Skip to content
careertips

HomeCoursesFitness and sportCertificate III

Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Outdoor Leadership

This qualification trains you to lead groups through outdoor activities, usually following an activity plan set by your employer and adjusting it as weather, conditions and the group's ability change.

Compare 7 providers
Illustration of a person working as outdoor Adventure Guide
How long it takes
6 months
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $2,130
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $12,850
How you can study
On campus
Main job
Outdoor Adventure Guide
$67,500 median pay, In demand
Taught by
7 providers
4 states and territories

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Outdoor Leadership asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an enjoyment of being outdoors in different conditions
  • a calm approach when plans change or problems arise
  • good communication skills for leading and supporting groups
  • an interest in keeping people safe and looked after

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Certificate III or Certificate IV?

The Certificate IV in Outdoor Leadership is the higher level. This Certificate III involves leading dependent participants according to pre-determined activity plans, adjusting as conditions and participant abilities change, and working with some independence under limited supervision.

See the course

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Outdoor Adventure Guide

    Outdoor adventure guides lead groups through hiking, climbing, kayaking and canyoning, and decide when the weather or the group means turning back.

    What else you need

    Employers usually also expect a current first aid certificate and activity-specific skills or ratings for the activities you guide. The award alone does not confer any licence; check the provider's accreditation and what your employer requires.

    Median pay$67,500

    In demand

  • Rafting Guide

    Rafting guides take groups down whitewater rivers, steering the raft and keeping everyone safe from put-in to take-out.

    A step towards this job. What else you need

    Median pay$59,800 (estimate)

    In demand

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $2,130

at TAFE NSW. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.

Paying the full fee

$12,850

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $2,130
    Concession
    $240
    Full fee
    $12,850
    How long
    6 months

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 7 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

22 units: 9 that everyone takes and 13 you choose.

  • Leading groups on outdoor activities
  • Risk assessment and hazard control
  • Reading weather and conditions
  • Emergency response and first aid
  • Gear checks and maintenance
  • Communication and customer service
See all 9 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for HLTWHS001…

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It suits people who enjoy the outdoors and want to lead groups through outdoor activities, such as camps, adventure learning centres or commercial recreation businesses. You would lead dependent participants with support from base, working with some independence and under limited supervision.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

There are no entry requirements for this qualification. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

How is it different from Certificate IV in Outdoor Leadership?

The Certificate IV in Outdoor Leadership is the higher level. This Certificate III involves leading dependent participants according to pre-determined activity plans, adjusting as conditions and participant abilities change, and working with some independence under limited supervision.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.