AORE was created with the intention to advance and provide op-portunities for those working in the field of outdoor recreation and education. After being a member for a few months, I have already been able to see how AORE believes in supporting its members through many different venues. For me, a huge source of support has been this scholarship from the partnership with the PCIA.
One of my first loves of outdoor recreation came from climbing, so naturally I wanted to pursue my climbing wall instructor certification as soon as possible to help expand my teaching knowledge. Luckily for me, after receiving the scholarship, the PCIA was more than willing to help me get the process moving forward and working with the institution I had chosen to take the course at.
Scott Dirksen and Colt Fetters at Auburn Outdoors have teamed up to perfect the form of teaching the PCIA CWI course. The PCIA handbook can be intimidating to some, but the guys at Auburn taught the course with enthusiasm and creativity, making it a very rewarding ex-perience. They made sure, in teaching the course, to address all learning types and to explain different techniques in a multitude of ways. After looking back at the course, I can clearly see why PCIA is one of the best in the business. Their course material is adjusted to satisfy the needs of a beginner climber to a seasoned veteran.
Although I still consider myself a newbie to the industry, I have seen so many of the ways that AORE supports its members. Through scholarships, professional devel-opment opportunities, and part-nerships throughout the outdoor industry, the possibilities to succeed in this field are endless. After experiencing all three of these opportunities, I can say firsthand how rewarding being a member of both AORE and the PCIA will be to me throughout my career. Cheers to these two organizations and to Scott and Colt at Auburn for helping me start my career in the outdoor industry with the right foot forward.
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