LFGA creates opportunities for guides

Limpopo Field Guiding Academy has long been known as a leader in the field guide and tracker training industry in Southern Africa. For the past ten years LFGA has delivered an exceptionally high standard of training to guides at all levels. But what of the employment opportunities thereafter? Our guides are placed all over Southern Africa and indeed further up Africa too. It is no secret that many stakeholders in the industry are very keen to employ Limpopo Rangers as they are assured of high quality field guides.

While we cannot guarantee employment to anybody (unless we employ them ourselves), we are comfortable with the fact that we use only the best placement agencies in our industry; these agents ensuring the very best interview opportunities for our students. 

One area that we have direct control over is our own Intern Programme. Over the past 10 years LFGA has offered internships to our top graduates. This is a much sought after position among students as not only do they have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience, but they also have access to higher training, typically coming away from the intern period with qualifications such as FGASA Trails Guide, FGASA Level 2 Field Guide and CyberTracker Tracker levels. Added to this they may pick up qualifications such as Birding Specialist and more.

Pictured above is Tiziano Allegretti, our current intern field guide. Tiz graduated from LFGA in November 2011 with FGASA Level 1, CyberTracker Track and Sign 2, Basic Dangerous Game and Basic Birding. Tiz grew up in Kenya and had already gained exposure to the bush and guiding up there, his family being involved in the same industry. He chose to remain in SA and gain experience here, quickly taking up a temporary guiding position at a Big 5 game lodge near Bela Bela, Limpopo. 

When the intern position became available at LFGA in 2012, we offered it to Tiz who promptly accepted. He completed the FGASA Advanced Rifle Handling (ARH) and Trails Guide theory exam in the same year. Tiz is Italian speaking and was required through the Association of Italian Experts Africa (AIEA) to fill a temporary guiding post as Italian language guide at Thornybush Game Reserve, Lowveld during the festive season at the end of 2012 / early 2013. This, coupled with a month-long stint as field guide at Lions Valley Lodge, Nambiti GR, KZN, allowed Tiz to pick up invaluable guiding experience in various parts of South Africa. 

In March 2013 Tiz returned to LFGA to resume his guiding duties and internship. Tiz is currently studying towards the FGASA Level 2 exams and also picking up valuable mentorship hours in the Trails Guide process. He will undergo his Trails Back up assessment in April this year and sit Level 2 theory in July. Towards the end of the year he will be able to undergo the practicals for Lead Trails Guide and also the Level 2 practical evaluations. All going well, Tiz will graduate at the end of 2013 as FGASA Level 2 Trails Guide, with 2 years guiding experience in Big 5 game reserves in 3 different regions of South Africa. Added to this he will still undergo several CyberTracker Track and Sign evaluations and has the opportunity to upgrade his current Level 2 to that of Level 3 or even Level 4. 

Tiziano Allegretti is a great example of the excellent opportunities afforded to LFGA student graduates, thanks to the wide network we have established throughout Africa with the help of AFGA (African Field Guides Association) and AIEA. 

Please note: Intern positions are limited and are only offered to the top graduates of Limpopo Field Guiding Academy. Other LFGA students however, have a multitude of work opportunities to choose from, provided they put in the hard work and pass their course!!

Dont delay - join LFGA today!!!

Enquiries info@limpopotraining.co.za

+27(0)72 625 4709

+27(0)14 740 0153