Claire Wyeth

Programme Manager, Bigfoot Adventures
Bachelor of Sport and Recreation in Outdoor Education with a minor in Health and Physical Education

For Claire Wyeth, it was taking an Outward Bound course as a teenager that inspired her to consider a career in outdoor education.

“In high school, I was torn between becoming a physio, joining the army, or doing something within the sport and recreation industry. In my final year of high school, I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to go to Outward Bound; a 21-day course down in Anakiwa, taking part in a range of outdoor adventures. It was there that I learned how much I truly loved being in the outdoors and I wanted to do this forever. I asked the course instructors how they got their careers, and they mentioned studying outdoor education at AUT. Once I was back home, I went to AUT LIVE, met the outdoor education lecturers and was set from there.”

It's a decision she certainly hasn’t regretted.

“I loved getting to spend so much time with our outdoor lecturers and my crew of friends. We got to go on trips like our leadership journeys in Year 1 or our rock climbing, tramping, crafting and sea kayaking journeys across Years 2 and 3, and I loved getting to explore different areas of the North Island with a group of likeminded people. We got to learn new skills, try different pursuits, and get challenged by some of the most talented outdoor lecturers and instructors in the industry. I learned what I was capable of, skill-wise but also leadership-wise.

“One thing I’ll always remember is seeing Mark Jones weave a harakeke basket in what felt like seconds. It was there that I wanted to know more about crafting and the traditional Māori outdoor practices. It opened my eyes to a whole new aspect of outdoor education that I wanted to learn about and embrace.”

Sharing her passion for the outdoors
Having graduated from AUT in 2019, Claire now enjoys her role at Bigfoot Adventures, a mobile outdoor education and recreation organisation that provides Education Outside the Classroom programmes and camps, primarily for schools and youth groups.

“I design the programmes and work with schools to create the experiences for their students, including organising the activity programme, transport, accommodation, catering and everything in between. I’ve always loved getting out and about to run sessions with groups and pass on skills. It’s been such a rewarding feeling, seeing students push themselves, learn about their capabilities and have fun in the outdoors. Seeing those students grow in confidence, and learn to love and care for the outdoors reminds me of how I once was; back at the beginning of my AUT degree.”

While she has already had a number of career achievements she is proud of, some of her most memorable moments have taken her back to where it all began; AUT.

“In 2022, I was asked to work with the AUT School of Sport and Recreation, helping with the prep work behind all of the outdoor trips. One of my main roles was designing and implementing the first-year leadership course journeys alongside Dr Charlotte Jelleyman; creating a programme for the sport and recreation students to partake in, as well as instructing on each of the camps.

“This year, while working at Bigfoot Adventures, I was fortunate enough to get a phone call from the AUT Outdoor Department who needed a hand with organising the leadership journey camps for this year. With the support of Bigfoot Adventures, I was able to redesign the programmes, reinforce the safety management systems and instruct on the journeys that I had once been part of and had helped to reimagine two years earlier. It was such a full circle moment.”

Advice for other students
Claire’s advice for other students is simple: be curious about the courses outside of your major.

“Be interested in the courses outside of your major. Some of them might surprise you, as some of the most interesting courses are the ones you might not expect. For example, don’t be afraid to take an outdoor education course as one of your electives. You’ll get to meet great people, try new things and see amazing parts of the country. It can be easy to get caught up in your major, but branching out slightly may be one of the best things to do – you’ll make new connections and maybe even learn more about yourself, all of which is extremely beneficial within this industry.”

As someone who is passionate about the outdoors, she has one other piece of advice for other students.

“Just remember to get outside every now and then. It’s sometimes all we need.”