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Membership & Benefits

MEMBERSHIP & BENEFITS

There are three membership options:

  1. INDIVIDUAL (Polar Pro) — for guides and prospective guides.
  2. ASSESSOR — for Senior Polar Guides who have attended an Assessor Training course and wish to assess candidates for PTGA Polar Qualifications.
  3. CORPORATE (Accredited Provider) — for expedition cruise companies who wish to become Accredited Providers.
    BECOME A MEMBER
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    PTGA MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

    OVERVIEW

    Individual membership is open to anyone who is, or wishes to become, an active polar guide. Membership gives access to the PTGA qualification system. Members must be committed to professionalism in guiding, the PTGA Code of Conduct and PTGA standards of performance.

    A member can gain PQs (Polar Qualifications) by:

    1. Assessment run by a PTGA assessor. This may be held at the individual’s workplace, or through an external assessment provider.
    2. Through Cross-Accreditation of existing relevant qualifications.

    Join here. Fill out the membership form, and you will be able to create a profile and pay your membership fee.

     

    FEE

    $125 USD per annum.

     

    BENEFITS

    • RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS. PTGA qualifications are accepted as bonafide certificates by a significant number of expedition and polar cruise companies, with some companies paying higher rates for PTGA Certified Guides.
    • ASSESSMENT. The guiding competency PTGA members can be assessed by PTGA’s performance-testing assesment process, a process that complies with International Standard ISO 21102.
    • PROOF OF COMPETENCY. An external record of proof of minimum competency, experience and qualifications for all member guides. This is valuable for a guide to provide evidence of competency and experience to any employer, customer, insurance institute, governing body, coronial inquiry or other external agency
    • CERTIFICATION & STATUS BADGES. A digital badge that shows your Certification and Guide Status, which may be used on personal websites, resumes, and email signatures.
    • PROFESSIONALISM. Membership of the only international Professional Industry Association for polar guides.
    • COMMUNITY. As a member of PTGA, you are part of a community of polar guiding professionals whose collective aims are safety, sustainability and professionalism, and from whom you can learn and continue to develop.
    • NEWSLETTER. Access to the PTGA newsletter Brash Talk
    • DEALS. Clothing and equipment for guides at a significant discount. PTGA members have access to an extensive number of members’ only pro deals that are provided by PTGA’s partner providers.
    • LECTURES. Exclusive access to view the highly-acclaimed PTGA Inside Speaker series which features expertise from leaders in polar guiding.
    • TRAINING. Access to the PTGA Virtual Learning Environment – our online training resources designed to expand your knowledge about topics important to guiding.
    • GUIDES FOR GUIDES. Members have access to a range of useful guides that are specific to polar guiding.
    • RESOURCES. Access to an extensive collection of resources, including guiding- and education-specific resources, plus apps and links that are relevant to the professional polar guide.
    • UPDATES. Access to Members-only updates about the latest information, deals and opportunities.
    • PROFILE. Your own PTGA Membership Pro-File where you can edit your membership and payment details.
    • ASSESSOR TRAINING. Members who gain the relevant prerequisites may attend training to become an assessor.
    • QUALIFICATION REVIEW. As a member you are able to provide input to the annual qualifications review, giving you influence over the qualifications process of which you are a part.

    Join PTGA now to gain access to these benefits!

    OVERVIEW

    PTGA Assessors are individual members who will have attended a PTGA Assessor Training course (email us or keep an eye on Brash Talk for notifications of Assessor Training courses). Being a PTGA Assessor provides excellent opportunities in the polar tourism industry for a range of new and exciting roles within companies – you will be a sought after commodity. 

     

    FEE

    $185 USD per annum

     

    BENEFITS

    In addition to the benefits of Individual Membership, you also receive: 

    • CERTIFICATION. Certification of assessor training and development courses.
    • CONDUCT ASSESSMENTS. You are able to assess against PTGA qualifications and issue Polar Qualifications (PQs).
    • ASSESSOR TRAINING. You may attend our online Assessor Training Forums.
    • RESOURCES. You will have access to our training and teaching resources accessed via the  ‘Assessor-Only’ web pages.
    • INFORMATION & COMMUNITY. You may participate in Assessor-Only information sharing and moderation discussions.

      OVERVIEW

      Corporate Membership gives Companies, and individuals working for those companies, the most economic way for staff to become PTGA-Qualified guides.

      An Accredited Provider Company can run its own PTGA (ISO compliant) assessments using its own in-house Assessors (staff who are already Senior Polar Guides and who have completed the PTGA Assessor Training program). The Company pays an annual corporate fee to the PTGA and signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the PTGA to ensure performance, compliance and moderation. There is no additional fee for assesment or for awarding qualifications in this way – the only cost to the Company is time.

      Annual fees for individual staff members may be covered by either the Company or by the individuals themselves, depending on Company policy. Likewise, the Company may wish to compensate its staff according to their Guide Status, the specific PTGA qualifications they hold, and whether or not they are an Assessor.

      There is a bi-annual moderation process run by the PTGA (as required under the Memorandum of Understanding) that is required for the company to retain its status as an Accredited Provider and to ensure that assessments are compliant to PTGA and ISO requirements.

       

      FEE

      Please Enquire

       

      BENEFITS

      • Performance tested qualifications framework and testing to measure guides against a Professional Industry Association standard.
      • Moderation of company training and assessment infrastructure to ensure PTGA and ISO:21102 compliance.
      • PTGA endorsement of company training and assessment standards
      • Promotion of company standards using PTGA membership and international compliance with our ISO rating.
      • Stored and administered records of proof of tested minimum competency of registered staff to any external agency as required.
      • Guide Certification and Status badges to show proof of tested competence.
      • Access to PTGA online resources by company and staff.
      • Ongoing support and training / assessment program consultation provided by PTGA.
      • Representation: Ability to have a representative at the annual Qualifications Review Meeting (QRM) to monitor amendments and development of the Qualifications Framework.
      • Cost saving: Lower liability insurance through proof of staff competence as measured by an ISO:21102 compliant external testing body.