Surfing England recognition for Outdoor Leadership course

20th September 2022 – Tags: Outdoor Leadership

Easton College is helping its Outdoor Leadership students make the most of the opportunities in the outdoor leisure industry by securing accreditation as a recognised Surfing England club. 

The move means Outdoor Leadership students will benefit from gaining substantially more of the experience needed to safely run surfing and other coastal water sports. 

Students on the two-year Level 3 course for school leavers will spend a total of 26 days-per-year mastering the practical techniques of surfing, whilst learning the safety requirements needed for safe participation in the sport. 

This will provide the Outdoor Leadership students with an in-depth, practical understanding of sea currents and coastal weather – highly transferable skills which are needed for the supervision and running of any coastal-based activities. 

As well as honing their surfing skills and knowledge on the Norfolk coast, students can look forward to a week-long surfing residential in West Wales at the start of their second year.   

Adam Williams, the course leader, says having this skill set will widen the employment opportunities available to Easton College’s Outdoor Leadership students: 

Although our day-to-day base at Easton College is inland, we don’t want our students to miss out on the many great employment opportunities available to them in coastal settings. Employers within the outdoor activity industry recognise that experience of sea activities brings with it an advanced skills set – knowledge of the weather, sea currents, tides, and coastal environments – as well as a high level of physical fitness. This will really help students from the course stand out when they are going for jobs, at home and abroad.”   

In addition to surfing, the Outdoor Leadership course prepares students for supervisory and instructor roles in a wide range of other outdoor activities, including mountain biking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding, and bush craft.  

Mr Williams says the well-documented surge in participation in outdoor activities, during and since the Covid pandemic, means that it is a great time to get into the outdoor activity industry: 

So many people discovered a love of the outdoors because of Covid. It’s been a colossal boost for the industry. Just look at the numbers of people you see paddle boarding now, compared to a few years ago. For people to learn and enjoy coastal activities safely, there will continue to be a strong demand for skilled instructors. It is the best job in the world.”