systems and a piecemeal approach to learning about products and specific skills.

Anatom Academy is an exception. Focusing on the bio-mechanics of the foot and how to correctly fit footwear, Anatom recognises the importance of providing good customer service at retail level and of shop staff having good product knowledge in order to increase sales and customer loyalty.

Anatom’s Northern Training Manager, Fergus Paton (C.Ped) noted, “Feedback from Anatom Academy indicates that trainees returning from courses are better informed, more self-confident and motivated to help customers find what they’re looking for. Staff need confidence in themselves as well as excellent product knowledge in order to approach customers whether it be for an informal greeting or to help the customer find what they’re looking for and, ultimately, ensure that the customer has everything they need.”
People enter the outdoor retail sector with backgrounds across a wide range of skills, qualification and experience. It’s an area where active involvement in outdoor pursuits and good inter-personal skills matter at least as much as a raft of formal qualifications in retail training.

An apparently obvious starting point for learning is the online National Database of Accredited Qualifications. A search for “outdoor pursuits” brings up the dreaded message “No results were found matching your criteria”. On the other hand, a Google search will bring up a wide variety of options from GCSE onwards. It is frustrating when researching opportunities to find time and again that promising leads turn out to be angled towards sport, leisure centres and gyms. The lack of unity and focus in the outdoor sector is, in part, a reflection of the activities enjoyed by individuals. That has been changing steadily and working together to achieve common goals is now much more common. Curiously, it is easier to find details of a higher degree in performance sportswear than for a modern apprenticeship in the outdoor industries.
Last year’s launch of the National Skills Academy for Retail looked like it might be a big step forward. The plan included creating a network of seventy highly-professional retail Skills Shops in high streets and shopping centres, run individually by partnerships of local stakeholders including developers, training providers, other agencies including job centres and importantly, retailers themselves. The National Skills Academy for Retail was proposed to create a consistent national approach for training and skills in the UK’s largest private industry sector. The skills academy has been designed as the definitive answer to the skills needs of retailers of all sizes, their employees and those seeking retail careers, by offering world-class training and support from pre-employment training right through to degree level. Its relevance to the outdoor industries remains to be seen as the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure appears to devote itself to competitive sport and coaching.

Historically, the outdoor industry of manufacturing and selling gear from camping stoves to climbing harnesses has not united to offer clear routes towards the acquisition of training and accreditation. The former relatively small size of manufacturers and retailers inhibited the development of industry-wide initiatives. As the industry has matured, outdoor retail multiples, in particular, have encouraged staff participation in internal and external training programmes.

Rather than bemoaning the lack of a clear progressive career structure in the outdoor industries, there is a strong case for celebrating the unique opportunities available to construct an exciting, fulfilling and rewarding succession of careers within a unique commercial environment.

Useful links