Guiding for Sunway Safaris is a rewarding and satisfying experience, and like any other job it has it's challenges. By joining us at Sunway you will become part of a young, active company which is constantly growing and developing in the Southern African tourism market. You will be the tour leader for groups of people from all over the world, with very different backgrounds and your professional approach to the job is essential. You get to meet a lot of interesting people and your own "people" skills will be of utmost importance. The job is demanding - requiring long hours, sometimes difficult conditions and a wide variety of other challenges. But it is a lifestyle unlike any other job can offer; on tour you will have fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities in some of the best reserves in Africa. You will also be interacting with the local people all over Africa, learning about local myths, festivals and customs. Guiding "on the road" is a lifestyle and probably the best "job" there is!
Please note that this page is intended primarily for Sunway Safaris recruitment purposes and as such is directed at South Africans and not at our international clientele. Due to the current legislation regarding work permits in South Africa, it is virtually impossible for anyone other than a South African to work for Sunway as a Safari Guide.
SMALL GROUPS
Sunway groups are limited to maximum 12 clients, which has lots of benefits including being able to pay more attention to each client. There will be less tension between the clients, ONE big happy family. You can be very informative with a smaller group because you have more time for each client. There is less impact on the environment as well as less noise in national parks, at campsites and on game drives. A full stomach means a happy client; better meal preparation and presentation is easily achieved when preparing meals for small groups.
WORKING FOR SUNWAY
There are also benefits working for a small company. Besides the relaxed and positive attitude between all, there is a good relationship between office and guides. More attention to detail can be given to each tour and your backup is more focused. There is also a good friendship between all the guides who are always willing to help each other. As well as taking conservation seriously, Sunway Safaris pride themselves on providing a real wildlife adventure for all who go tour.
HOW TO GET INTO GUIDING:
IF YOU HAVE NOT GUIDED BEFORE:
If you have no guiding experience and would like to become a tour leader (a safari guide, as opposed to a field guide 'Jeep Jockey'), before you can approach Sunway Safaris you will need:-
A South African EC1 license - that is, a heavy duty truck drivers license. Booking your learners license is done through the new Department of Transport call centre.
Once you have your EC1, you then need to get a public driver permit (PDPn). The PDPn enables you to carry paying passengers. To be granted a PDPn by the Department of Transport you will need to go to your nearest testing station and ask them for the pack of forms you need in order to apply and take it from there. The following are required:
· a doctors certificate certifying you fit to drive a heavy duty vehicle (a few hundred R's);
· to pass an eye test at the Department of Transport;
· a criminal clearance from the South African Police Services (with fingerprints);
· approximately R200.00 to lodge the application.
You will also need a valid Level 1 First Aid Certificate. St Johns Ambulance Service offer a level 1 courses to any potential applicants (+/- R400+VAT) or a Level 1 and 2 First Aid Certificate (+/-R620+VAT). Their courses run regularly and are of a high standard. Contact Nanda 011 403 4227. www.stjohn.org.za
Then you need to become an applicant member of the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA). To enroll with FGASA you will need 2x passport photos, your First Aid Certificate, and about R 300.00. After you have enrolled with them they will furnish you with a logbook in which you will record all your future trips, and they will inform you of the soonest Level 1 examination date.
Please refer to the FGASA web site for more details about this. www.fgasa.org.za.
Thereafter you will need to apply and get acredited with Department of Environmental Affairs and Toursim (D.E.A.T.). This can be done through Gauteng Tourism Authority.
While in the above process you should then contact us at 011 803 7400 / 01 and e-mail a brief CV to sunway@icon.co.za. We would like to know of your intention to approach us while you go through getting your ducks in a row.
If you are serious about becoming a Sunway Safaris guide, then you should complete a field guiding course. There are a number of companies that offer an introductory course into field guiding. Details from FGASA. On these courses you will experience what an overland safari is all about, whether it is the interaction between people, early mornings, game viewing and meal preparations. Overall a guides course is a worthwhile investment on your part because it will give you a chance to see if you have what it takes to be a safari guide.
If you are offered a training position within Sunway Safaris you might be required to complete a probationary period with us in a junior position (in our workshops for example), after which you will do training trips with other fully trained and full time Sunway guides, before becoming a guide yourself.
As you can see, this is not an easy nor inexpensive process! And it is not meant to be. Sunway Safaris only want guides of the highest caliber working for our company, and this is what it takes to become one of them....
IF YOU HAVE GUIDED BEFORE:
If you are already an experienced guide i.e. you have been guiding for at least a year, and have all of the requirements listed above, then you are welcome to contact us at 011 803 7400 / 01 and e-mail a brief CV to shaun@sunway-safaris.com
We look forward to hearing from you
Kind regards
Shaun Waring-Jones
le Grande Fromage