2027 - 29 STGA Blue Badge Course Application Form

2027-29 STGA Blue Badge Course Application Form
Introduction
Applicants for the STGA Blue Badge Course are expected to:
- Reside in Scotland.
- Have the right to live and work in the UK and be able to provide appropriate evidence if required.
- Have a genuine intention to work as a professional STGA tourist guide in Scotland following completion of the course.
- Be proficient in reading, speaking, writing and understanding English, with sufficient ability to participate fully in the course and assessments.
- Be prepared to attend all required course activities and participate fully in the assessment process.
- Commit significant time to independent study, preparation and research.
- Demonstrate the personal qualities, skills and commitment required of a professional tourist guide.
It is important that you understand the financial commitment
- The course is self-funding with fixed costs, which are shared by those undertaking the course.
- The fees for this course are estimated to be £8,200.
- We must have the funding in place before starting the course and it is for this reason that payment is required before the start of the course and there can be no refunds once a place has been accepted
- Students are responsible for other costs such as books, travelling expenses, overnight accommodation if required
As with guiding, the course requires high levels of physical stamina and mental resilience, excellent communication and organisational skills, team-working, self-and peer-evaluation – and absolute commitment.

The STGA is an equal opportunities organisation, committed to equality, fairness, and respect and we welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds.

By submitting this application form, you confirm that you have read and understood this introduction.
Deadline

The deadline for this application: 15th October 2026

About You
Name

First NameLast Name
Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

City

Postal
Email
Please provide a personal email address
Phone (Mobile)
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: 00000000000.
Phone (Landline)
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: 00000000000.
Nationality

Language Proficiency
What is your first language?
Do you intend to guide in this language?
What other languages do you speak?
You should include English here, if it is not your first language.
Other Language 1
Do you intend to guide in this language?
Proficiency Level
Other Language 2
Do you intend to guide in this language?
Proficiency Level
Language Testing
If English is not your first language, you will be required to undertake an English language assessment in accordance with the STGA Language Assessment Criteria before being offered a place on the course.

At a later stage of the course, you will be required to undertake an assessment in any additional language, including your first language, in which you wish to guide. This assessment will be subject to an additional cost.

Please ensure that the information you provide about your language skills is accurate, as language proficiency will be assessed where required.

Employment and Education
Please give a brief outline of your employment history, starting with your current or most recent employer.
If not included above, please give a brief outline of any experience you have had of tourist guiding or other front-line work with the public.
What is the highest level of education you have completed?

Other
What academic learning or training with an academic element have you undertaken in the last 7 years? Please give brief details of this.

IT and Internet
Please tell us about your access to the internet, for example do you use your own device or a public one?
Do you have a reliable internet connection at home?
Do you have a smartphone you can use to access the internet?
Please give examples of how you have used Microsoft Office software, Shared Drives (SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.), and Video Meeting Platforms (Zoom, Teams, etc.)

The Blue Badge Course and Working as a Guide
What makes you think you would make an excellent guide?

(1200 characters max)0/1200
The Blue Badge course is an intense course that requires a great deal in terms of both time and financial commitment. Why do you want to undertake it? What is different about being an STGA Blue Badge Guide?

(1200 characters max)0/1200
What will your employment/working status be for the duration of this course? (May 2027 - December 2028)
How will you manage your time to accommodate the demands of the Course?

(1200 characters max)0/1200
Please give an overview of your plans for guiding in Scotland.

(1200 characters max)0/1200

Skills and Attributes
What are your key interpersonal skills? Please give an example of how you have used these effectively in a work situation.

In this answer you should refer to a project, event or complex task (in your work or personal life) that you organised or managed successfully:
- Briefly describe the situation.
- What were the key elements in ensuring a successful end result?
Please give an example of a time when you were unable to complete a task, unable to meet a deadline, or found it difficult to manage your workload. How did you deal with this?

Additional Information
Please describe your relevant interests and activities.
These may include Outdoor pursuits (mountain leadership, yacht-master, ski instructor)
Please include any further information that you feel is relevant to your application to this course.
(Optional)
Where did you first hear about STGA and this course?

Other

Referees
Please provide the details of two referees below. Referees will only be contacted after your interview. At least one of the referees should be your present or a recent employer/line manager.
Referee 1
Referee 1 Name

First NameLast Name
Referee 1 Job Title/Position
Referee 1 Phone (Mobile)
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: 00000000000.
Referee 1 Email
example@example.com
Referee 1 Relationship to Applicant
e.g. Employer
Referee 2
Referee 2 Name

First NameLast Name
Referee 2 Job Title/Position
Referee 2 Phone (Mobile)
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: 00000000000.
Referee 2 Email
example@example.com
Referee 2 Relationship to Applicant
e.g. Employer

Confirmation
Please enter your name in the box below to confirm that you have entered the correct information in this form and understand the terms below.
Please tick the boxes below to confirm that you have entered the correct information in this form and understand the three terms below.

Completion
You have now completed all sections of the application form.

If you need to change or edit anything in your application, use the 'Back' button at the bottom of the page to return to previous pages where you can edit your answers.

To submit your application to STGA, please click on 'Submit' below.
Should be Empty:

2027-29 STGA Blue Badge Course Application Form

Introduction

Deadline

About You

Language Proficiency

Language Testing

Employment and Education

IT and Internet

The Blue Badge Course and Working as a Guide

Skills and Attributes

Additional Information

Referees

Referee 1

Referee 2

Confirmation

Completion