I am sure that you have all read the stories about how tough women have it in a man’s world. How about in the world of field guiding? Is it that tough for women? Do we have to work harder than our male counterparts in the industry? In a series of blogs, we investigate from the perspective of a number of female alumni from the well-known and respected Limpopo Field Guiding Academy (LFGA).
LFGA enjoys a high percentage of female students and there is no difference in the rigorous training provided by the Academy – all students that pass their course meet the standards set by the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) and are well prepared for their careers as guides.
So… can a woman drive a 4 x 4, can she change a tyre using a high-lift jack, can she get you out of a sticky situation should one arise? While I cannot speak for all training providers, I can for LFGA, as if she cannot perform these tasks to the required standard, she will not pass her practical assessment.
As someone who has a guiding qualification, but has predominantly management experience, I have had the privilege of employing an LFGA female guide and it was a decision I will never regret. She was just as hard working, if not harder than the men, and her game drives were a delight. Every drive I went on, I myself learnt something new, and her guests always returned richer for the experience
Of the five female LFGA graduates that we will be chatting about over the next few months, the earliest graduate that I got to interview was Mashudu Mutswana, who graduated from LFGA in 2015 and immediately started her guiding career at a mainstream Big 5 game reserve in the Waterberg. Mashudu has aspirations towards the higher levels of FGASA qualification and would ideally like to qualify as a FGASA Trails Guide in the future. Her passion for nature and wanting to encourage other women to join the industry, was her drive for participating in this article.
Our next graduate, Ruzanne Du Plessis, graduated in 2019 as a FGASA Apprentice Field Guide (Level 1) and in 2020 as a FGASA Apprentice Trails Guide. She is currently doing her FGASA Field Guide (Level 2) qualification and working up her hours towards the Lead Trails Guide qualification. Ruzanne has grown incredibly in this space of time and is already assisting in management at the lodge she works at. She is also a very keen photographer and her lodge regularly showcases her work. She believes that women guides are becoming more accepted in the industry, and that more woman are being seen at some of South Africa’s premier game lodges. She does, however, feel that as a female, you need to put in a lot of effort to prove yourself and gain the respect of your male peers. She focuses on providing a memorable experience for her guest whereby they will leave remembering her as a professional guide rather than the focal point being her gender.
If you are a female who is concerned about the guiding industry being male dominated – it’s time to put those concerns to rest. Investigate the FGASA Apprentice Field Guide (NQF2) course at Limpopo Field Guiding Academy and see for yourself.
Stay tuned for the next article showcasing more LFGA graduates who are making strides in the guiding world today – and happen to be female!
For more info and course details, contact Linky on:
+27(0)72 625 4709
+27(0)14 007 0621