00:00:02 My name is Tamara Wiggins, my job title is Senior Instructor, but as for what I actually do, it's lots of different things so - part of my job is to be responsible for instructing groups that we have here, also I'm responsible for helping the training and development of our staff, and mostly responsible for sitting in front of a computer unfortunately, and sorting out the timetables for the week, and making sure that we've got an experienced member of staff in front of each group. One that's actually suitable for that particular group. So sometimes we have slightly more challenging groups here, so we need to make sure that the instructor is the best person to deal with the kind of situations they might be faced with during the week.
00:00:43 I was always very interested in sport when I was younger. Not so much the netball and hockey and those kind of activities, mostly just running, actually. Running's a thing that I've always enjoyed doing. Academically I was generally one of those students that, at parents' evenings, the teacher would say - ah Tamara, she tries hard, bless her. So I wasn't exactly academically gifted, I did OK, but it was certainly the Athletics that I excelled at. So I was quite fit at school. And when I went on to do my college A-Levels, I thought well it's got to be something to do with PE, because that's what I'm interested in most, so I did my A-Level PE. I then thought, well I want to go to University and do a degree, and Sports Science seems the most logical thing for me to do, so I started my degree.
00:01:32 And on the first day we were give a choice as to which activities we wanted to do throughout our three years at University. And the choice was netball, hockey, swimming, athletics, those kind of things, or alternatively rock climbing, mountaineering, sailing or kayaking. And that was it, that was a definite - I have to try those ones. And as soon as I finished University, I wanted to become an Instructor.
00:01:59 When I started here, 'cause I'd only really been a Trainee Instructor before, it was quite tough all of a sudden to be on my own. It was a brilliant experience, and the Centre that I worked at was very supportive, so I never really felt like I was on my own, so I was quite lucky there. And then I sort of worked my way up from there, so I was an Instructor for four years, I became a Lead Instructor for about three months, and then became a Senior Instructor. So I've only actually been doing my Senior Instructor job since April this year, so just half a year.
00:02:32 I think probably the main turning point in my life was when I went to University, and I learned about outdoor pursuits for the first time. I wish that I'd had the opportunity at school to be able to come on outdoor - spend a week in an outdoor centre like children do these day, but in those days things were very different, so that was definitely a big turning point for me. And I think another turning point for me was probably last year, when one of our close work colleagues here passed away, and it made me realise that you've got to live your life, and you've only got one chance, you've got to go out there and make the most of it, rather than just sit around and hope that opportunities come to you.
00:03:07 I don't think there's been any one person in particular that's been inspirational to me. I do feel inspired whenever I walk outside of my office door and see the instructors working here. I think you've got to accept that you can never know any - everything that there is to know. And so watching other people, you can learn so much from them. So I would say most of my work colleagues inspire me here.
00:03:29 For me personally I think what I'm going to do next is if I can get my PGCE done that would be brilliant, and I'd quite like to then go into lecturing at University where they do outdoor pursuits. I did my Masters in Exercise Physiology, so if I can lecture in Exercise Physiology, then I'd also be able to take groups out kayaking and sailing and that kind of thing. I think that would be a perfect job for me.
00:03:50 ENDS
Tamara Wiggins
TAMARA WIGGINS
My name is Tamara Wiggins, my job title is Senior Instructor, but as for what I actually do, it's lots of different things so - part of my job is to be responsible for instructing groups that we have here, also I'm responsible for helping the training and development of our staff, and mostly responsible for sitting in front of a computer unfortunately, and sorting out the timetables for the week, and making sure that we've got an experienced member of staff in front of each group. One that's actually suitable for that particular group. So sometimes we have slightly more challenging groups here, so we need to make sure that the instructor is the best person to deal with the kind of situations they might be faced with during the week.
I was always very interested in sport when I was younger. Not so much the netball and hockey and those kind of activities, mostly just running, actually. Running's a thing that I've always enjoyed doing. Academically I was generally one of those students that, at parents' evenings, the teacher would say - ah Tamara, she tries hard, bless her. So I wasn't exactly academically gifted, I did OK, but it was certainly the Athletics that I excelled at. So I was quite fit at school. And when I went on to do my college A-Levels, I thought well it's got to be something to do with PE, because that's what I'm interested in most, so I did my A-Level PE. I then thought, well I want to go to University and do a degree, and Sports Science seems the most logical thing for me to do, so I started my degree.
And on the first day we were give a choice as to which activities we wanted to do throughout our three years at University. And the choice was netball, hockey, swimming, athletics, those kind of things, or alternatively rock climbing, mountaineering, sailing or kayaking. And that was it, that was a definite - I have to try those ones. And as soon as I finished University, I wanted to become an Instructor.
When I started here, 'cause I'd only really been a Trainee Instructor before, it was quite tough all of a sudden to be on my own. It was a brilliant experience, and the Centre that I worked at was very supportive, so I never really felt like I was on my own, so I was quite lucky there. And then I sort of worked my way up from there, so I was an Instructor for four years, I became a Lead Instructor for about three months, and then became a Senior Instructor. So I've only actually been doing my Senior Instructor job since April this year, so just half a year.
I think probably the main turning point in my life was when I went to University, and I learned about outdoor pursuits for the first time. I wish that I'd had the opportunity at school to be able to come on outdoor - spend a week in an outdoor centre like children do these day, but in those days things were very different, so that was definitely a big turning point for me. And I think another turning point for me was probably last year, when one of our close work colleagues here passed away, and it made me realise that you've got to live your life, and you've only got one chance, you've got to go out there and make the most of it, rather than just sit around and hope that opportunities come to you.
I don't think there's been any one person in particular that's been inspirational to me. I do feel inspired whenever I walk outside of my office door and see the instructors working here. I think you've got to accept that you can never know any - everything that there is to know. And so watching other people, you can learn so much from them. So I would say most of my work colleagues inspire me here.
For me personally I think what I'm going to do next is if I can get my PGCE done that would be brilliant, and I'd quite like to then go into lecturing at University where they do outdoor pursuits. I did my Masters in Exercise Physiology, so if I can lecture in Exercise Physiology, then I'd also be able to take groups out kayaking and sailing and that kind of thing. I think that would be a perfect job for me.
ENDS
Outdoor Activities Instructor/ Sports Coach/ Leisure Centre Assisant/ Training Instructor
Age at filming:
26-35,
Employer's name:
Calshot Activities Centre,
Job location:
Southampton
Tamara Wiggins is a Senior Instructor at Clashot Activities Centre. Even though she felt she "wasn't exactly academically gifted", she got a degree in Sports Science and it was at university that Tamara discovered her passion for outdoor pursuits. She hopes to gain a PGCE teaching qualification that will enable her to lecture at colleges in the future.
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