Mountain Bike Trail Planning, Construction and Maintenance

Admission requirements

To be admitted into the course the applicant must hold a relevant trade or journeyman’s certificate, or relevant experience validated as prior learning.

Trade or journeyman’s certificate that gives right for admission:

• Educational programme in construction within the vocation of Road and construction worker
• Educational programme in construction within the vocation of Construction vehicle/machinery operator
• Educational programme in construction within the vocation of Landscaper
• Educational programme in construction within the vocation of Road constructor and maintenance worker
• Educational programme in Agriculture, fishing and forestry within the vocation of Forestry worker
• Educational programme in Agriculture, fishing and forestry within the vocation of Gardener

Relevant work experience that may be validated as prior learning, minimum 5 years:

• Non Certified experience from one of the above-mentioned vocations
• Trail building

The Mountain Bike sector relies to a large extent on volunteer resources for trail building, so there are a high number of potential candidates for the programme qualified through voluntary work. This experience will count towards validated prior learning if properly documented.

What will you learn?

Learning outcomes are defined as statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do upon completion of a learning process. This syllabus is based on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), learning outcomes are therefore defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence which are understood as follows:

• Knowledge means the outcome of the assimilation of information through learning. Knowledge is the body of facts, principles, theories and practices related to a field of work or study. In the context of EQF, knowledge is described as theoretical and/or factual.
• Skills means the ability to apply knowledge and use know-how to complete tasks and solve problems. In the context of the EQF, skills are described as cognitive or practical skills.
• Competence means the proven ability to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and methodological abilities in work or study situations and in professional and/or personal development. In the context of the EQF, competence is described in terms of responsibility and autonomy.

Knowledge

The candidate will know:

• The history of mountain biking and the evolution of mountain biking facilities
• The different styles of mountain biking trails and their relation to trail difficulty and user experience
• The role of mountain biking in the fields of sports, health, recreational activities and tourism
• Legislation relevant to building mountain bike trail facilities
• The aspects of managing a mountain biking trail such as coexistence with other activities, HSE and maintenance
• The factors to consider when planning and designing a mountain biking trail building project in a sustainable manner
• The principles of cost control, HR management, HSE management and project management needed for planning, coordinating and managing a project for building a mountain biking trail facility
• The importance of the mountain biking activity in a societal and value-creation perspective
• How to update his/her vocational knowledge
• Mountain bike trail construction techniques
• The impact of recreation on flora & fauna
• Basic concepts of vocational pedagogy and didactics with the aim of training volunteers in the mountain bike trail building field

Skills

 The candidate is able to:

• Exercise cost control, HR management, HSE management and project management needed for planning, coordinating, and managing a project for building a mountain biking trail facility
• Master relevant tools for building and maintaining a mountain biking trail facility
• Master relevant tools for cost control, HR management, HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) management and project management needed for coordinating and managing a project for building a mountain biking trail facility
• Manage a mountain biking trail facility with regard for factors such as economy, coexistence with other activities, quality, HSE, maintenance and minimum impact on the natural environment
• Find information and material that is relevant to a mountain biking trail facility related problem
• Study a situation in a mountain biking trail facility and identify issues and what measures need to be implemented
• Recognize different landscape types and habitats and cultural heritage or archeological sites
• Train volunteers in basic trail building and trail maintenance techniques
• Identify the relevant measures and successfully minimize the impacts of recreation on flora and fauna

Competence

The candidate is responsible for:

• Utilising the ethical principles that apply in the trade/ field of work
• Exercising an ethical attitude in vocational practice
• Carrying out work based on the needs of the mountain biking community and affected target groups
• Building relations with his/her peers, also across discipline boundaries, and with external target groups
• Developing work methods, products and/or services of relevance to the mountain biking community