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AMGA

Continuing Professional Development | Certified Guides

American Mountain Guides Association

Purpose: Training and certification at the AMGA is extensive and rigorous regardless of the discipline. The skills certified guides possess, though at a high standard, must continue to develop and evolve. With advances in equipment, changing knowledge of materials and subsequent evolution of technique, it is imperative that all certified members of the AMGA continually adapt and progress with the changing times. Even the most physically talented and technically skilled guides risk losing their guiding edge without continuous skill development. In consideration of this, the AMGA will implement a continuous professional development expectation.

As the only professional trade organization for mountain guides in the US, it is important that the AMGA set the bar for the state of the art on a continuous basis. The AMGA now has the expectation that all active certified members will partake in continuous professional practice, as well as physical and technical development.

To maintain active status in the AMGA, certified members are expected to satisfy the following minimum requirements: (please note that the requirements for maintaining Single Pitch Instructor and Climbing Wall Instructor certification are not included in these requirements as there are requirements specific to each one of these programs to maintain certification).

Methodology: As stated, this is an EXPECTATION of all certified guides. This program will be self monitored pending the development of the AMGA web site and the ability of certified individuals to post their CPD updates electronically. Once this has been developed, we will implement a system of oversight, most likely tied to the membership renewal process.

  1. Hold and maintain valid first aid credentials; Wilderness First Responder or Outdoor Emergency Care courses with an original course length of 60 hours as the minimum standard.
  2. Work a minimum of 10 days every two years in each discipline of certification. In addition to standard guiding days with clients, this may include:
    1. Work as a risk manager in the particular discipline for individuals and or operations, outside of normal guiding parameters.
    2. Work as an instructor on educational programs related to the discipline, such as AMGA training and certification programs, guides training for mountain guiding companies and educational seminars.
    3. Work activity related to public safety/works but not necessarily related to client work.
  3. Receive continuous and diverse training in each discipline of certification. 1 day of professional development (8 hours) per discipline per year or 3 days total in two years for IFMGA guides is the expectation. This may include but is not limited to:
    1. AMGA or other IFMGA/UIAGM Instructor pool training days.
    2. AMGA training and certification programs if not already certified in particular discipline.
    3. AMGA continuing education seminars offered at the annual meeting or as scheduled programs, i.e. ice instructor seminar, mechanized ski seminar (coming), AMGA/PSIA instructor training/certification programs.
    4. Works shops independent of the AMGA but pertinent to the profession such as International Snow Science work shops, natural history programs, AIARE instructor training programs, Rigging for Rescue, Wilderness Risk Managers Conferences etc.
    5. Observation of training and certification programs in other IFMGA/ UIAGM countries.
    6. Attendance at IFMGA/UIAGM international meetings.
    7. Note: there may be many other items that fit into the continuing education guidelines that are not listed. These should receive prior approval from the Technical Director before being listed.

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