Got Your A-Level Results? What’s Next?
A-Level Results Day is one of the biggest milestones after finishing school.
Maybe you’ve got the grades you were hoping for and you’re ready to head to university. If so, congratulations!
But what if university has never really appealed to you? Or perhaps your results weren’t quite what you expected and you’re now wondering what to do next.
The good news is that university isn’t the only route to a successful career.
More young people than ever are choosing practical career paths that allow them to learn new skills, gain recognised qualifications and start working in an industry they genuinely love.
If you’ve always enjoyed being outside, working with people and trying new challenges, a career in the outdoors could be exactly what you’re looking for.
Why More School Leavers Are Looking Beyond University
Going to university is a fantastic choice for many people, but it isn’t the right fit for everyone.
Some people want to learn through experience rather than lectures.
Some want to gain qualifications while building real-life skills.
Others simply want to begin a career sooner, rather than spending another three or four years in education.
The outdoor industry offers all of this.
It’s a career where every day is different. One day you could be teaching kayaking on the water, the next helping a school group build confidence during a coasteering session or leading a hike along the Jurassic Coast.
Instead of sitting behind a desk, your workplace could be beaches, rivers, forests and mountains.
Can You Really Build A Career In The Outdoors?
Absolutely.
The outdoor industry offers a huge range of career opportunities, with qualified instructors in demand across the UK and around the world.
Outdoor instructors work for:
- Outdoor activity centres
- Schools and residential centres
- Watersports providers
- Adventure holiday companies
- Summer camps
- Duke of Edinburgh providers
- Expedition companies
- Adventure tourism businesses
Many instructors also travel, working seasons in places like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and across Europe.
For people who love being active and helping others, it’s far more than just a job – it’s a lifestyle.
What Does An Outdoor Instructor Do?
As an outdoor instructor, your role is to help people experience adventure safely while building confidence and learning new skills.
No two days are ever the same.
You could be:
- Leading coasteering sessions on the Jurassic Coast.
- Teaching kayaking or paddleboarding.
- Running bushcraft activities.
- Supporting school residential trips.
- Leading team-building challenges.
- Helping young people discover a love for the outdoors.
One of the best parts of the job is seeing someone achieve something they never thought they could do.
Whether it’s completing their first cliff jump or learning to paddle a kayak, you’ll be helping create memories that last a lifetime.
Start Your Journey with Land & Wave’s Outdoor Instructor Training
If you’re wondering how to become an outdoor instructor, our 15-week Outdoor Instructor Training course is designed to help you turn your passion into a profession.
Throughout the course you’ll gain nationally recognised qualifications, practical experience and the confidence to begin working in the outdoor industry.
You’ll learn alongside experienced instructors, develop leadership skills and spend your time training in real outdoor environments rather than classrooms.
Our Outdoor Instructor Training course includes qualifications across paddlesports, coasteering, climbing, bushcraft, first aid and much more, giving you a fantastic foundation for a career in adventure education.
Perhaps most importantly, we’re committed to helping you find work after the course, giving you the skills and experience employers are looking for.
Is Outdoor Instructor Training Right For You?
You don’t need to be an expert paddler.
You don’t need years of outdoor experience.
You simply need enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and a passion for being outside.
Many of our trainees join us straight after sixth form or college.
Others decide university isn’t for them.
Some are looking for a complete career change later in life.
If you enjoy working with people, love being active and want a career that’s different every day, Outdoor Instructor Training could be the perfect next step.
University Is One Option – Not The Only Option
There’s often pressure to believe university is the only “successful” route after school.
It isn’t.
Success looks different for everyone.
For some people, success means studying for a degree.
For others, it means gaining practical skills, working outdoors, meeting incredible people and building a career doing something they genuinely enjoy.
Your A-Level results are only the beginning of your story.
Whatever grades are printed on that piece of paper, they don’t decide what you’re capable of achieving.
Come and See It for Yourself
If you’re curious about life as an outdoor instructor, why not come along to one of our FREE Outdoor Instructor Training Open Days?
You’ll meet the team, chat to current instructors, explore our facilities and find out exactly what a career in the outdoors could look like.
There’s no pressure – just the opportunity to discover a different path.
Because university isn’t the only option.
And for some people, it’s the outdoors where they truly find themselves.
Ready to Start Your Adventure?
If you’re looking for an alternative to university after A-Level Results Day, we’d love to help you explore what’s possible.
Find out more about our Outdoor Instructor Training Course, download our course brochure or book onto an upcoming open day.
Your future doesn’t have to start in a lecture theatre.
It could start on the Jurassic Coast.
