Jody spots a bear claw
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Jody Conrad started East Coast Outdoor Education (ECOE) in Nova Scotia to teach outdoor activity and survival skills, although he's no longer involved on a formal basis.
Jody holds a bachelor's degree in Recreation and honed his outdoor skills as a student of National Outdoor Leadership School. He is a Leave No Trace Master Educator, a Nova Scotia Outdoor Leadership Development Instructor, and in Wilderness First Responder.
He spends his down time sea kayaking, backpacking, canoeing, woodworking, conga drumming, and tossing the Frisbee. Jody coauthored"Juggling 50 Balls: An Experiential Approach to Youth Development." He's been working in the outdoors for 7 years.
In His Own Words
The Job
"East Coast Outdoor Education (ECOE) offers wilderness navigation, survival, and ethics training for groups and individuals of all ages."
How He Got There
"I realized how much I enjoy being outside when I moved away from it for university. I experience a kind of "can't see the forest for the trees" scenario. I began volunteering and interning with local and provincial programs, and started getting some experiences "away" as well. I dabbled in all aspects of the field searching for what I liked best."
How to Get His Job
"I think the key is to try a bit of everything. Be open to volunteering and not making much money. It's fun and valuable to watch other leaders and learn from their techniques. Don't try to mimic other's styles; find your own and expand on it. Ideally, it's great to have a steady, secure job to pay the bills with the flexibility to tackle outside contracts. Don't be cocky."
Pros
"The ah ha's."
Cons
"Eats up many a weekend."
Salary Range
"I've never figured that out."
His Dream Job
"Part-time outdoor educator, part-time mason."
Do you think there's any danger in your passion becoming your career?
"That depends on why you're passionate about it. For me, no. I love to spend time alone outside . . . I also love to allow others to discover that value. I keep those two separate even though they are obviously related, kind of like the relationship between one of those shark belly sucking fish and the shark being sucked. Symbiotic, that's it!"
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