Successful applicants to train as German-speaking tour guides at Tour Guide Academy
The Tour Guide Academy held its official opening late last month at their premises in Lafrenz. The academy offers free vocational training to local talent to become German-speaking Tour Guides with FGASA Field Guide Level 1 certification.
The academy in a recent statement promised successful graduate permanent employment with Pack Safari, one of the larges local tour operators.
The academy confirmed in a statement that they received 165 applications, which exceeded their expectations.
“The selection process was a challenge for use, but one which we met with enthusiasm, the quality of applicants confirmed our faith in local talent,” they added.
The company confirmed the acceptance of 12 students this year, all of them who are highly talented and motivated locals, aged between 26 and 47.
“We want to become German-speaking Tour Guides, because German is the mother tongue of most of the tourist visiting Namibia, plus we love people and want to show our beautiful country to others,” said Fillipus Mutuku one of the students.
Livia Pack, Chief Operating Officer of Pack Safari said they selected students from seven regions, therefore she is thrilled that they have such a great diversity of students and the students not only represents five different mother tongues and ethnic groups, but they also come from very diverse backgrounds.
“One of the students already has six years of tour guide experience, but speaks no German, another one has never worked as a professional tour guide yet, has a German girlfriend and hence has some prior knowledge of the language, while some students grew up sheltered in better paid families with good access to education, others worked their way up the hard way from driving positions,” she explained.
The academy has given the students seven months to complete the curriculum, which is a great opportunity for each of the students to get into a permanent, well-paid and fulfilling employment.
Peter Pack said this has the potential to be a real win-win situation, and can bring more local talent into key positions of the fastest growing sector of the economy.
