Why Traditional Grades Aren't Enough: Reimagining Student Assessment for the Outdoors Industry

What makes the perfect outdoor industry employee? While technical skills matter, our recent Connect and Share forum revealed what employers truly value: communication abilities, teamwork orientation, genuine interest, and resilience – qualities often developed through outdoor experiences but rarely captured by traditional education credentials.

This revelation came during a fascinating presentation from Murray and Kate of the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies, who are consulting on a new "Learner Profile" to complement traditional academic certificates. The initiative aims to better represent the capabilities that matter most in the real world, addressing a striking disconnect: only 10% of students actually use their ATAR after Year 12, yet our education system remains heavily focused on this single number.

For outdoor professionals, this presents both challenges and opportunities. Our field naturally cultivates many of these sought-after "soft skills," but these transformative experiences – whether during a week at school camp or through extended outdoor programs – often remain invisible in formal assessments. Industry representatives unanimously agreed that the personal and social capabilities demonstrated in outdoor settings provide crucial insights that traditional grades simply cannot capture.

The session also covered critical industry updates, including a carabiner safety recall affecting the Nimbus Lock, Locker Draw, and Energy Pack with codes above 10-23. Water safety emerged as another priority concern, with drowning statistics showing a troubling increase from 1 to 1.3 per 100,000 people after years of improvement. The outdoor industry faces important questions about its role in preventing these unnecessary deaths, particularly among young men, where alcohol and boating create a dangerous combination.

Professional development opportunities abound, with programs covering abseiling, rescue techniques, canoe skills, and specialised training for non-outdoor education teachers. Meanwhile, the Mountain Bike Manifesto offers a comprehensive roadmap with 143 action items developed through MTB industry consultation.

How might our industry better showcase the transformative capabilities developed through outdoor experiences? Could initiatives like the ACT Learner Profile help bridge the gap between what employers need and what traditional credentials measure? Share your thoughts by emailing contact@outdoorsnswact.com.au – your insight could help shape how we recognise and develop talent in our field.

Chapters

• 0:00 Outdoors NSW & ACT Weekly Introduction
• 1:15 Industry Updates and Recalls
• 3:00 Proactive Health Budgeting and Events
• 4:19 Water Safety Concerns and Prevention
• 6:09 Professional Development Opportunities
• 10:30 E-Bike Legislation and Advocacy
• 18:00 ACT Learner Profile Consultation
• 31:00 Industry Feedback on Graduate Skills
• 42:00 Wrap-Up and Call to Action