Academic Accreditation

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Academic Accreditation

Choose from one of our fantastic international internship options.

All GVI internships contain academic qualifications as well as hands on practical experience. Built within your internship all these qualifications are experienced based making learning fun as well as worthwhile. Approved by Edexcel, the UK’s largest awarding body, and recognised internationally, these qualifications, will give you experience that may help you into University or give you the boost you may need for a career change.

All short term (12 weeks or less) GVI Internships contain an internationally recognised certification in Team Leading (BTEC Award Level 2), see below for advance BTEC qualifications available on long term internships. The short course is designed specifically for learners who wish to follow a short program of study directly related to their work experience or to an aspect of employment that they wish to move into. The program is recognised and approved by Edexcel, the UK’s largest awarding body.

GVI's experienced staff will teach you how to work with others within a leadership role. Upon completion, you will have accrued a broad understanding of the principles of leadership, how to work as leader of a team and understand key issues involved in leading a productive team. These invaluable skills can be perfected during the internship with direct, hands-on experience and in-house support of the BTEC trainers. The basic skills you learn will be transferable to any environment around the world, giving your CV a great boost.

During the course you will complete three core units:

TEAM LEADING BTEC Unit 1 - Becoming an effective team leader

This unit seeks to summarise the skills and knowledge needed by a new team leader. The unit will raise learners’ awareness of the value of management skills and encourage them to explore the principles further. The unit also introduces learners to the importance of planning and organising their work in order to improve their performance. Learners will be able to examine the skills required for effective team leadership at this level and focus on ways of improving their own performance through planning their work, identifying additional skills and knowledge needed, and the importance of feedback to improving performance.

TEAM LEADING BTEC Unit 2 - Leading a Team

This unit builds on the knowledge gained in Unit 1 and provides learners with an opportunity to develop an understanding of the widely accepted principles of team leadership. It considers the importance of commitment and motivation, valuing others and meeting people’s needs. The unit also looks at the day-to-day practices, which are part of the team leading role. This unit also presents opportunities to demonstrate key skills in working with others.

TEAM LEADING BTEC Unit 3 - Leading the work of your team

This unit builds on both previous Units and looks at the key issues involved in leading the work of your team. It considers the importance of health and safety, the setting of objectives and the planning of work and meetings.

Level 3 BTEC Advanced Certificate in Biological Surveys

In addition, on select programs and durations, GVI are proud to offer you the unique opportunity to gain a Level 3 BTEC Advanced Certificate in Biological Surveys. Upon completion, you should feel confident enough to plan and run survey teams in the field. The basic skills you learn will be transferable to any environment around the world. During the course you will complete five core units:

Unit 1 - Target Species Identification

This unit will introduce the learner to the fundamental skills of identifying species, both audio and visual (that could include birds, amphibians, invertebrates and plants), and habitat types to assist in the collection of reliable data; habitats include, primary, secondary and riparian terra-firma rainforest.

Unit 2 - Survey Techniques

During this unit the learner will build on their identification skills and put them into practice in the field. They will learn to supervise surveys through briefings and debriefings, and how to collect, collate and check data. Monitoring techniques could include, terrestrial and stream transects, pitfall trapping, vegetation mapping.

Unit 3 - Managing Risk

This unit teaches the learner the fundamentals of risk management, emergency planning and health and safety, building on the first aid training all expedition members receive. Awareness of the rainforest environment is essential to this unit.

Unit 4 – Expedition Logistics

The purpose of this unit is to train the learner in the practical and logistical aspects of managing a field-based biological surveying operation, with hands on experience of planning a full day’s schedule for expedition.

Unit 5 - Community Relations

This unit instils an understanding in the learner that successful long-term biological conservation is best achieved through the cooperation and support of local agencies and indigenous peoples and focuses on the relationships that GVI maintains within Ecuador, including local partners e.g. the Yachana Foundation and scientific bodies, such as the Museum Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales.