Outdoor Leadership Internship Description

Global Treks and Adventures is excited to welcome students and young professionals interested in working in the adventure or outdoor industry to join our instructor team in the field in a unique outdoor leadership internship. We are eager to connect with candidates that are passionate about experiential, place-based adventure education in both domestic and international settings. The position requires a creative, organized and flexible individual with strong interpersonal skills to work within a dynamic environment. The selected candidate will work side by side with our instructor team in the field learning everything there is to know about successfully running an adventure program. Our teams operate all around the world and immerse within the local culture, weather and landscapes regardless of the conditions or time of year. Interns will be expected to be quick on their feet and eager to help — whether it be helping with provisioning, assisting students overcome challenges, connecting with local experts and resources and embrace the long hours of field living — all while hiking several miles in the Icelandic highlands or meeting with village elders on a South Pacific Island. Think you’re the perfect candidate? Review the guidelines and information below for more details and please reach out with any questions. We look forward to connecting with you!

skills gained from the internship:

Outdoor leadership interns will operate as an extended branch of our professional instructor team. Only 1 intern will be selected to join each field team and will learn everything there is to know about successfully guiding and teaching in remote settings around the world. Interns will have the opportunity to:

  • work alongside our field instructors from start to finish: in training before participants arrive and following their departure in our formal debrief meetings. Leadership interns will participate as guide trainees, learning every day what the instructor role is all about.

  • gain real world experience on facilitating 1 - 2 week field expeditions around the world for groups of 10 - 12 high school or college students.

  • earn certifications in Sustainable Tourism and Risk Management

  • expand on group facilitation techniques — how to engage the group, facilitate activities that are fun yet serve a purpose and then guide the team through a meaningful debrief to drive learning points home.

  • learn how to develop, teach and implement basic risk management procedures.

  • embody what it means to be a sustainable tourist while traveling, whether it be on land or sea.

  • gain a higher understanding of all the behind-the-scenes preparations and logistics required to run a successful program.

  • improve problem-solving skills, build confidence and take on greater leadership roles amongst the student and instructor teams.

  • gain experience in facilitating experiential learning activities specific to the region of the expedition. This could range from assisting in sailing maneuvers, guiding hikes across lava fields, assisting with the instruction of drum circles in the South Pacific or helping to keep the energy high while completing an intense hike through a rainforest.

  • expand on knowledge and training in wilderness medicine.

  • Hone their communication skills in both small and large group settings.

  • The possibilities are endless, but the mindset is the same — lead expeditions with specific learning goals in place while mitigating risk and pushing participants into their challenge zones to achieve new goals.

All intern positions report to the Field Instructors and Program Director.

Ideal Candidate:

This internship is designed for the candidate interested in working within the outdoor industry and expand their leadership and facilitation skills. This opportunity is for the candidate eager to push themselves to improve their leadership skill -sets: communication, problem-solving, risk assessment and facilitation. We know you’re still learning, that’s ok! This position is for the person serious about taking on a leadership role within a diverse working environment and willing to put in the time and energy to thrive.

what to expect:

  • Internships are 3 months in length, part-time. A majority of the internship is spent working with the instructo team remotely with 1 - 2 weeks in the field running an expedition.

  • Attend the pre-expedition trainings and post-expedition debrief either in-person in Winona, MN or remotely.

  • Live overseas in shared accommodations for duration of expedition.

  • Demonstrate and enforce all Global Treks and Adventures, LLC policies at all times. This includes avoiding consumption of any alcohol or other chemicals throughout the duration of student expeditions.

  • Participate in all expedition activities, workshops, meetings and meals. Expect LONG days. Our instructors are prepping for the day before the students wake up and are typically holding one on one meetings into the evening.

  • Work alongside instructors with all students/clients to assist in any areas of struggle that surface throughout the expedition.

  • Assist with all logistical duties to include, but not limited to: provisioning, transporting students throughout expedition, communicating with international contacts, coordinating several events on a daily basis, assisting with team meal preparation and execution, and assisting with research base upkeep.

  • Learn, promote and enforce all risk management policies at all times.

  • Communicate effectively and respectfully with all co-leaders, program directors and administrative members at all times.

  • Pursue academic or experiential activities to complement and enhance field programming.

  • Support the mission, vision and values of Global Treks and Adventures, LLC

  • Assist with medical support within scope of practice, when needed and qualified.

  • Perform additional duties, as assigned and agreed upon.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • At least 1 year in some type of leadership capacity (environment can be quite varied from recreational arenas to education to anywhere where the candidate demonstrates leadership and responsibility).

