Ulovane Environmental Training
Ulovane Environmental Training was established in 2005 by Schalk and Candice Pretorius, both of whom had gained significant experience, working first in Game Lodges and later as lecturers, and managers of the Bush Academy. This couple has been associated with conservation in the lodge and guiding industry for almost 20 years. The students become a part of the family and this is very important to the Pretorius’s who have three children of their own.
Let Ulovane Environmental Training assist you in achieving your guiding skills and qualifications in the most spectacular and unmatched experience available. At Ulovane Environmental Training we pride ourselves on offering outstanding courses with great success in creating knowledgeable, enthusiastic and ethical guides who are committed to conservation and who truly want to make a difference.
Why choose Ulovane Environmental
We take a personal interest in each and every student and enjoy sharing our passion and dedication with you. Our team’s flexibility and interest according to personal development and career path is what sets us apart. We are here to assist you in achieving your goals and being successful in your life.
We will continue to be of support once you begin your career in the eco-tourism industry (you become a part of the Ulovane Family).
The diversity of courses that we offer means that once you start with Ulovane there are opportunities for you to gain all the qualifications that you are interested in with us. We offer specialized courses such as Trails Guide, Marine and Birding courses over and above the baseline qualifications.
We believe that to become a successful guide one needs to be a successful leader and therefore focus on developing personal traits to develop leaders. Punctuality, responsibility, accountability, planning ahead and taking control of situations are some of the key areas that we focus on which will ensure you becoming successful in life, no matter what you decide to do afterwards.
We are very proud of our training facility on Ulovane Reserve and believe it is one of the TOP training facilities in South Africa. The camp offers our students a comfortable lodge-like environment to ensure the students are in the perfect environment to concentrate on their studies. Our camp is GREEN – We not only preach the concept of energy saving, but we truly live it and make everyone aware that we have to change our lifestyle to save our beautiful planet.
Amakhala Game Reserve and surroundings provide the students with extensive exposure and experience with most of the big 5 as well as Cheetah, ensuring a diverse experience.
Unique Field Guide Assessment Process at Ulovane
At Ulovane we believe that the quality of our qualifications is in the ongoing practical Assessments and not only in the theoretical training. We have a unique and detailed process to ensure that you, our student, are assessed in a way that you are ready for employment when you successfully complete our courses.
Weekly theory and practical exams
At the end of each week of the course there will be an exam, this is to ensure that we can pick up on any problem areas or learners struggling with the week’s subjects. Each Sunday you will write an exam including all the theoretical and practical skills needed for that week. The tests will include theoretical questions as well as sample, slide and / or sound assessments to test that you have gained the necessary understanding and skills of the week’s subjects. Your workbooks and assignments for the week will also be marked on a Sunday to ensure that you have conducted the necessary research for the week and to ensure that you don’t fall behind at any stage.
Hosting Skills
In the middle of your course, you will invite the land owners, managers and guides of the neighbouring reserves to a hosted dinner evening at Ulovane Campus. As a team you will be responsible for planning the entire evening, from the catering, creating a lodge like atmosphere, welcoming the guests, waitering and hosting your guests for the evening. This is a great opportunity for you to meet potential employers and guiding colleagues of the neighbouring reserves as well as to show off your hosting and management skills to your assessor.
Final 3 Weeks Assessment Process
During the final three weeks of the course you will be assessed on your tracking skills, presentation skills, field observation skills, slide & sound knowledge of our extensive species list that we cover during the course as well as two game drives that you will conduct with real guests. All your theoretical training will be completed after seven weeks and the final three weeks of the course will focus on your assessment to prove your competence on all the specific outcomes for the qualification.
Your Tracking Assessment will be a full day assessment on any tracks or signs left in the bush. If it left a mark it is fair to ask during your assessment. At least 35 questions will be asked during the assessment and each question will be explained and discussed afterwards with everyone to ensure ongoing training. This assessment focuses on your observational skills and overall understanding you gained during the course.
The Field Observation Assessment is conducted during a walk with your assessor. Your assessor will find a minimum of 50 questions including all subjects of the course during the walk. The questions might include ecological interpretations, sounds, Plant, Arthropods, Birds, Mammals and other animal identification and interesting information, geology and weather of the area, Animal behaviour and whatever nature presents.
The Slide and Sound Assessment is a classroom assessment where you will be assessed on pictures and sounds of all the species that you are expected to know by the end of the course.
Throughout the course we offer extensive 4 X 4 driving skills mentoring, to ensure that you are fully prepared and confident to conduct a guided experience for real guests in a land rover in a safe manner.
Final Assessment Game Drive with guests
Your Two Game Drives that you offer for your guests are our most important assessment tool. The game drives focus on assessing your guiding skills and your ability to create and conduct a guided nature experience unassisted with real guests. This is a very exciting time of the course where you will be given the contact details of your guests and it is then up to you to make arrangements with your guests as to what to bring and to prepare them for the experience. Guests arrive at the lodge and you will then host your guests at the lodge, prepare them for the drive, explore their interests and expectations and take them on a guided experience. You will be conducting your drives on Amakhala Game Reserve, which hosts the Big 5, and work with all the other permanent guides on the reserve to manage sightings and logistics on the reserve. There is no other training facility that assesses their learners with real guests, with real expectations and real discussions. You will conduct a real guided experience to assess your competence as a guide.
We do feel that our unique Assessment Process is designed to give you the best opportunities to be fully competent in all the aspects of guiding. We are one of the few, if not the only training provider that provides all of the above opportunities.
