Registered Guides

[smallstreams.co.za]

Whats RPL?

Recognition of Prior Learning

... using your past experience as justification.

Past experiences and areas of expertise and the correct assessment of those could do so much for everyone in SA, but sadly, the system is not fully understood, and not implemented correctly.

[chrisvd]

Hi, just to answer a few of the questions on this thread.

I put R.E.F.F.I.S. behind my name because it is a qualification that is relevant in the guiding world, and a guarantee for prospective clients that I know something about fly fishing and guiding. Even though the sa branch no longer exists the international one does. If you got a degree from wits and the university subsequently closed would you no longer use the degree/ would it be worthless? If you were not a competant fisherman with good all round knowledge you would never have passed the REFFIS course, so I believe it means something on the standard of your skill levels.Guiding is also by reputation so you can still be a guide without a qualification and Theta, just not a legal one.

Theta qualifications are recognised by Castheta as I have just renewed my guiding ticket and had to present all my qualifications including an up to date level one first aid course ( which lasts for 3 years)
When Fransois Botha and Ryan Hammond did their REFFIS courses Fred and Mario had not yet got Theta on board officially so they never got that qualification, which is the legal part needed to legally guide in SA.

The guys who got REFFIS Theta are myself, Fred , Mario, Allan Hobson, Shayne Prinsloo, Andrew Mayo, Andrew Ludwig, and Andre the lawyer whose surname escapes me.
After that the course was discontinued.
When you have the Theta qualification you still have to get registered with your provinces tourism authority, pay a levy and then carry an issued photo ID card which states where you are allowed to operate and what your speciality is, something I now have. I was told by the Gauteng tourism authority that because it is fly fishing and the qualification is NQf level 4, Fly guides are allowed to now guide in all provinces with one card.Sadly I think there are probably only about 3 or four legal fly fishing guides in SA guiding at the moment, if that. Luckily I am one and will use it to the fullest in my marketing!

Thanks for adding this Ian and I agree with regard to the REFFIS course if you mention it in the same light as a varsity degree. An LLB degree does not make you a good lawyer (or a lawyer at all) though. You are one of the country's most respected guides (with a deserving reputation), so you are doing something right and if I were able to put REFFIS (and theta accreditation) behind my name I would, sadly at the moment, adventure guide, LLB and B.Com and a level 2 first aid course is all I can put behind it. I must also give you a big thumbs up for being able to get a card from the tourism department, we spent hours with them, without getting to speak to anyone that was able to help(with any knowledge).

[Andre]

Very good post, and yes, REFFIS is a very good course, and well worth putting it behind your name. It was Andre Steenkamp.
There are one or two SA guides who did REFFIS through the UK franchise, Tim Babitch being one of them. REFFIS.SA guides were accredited to guide all areas in SA as far as I know, so yes, a very good course and always was. The decision to close the SA franchise, was purely die to lack of demand from the SA market.

Hi, just to answer a few of the questions on this thread.

I put R.E.F.F.I.S. behind my name because it is a qualification that is relevant in the guiding world, and a guarantee for prospective clients that I know something about fly fishing and guiding. Even though the sa branch no longer exists the international one does. If you got a degree from wits and the university subsequently closed would you no longer use the degree/ would it be worthless? If you were not a competant fisherman with good all round knowledge you would never have passed the REFFIS course, so I believe it means something on the standard of your skill levels.Guiding is also by reputation so you can still be a guide without a qualification and Theta, just not a legal one.

Theta qualifications are recognised by Castheta as I have just renewed my guiding ticket and had to present all my qualifications including an up to date level one first aid course ( which lasts for 3 years)
When Fransois Botha and Ryan Hammond did their REFFIS courses Fred and Mario had not yet got Theta on board officially so they never got that qualification, which is the legal part needed to legally guide in SA.

The guys who got REFFIS Theta are myself, Fred , Mario, Allan Hobson, Shayne Prinsloo, Andrew Mayo, Andrew Ludwig, and Andre the lawyer whose surname escapes me.
After that the course was discontinued.
When you have the Theta qualification you still have to get registered with your provinces tourism authority, pay a levy and then carry an issued photo ID card which states where you are allowed to operate and what your speciality is, something I now have. I was told by the Gauteng tourism authority that because it is fly fishing and the qualification is NQf level 4, Fly guides are allowed to now guide in all provinces with one card.Sadly I think there are probably only about 3 or four legal fly fishing guides in SA guiding at the moment, if that. Luckily I am one and will use it to the fullest in my marketing!

[Saloon 2000]

Wasn't there also an Andre who did the same course over and over again.

[Andre]

It might have been Andre Steenkamp. I now that there were some guys who failed the course and had to re do it. I don't know who it was, so cant say for sure if it was him or not.

Wasn't there also an Andre who did the same course over and over again.

[Paul J]

Wasn't there also an Andre who did the same course over and over again.

I'm looking for a emoticon that is somewhere between a snicker and a giggle

[dlampert]

Yup me too and one that signifies Whoosh 😄

[smallstreams.co.za]

Yup me too and one that signifies Whoosh 

Hehehe, that's the sound a whirlwind also makes neh, pasop!!

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Who the chap that that never released his fish? lol

[dlampert]

Who the chap that that never released his fish? lol

He did release them, they just kept coming back - like homing trout ...