Why our training works
Blend of hands-on and theoretical experiences
AYA’s tourism training curriculum effectively blends theoretical and practical training experiences throughout the program. Over the course of the program for example participants receive classroom-based instruction at Capilano College in the mornings and acquire work experience in the afternoons at the Squamish Adventure Centre. This allows participants to be actively applying the skills they are learning.
Work experience includes:
- Providing presentations to visitors in the theatre.
- Providing visitor information at the Visitor Information Centre.
- Conducting cultural demonstrations such as paddle carving or cedar weaving in the outdoor amphitheater.
- Welcoming visitors at the entrance and explaining the significance of the cultural demonstration activities for visitors.
All AYA activities are appropriate for Aboriginal learners from diverse communities. The songs practiced are non-proprietary songs shared by many Nations and where possible the cultural activities are made relevant to a broad range of Aboriginal communities.
Customized for Aboriginal LearnersSenior Ambassadors work closely with all instructors to ensure that content has maximum relevance to Aboriginal participants and is delivered in a way which meets the needs of Aboriginal learners.
Springboard to Post-Secondary EducationAYA works closely with Capilano College to ensure that course content prepares and motivates participants for postsecondary education. In some cases AYA training can be used as credit toward post-secondary education.
In addition, AYA provides a valuable opportunity for Aboriginal youth to familiarize themselves with the post-secondary learning environment as all of AYA’s classroom activities are conducted on-campus. Participants are therefore more comfortable in the campus environment and are more likely to explore and take advantage of the opportunities that the college has to offer.