A four-strong team from Oatridge spent two busy days at the second Outdoor Pursuits Exhibition at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston and were delighted to find that the College's new National Certificate course in Activity Tourism is sparking interest across the generations.
The College stand, staffed by Niall Evans, Carl Gilbert and John McGregor from the Countryside Management department, plus Marketing Officer Emilia Barerro found themselves answering questions from school-leavers, parents and a host of visitors interested in building on existing skills, thinking about a career change or taking a new direction after retirement.
Emilia Barerro says: "We're quite used to enquiries from young people or their parents, but the level of interest from such a wide age range was a really pleasant surprise. I think the fact that the National Certificate course is designed to provide an overview of an exciting and growing sector of the tourism industry, rather than focusing on one area within it, is what appeals."
The course was designed after a lengthy study led by Oatridge into activity tourism across Europe. Lasting a year, it will start in September this year and will give students a grounding in a host of subjects, including planning and delivering an activity tourism event, leadership skills, team building, sustainable development, environmental awareness, customer care and marketing.
Successful completion will lead to a SCQF (Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework) Level 6 award and the possibility of progressing to a Higher National Certificate course in Activity Tourism.
In the picture, Countryside Management Team Leader Niall Evans is seen at the Oatridge stand at Ingliston.
Further details of the new Activity Tourism course available at Oatridge can be found through the following link: http://www.oatridge.ac.uk/courses/activity_tourism
