As a teen, she begged her parents to let her skip attending an Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) camp. She couldn't bear the thought of being outdoors for a few days with mosquitoes for company.

Fast forward and Ms Kristine Lie, now 25, is back at OBS – fully immersed in its activities as an OBS Instructor.

After graduating with a psychology degree from the University at Buffalo in 2019, Ms Lie was job hunting when her boyfriend showed her a job ad for OBS.

She’d played a variety of sports including football, track and field, and windsurfing. At university, she was in the Outdoor Adventure Club, and taught taekwondo part-time to children aged 4 to 13.

Naturally, she was drawn to the prospect of coaching teenagers at OBS. “I love being active and this (job) allows me to help youth develop themselves,” she says.

“At OBS, they are placed in an unfamiliar outdoor environment, which helps them get out of their comfort zone and learn how to adapt as they react to challenges.”

Since it started in 1967, OBS has evolved over the years with a growing emphasis on outdoor education as a key element of developing the young holistically.

More recently, efforts to expand OBS’ reach were set out in the National Outdoor Adventure Education Master Plan, announced by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in 2016. 

This includes the MOE-OBS Challenge (MOC), a five-day multi-school camp for all secondary three students, which has been conducted since 2017.

Extensive training to build profession

Key to such initiatives are OBS Instructors like Ms Lie and Mr Sulaimi Thaqif Tajuddin. Like Ms Lie, Mr Sulaimi, 27, was drawn to coaching and shaping the young through outdoor education.

Mr Sulaimi, who previously worked as a dorm supervisor with migrant workers at the Ministry of Manpower during Covid-19 restrictions, was always drawn to the great outdoors.

Inspired by his OBS experience in secondary school and keen to work with youth, he joined OBS in December 2020.

He will have ample opportunity to do so. This year, 23,000 secondary three students will participate in the MOC, slightly more than half the annual cohort.

When the new OBS campus on Coney Island is ready in 2024 – in addition to its existing five sites – OBS will be able to increase participant capacity and train the whole cohort of 40,000 from 2026 onwards, says Mr Edvan Loh, director of Learning and Sector Development at OBS.

It also leaves the door to the great outdoors wide open for others to come on board as OBS Instructors. 

But what’s life like as an OBS Instructor? “There’s a lot that goes into running a safe and quality programme. OBS Instructors are trained to our exacting standards as they have to be proficient outdoor education practitioners,” says Mr Sulaimi.

Unlike in classrooms, instructors have to care for the students day and night during the programme. In all activities, including those that involve height or water, safety is priority.

Adds Ms Lie: “Yes, we do conduct courses but it’s not just going to a camp and having a campfire. It’s about how to draw learnings for these participants, some of whom don’t even want to be there. How to motivate them, learn something about themselves, and work with others.” 

Activities like kayaking, rock climbing and going on outdoor expeditions are designed to make them work together and stretch themselves physically. 

Ms Lie believes her psychology background helps her relate better with students, seeing things from their perspective and understanding why they may react in a certain way. 

When she has participants who are afraid of the water, she tries to calm and reassure them, while keeping a keen eye on their safety. 

All new OBS instructors, whether they are fresh graduates or mid-career switchers, undergo an intensive six-month Basic Instructor Training course to become qualified while receiving a salary.

“OBS offers extensive training, learning and development at every juncture of our employees’ career,” says Mr Loh, who is in his 50s. 

The training is designed to equip even those with no outdoor education experience to be a professional outdoor educator in a few months, and to build the capability and leadership of staff as they progress in their careers. 

He adds that early training focuses on acquiring and honing their knowledge and competencies as professional outdoor educators. As they progress, the focus shifts to their professional development as master educators and coaches in specialised areas of outdoor education.

Instructors in their second and third years spend at least 28 days each year undergoing Advanced Instructor Training and professional development courses.

This is where they can attain advanced-level qualifications in coaching for different outdoor education competencies such as environmental education, learning facilitation, kayaking, climbing or sailing. 

More instructors needed for bigger plans

As OBS expands under the National Outdoor Adventure Education Master Plan, it is looking to hire about 30 to 45 instructors annually in the next three to four years, comprising young graduates and mid-career switchers, says OBS’ Mr Loh.

“We see successful applicants in their early twenties to late thirties and even forties.”

He adds that OBS Instructors have the opportunity to pioneer new leadership development programmes for working youth and adults, including setting up satellite bases for overseas expeditions. 

OBS also has a structured 12-year career progression and development plan for its instructors to grow into senior managers and take on leadership roles in the organisation.

For example, the Field Leadership pathway sends OBS Instructors for overseas training expeditions and industrial attachments to acquire more advanced levels of outdoor expertise and take on coaching and supervisory roles in the field.

Ms Lie, who is in her third year at OBS, discovered an interest in water sports during her Basic Instructor Training and seized the chance to gain more experience in kayaking and sailing. She is now working towards getting her kayak coach certification.

Her supervisor, team manager (training) Melvin Lam, 34, shares that Ms Lie is “always open to new challenges” and continually seeks to hone her skills.

“She puts time into building her skills, and takes pride in delivering her lessons and courses for her students,” says Mr Lam. “As a manager myself, I learnt much from her perseverance and attitude.” 

What of career prospects? In the short term, Ms Lie plans to conduct more courses to gain experience leading participants of different ages and backgrounds, and conducting longer duration courses. As she grows on the job, she aims to coach other trainees and expand her range of technical expertise to other outdoor skills.

Mr Sulaimi aspires to take on a leadership role, either as a team manager or operations manager supervising on-the-ground operations. He also looks forward to attending international conferences and management training that will help prepare him for these roles.

This was produced in partnership with the National Youth Council