Outfitters that don't charge for guide training
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Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15399
Printed Date: 12 Oct 2025 at 9:59am
Topic: Outfitters that don't charge for guide training
Posted By: mprussak
Subject: Outfitters that don't charge for guide training
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2016 at 8:40pm
Anyone know of any outfitters, preferably local but not necessarily, that don't charge for guide training?
I'd like to guide this summer but fu*k no I'm not gonna pay 500-1000 bucks for a job.
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Marek Prussak 206-465-2055
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Replies:
Posted By: peteg
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2016 at 10:27pm
We only charge $25 a day and try to get folks trained up in 8 days. Half is returned if folks work for us this season. Not exactly free but pretty reasonable I think.
www.blueskyrafting.com/employment.htm
pete
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Posted By: mprussak
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2016 at 10:29pm
Hey, that's actually quite reasonable, hell of a lot better than any other place I've found. Thanks!
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Marek Prussak 206-465-2055
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Posted By: mprussak
Date Posted: 01 Apr 2016 at 3:31am
Welp I sent my resume from the wrong (non-professional) email address and I'm sure that the pbr did not help my proofreading skills. Here goes nothing!
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Marek Prussak 206-465-2055
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Posted By: Jed Hawkes
Date Posted: 01 Apr 2016 at 10:44am
Most guide companies don't provide guide training with the intention of hiring from the guide pool. In the past I've instructed and it was stated from the beginning that just because you showed up and paid your fee doesn't mean we're hiring. The vast majority of people in these classes don't intend to find work either. Most people in the classes are people looking for something to do on the side and not as a full time summer gig.
For most of these companies the guide training isn't about making a profit and more about covering costs.
Have you ever guided rafts before? PM with some details of your experience and I'll give you my professional opinion.
Full disclosure I no longer guide for work and don't have a vested interest in which company you decide to train/work for.
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The line will become apparent
978-273-7723
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Posted By: peteg
Date Posted: 01 Apr 2016 at 7:31pm
We seem to be one of the exceptions to that rule as we've hired everyone in our class that was reasonably successful and wanted to work. It's true that a lot of people never end up choosing to work on the river. Of course we are a smaller company and typically only have 6-10 people in training each year.
Oh, and it's worth noting that we train to guide our main river and not Class 2. We also don't require any "guide training" work-for-free type trips after training is over. If you are on the river with us and working you get paid.
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