What's the Program Leader job exactly? A Program Leaders’ main job is to ensure student safety during travel. They create life-changing experiences, inspiring and motivating students while positively impacting local communities. Program Leaders join students in all activities, staying with them from arrival to departure. They keep students safe, healthy, happy, and engaged. They lead safety briefings, facilitate discussions, coordinate logistics, run games, manage group dynamics, and teach program content.
What's the program leader schedule like? We have three types of travel programs at Rustic Pathways: Student Travel – spring break and summer programs for middle and high school students (and three programs for college students) Gap Year – programs for recent high school grads and other college students, Group Travel – teacher-led trips for high school students The vast majority of our Program Leaders begin by working on Student Travel programs during spring break (March and April) and summer (June, July, and August) months. Those programs are one to three weeks and repeat throughout the spring break or summer season. A seasonal period of employment generally involves leading multiple programs over an average of seven weeks. See below for examples of spring break and summer seasonal schedules. Spring Break March 18-21 March 24-30 March 31-April 6 April 7-13 April 14-20 April 20-27 In-country training Spring to Fiji OFF Spring to Fiji Spring to Fiji Private Group Program
Summer May 23-30 May 30-June 3 June 4-13 June 13-20 June 20-27 June 27-July11 July 11-25 July 26-Aug. 2 In-country training (Thailand) Site-specific training (Laos) OFF Amazing Thailand Amazing Thailand Laos Service Adventure Laos Service Adventure Amazing Thailand
How are Program Leaders trained at Rustic Pathways? Program Leaders go through online and in-country in person training. Online training comes first, covering Rustic Pathways’ protocols and approach to student travel. In-country training involves practicing skills through role play, meeting the team, and learning about the country and its programs. This two-part training helps Program Leaders develop skills in managing group dynamics, facilitating programs, and teaching cultural respect and responsible travel. They also learn Rustic’s detailed safety and risk management protocols. Learn more about our Program Leader training.
How many Program Leaders are hired? We hire about 250 Program Leaders each spring break and summer. This keeps our Program Leader to student ratio at seven to one. Most Program Leaders are hired locally in the countries where we operate. Each team includes at least one leader from the program’s country. This ensures students experience authentic local perspectives.
What are the compensation and benefits for Program Leaders? Compensation and Benefits Competitive weekly rate and training stipends Pay increases in the second and third years, as well as for gap year and Photo Guides Roundtrip airfare to the country of employment, with flexibility for personal travel plans Meals, lodging, transport, and activities covered while leading programs Wilderness First Responder certification or recertification stipend (with manager’s approval) Time off determined at the country or program level Medical and travel insurance for Program Leaders working outside their home country Free 24/7 counseling services for you and your immediate family through our Employee Assistance Program Rustic Pathways t-shirt and other travel merch Opportunities for Growth Lead programs in different countries each season Work year-round leading Group Travel and Student Travel programs Lead gap year programs from September to December and/or February through April, and continue leading Student Travel programs from June through August Join the full-time staff as a Program Manager Join other departments like sales or marketing as full-time staff
Want to learn more? Check out these additional resources about Rustic Pathways Program Leaders: Why We Spend 4 Months Hiring Summer Program Leaders Working for Rustic: Thoughts From Our Program Leaders Our (Not-So) Secret Formula to Exceptional Programs Ready to apply? Click below to review our current openings to see if we’re currently hiring Program Leaders View Open Positions