  • CPR and basic first aid certification.

  • Travel experience, domestically or internationally.

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

  • Excellent problem-solving skills and effective conflict mediation strategies.

  • Professional or personal experience with outdoor activities (preferably in some of the following: hiking, sailing, swimming, snorkeling, GPS equipment use, camping and sustainable tourism mindset).

  • Passion for working in an academically-minded adventure group.

  • Physical Requirements: candidates will need to hike on uneven terrain in varied weather up to several miles daily carrying a daypack with some group gear (extra water and safety gear). Candidates will need to lift 15 – 25 pounds daily and hike with the added weight in their daypack.

  • Bonus points (not required but will help your application stand out):

    • Facilitation skills and instincts for team-building, problem-solving, leading outdoor adventure activities, mentoring and student management.

    • A sense of humor and eagerness to role model the successful connections between working hard and having fun.

Compensation:

  • Gain real-world experience and training to prepare you to successfully work in the outdoor industry — whether in experiential education, recreational and adventure travel or any leadership role requiring problem-solving and group management skills. Our alumni have continued their journey into the Peace Corps, government sector (NASA, FEMA, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency), teaching in K - 12 and university classrooms and within professional guiding networks around the world.

  • Certifications Earned:

    • Sustainable Tourism

    • Risk Management Level 1

  • Leadership internships are unpaid positions with the possibility of contractual opportunities within Global Treks in the future pending job performance review.

  • Interns will have the option to earn college credit upon successful completion of the internship duties.

Program Fee:

  • Participation in the field expedition requires a program fee which covers travel costs to the team’s research base. The program fee is dependent upon the field location of the research expedition team the intern is assisting with.

  • Program fees cover all housing, food, local transportation, activities, support materials, etc. Flights to the expedition location are not included.

  • 2022/2023 Program Fee:

    • Hawaii: $2500

    • Iceland: $2950

To Apply:

All questions can be sent to Jen Herdina, Program Director at Herdina@Global-treks.com

Hiring Process and Timeline:

  • All summer internships will be announced prior to May 15, 2023 for the coming summer. This summer, we have 2 opportunities: in the Big Island of Hawaii and in Reykjavik, Iceland. The internship will run 1-3 months during the summer with 9 days in the in Hawaii or Iceland.

  • Winter internships will be announced by November 1, 2022 for all December and January Expeditions. Winter expedition dates will be announced in the fall of 2022, but are typically between Dec 14 - Jan 15th. Expeditions will take place in Hawaii and Iceland.

GLOBAL TREKS AND ADVENTURES, LLC PRIDES ITSELF IN FOLLOWING FEDERAL FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT FOR INTERNSHIPS. THE FOLLOW DESCRIBES THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARY OF THIS RELATIONSHIP:

  1. Internships with Global Treks and Adventure are designed to provide real world training similar to that provided in an educational environment, including the clinical and other hands-on training provided by the intern’s educational institution. Our field research interns take the skill-sets they have learned in the classroom and apply them to real-world settings.

  2. Internships with Global Treks and Adventure are designed to comport with the intern’s formal education program by integrating coursework or the receipt of academic credit.

  3. Internships with Global Treks and Adventure are designed to accommodate the intern’s academic commitments by corresponding to the intern’s academic calendar. Field research opportunities correspond with academic breaks, taking advantage of the time available to travel to our field research locations.

  4. Internships with Global Treks and Adventure are limited in duration for the purpose of providing the intern with beneficial learning.

  5. Internships with Global Treks and Adventure are designed to ensure the intern’s individualized academic studies complement, rather than displace, the work of Global Treks and Adventure’s paid employees while providing significant educational benefits to the intern.

  6. Interns participating in Global Treks and Adventure’s Internship Program expressly understand and agree that their participation therein is without entitlement to and/or any expectation of a paid job at the conclusion of their internship. While former interns have continued to work with Global Treks following their internship experience, Global Treks and Adventures disclaims any promise of a paid job at the conclusion of an internship, express or implied.

  7. All internships with Global Treks and Adventure are unpaid with the intern expressly understanding and agreeing that they have no expectation of any monetary compensation. Global Treks and Adventures disclaims any promise of compensation, express or implied.

The essential responsibilities of this position are described under the headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. Also, this document in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the intern occupying this position.

Employment will require the selected candidate to pass a background check. Global Treks does not sponsor work visas, thus, in compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify eligibility to work in the United States.

Global Treks and Adventures is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, and encourages women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and protected Veterans to apply.