work tour

All students deserve the best chance at a career they’ll love

Getting them on the right track is easy and fun with worktour, interactive virtual workplace tours and so much more….

The best way to conveniently give students unlimited fun field trips, guest speakers, and job shadows that make your work-based learning program more successful

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What is Worktour?

…that all students can explore anytime online or on mobile, with no expensive or complicated hardware needed.

WORKING WITH SCHOOLS AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

HELPING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ACROSS THE NATION

Student quote 1.

“I didn’t know a lot about my future career options, but this opened my eyes to possible opportunities.”

Anonymous high school student

Student Quote 2

“I thought I knew a lot about careers, but this tutorial and game really helped me learn more.”

Student Quote 3

“It was a game-changer.”

Student Quote 4

“I learned how to gain info on careers I like as well as how different skill sets are put to use in different companies.”

Student Quote 5

“My biggest stress is that I only know a fraction of the possible careers out there. Figuring out what job options I like helps me pick the right classes now so I can still get into the college program I need later.”

Teacher Quote 1

“I want all my students to explore Worktour to figure out what they want to do, before they commit time and invest money into college.”

Career Advisor and High School Teacher Tucson, Arizona

Teacher Quote 2

“Every parent needs to know about this resource, and it’s a fantastic way for schools to show how much they care about helping each student get into a successful future career.”

Chair of Curriculum Planning Board and High School Bilingual Biology Teacher Phoenix, Arizona

Teacher Quote 3

“It’s more engaging and relevant for my students to hear real people describe their jobs and explore workplaces than to write a report they researched on the Internet about a retired scientist.”

High School Physics Teacher Ottawa, Ontario

What are you waiting for?

What Is a Workplace Tour?

Benefits of workplace tours.

• Students are exposed to job opportunities within your organization.
• Provides students with experiences and perspectives that cannot be duplicated in a classroom.
• Provides an opportunity to develop career readiness skills, including communicating effectively and appropriately (speaking, professional etiquette), personal responsibility, etc.
• Many employees find it very satisfying to share their work experience and mentor students.
• Students can gain insight into what it is like to work for a particular industry (e.g., education, health care) and for you specifically.
• Students are able to meet with professionals, gaining insights into jobs and careers.

Who to Invite to Tour Your Workplace (and How)

How to organize and lead a workplace tour.

• Identify the participants needed to assist with the implementation; for example, school staff and employees within your organization.
• Decide the basics with those participants, such as the date, time and focus of the tour, and number of participants.
• Determine the career interest of the participants. Based on the interest of your participants, identify those employees best suited for the tour. Students should be able to observe and interact with employees within different levels of the organization.
• Collaborate with school officials to identify activities that will meet the goals of both the school and your organization.
• Plan structured activities before, during and after the tour to ensure a meaningful, engaging experience.
• Work with facility staff to arrange entrance, parking or any security measures that may be appropriate.
• Provide a Q & A session.
• Ask all participants (students and employees alike) to fill out evaluations so you can continue to improve your tour program.
• Be sure to document your tour with photos or videos.
• Thank everyone and recognize the time and efforts of your employee hosts.

Wendy N. Kelly, MSHRM, PHR, SHRM-CP

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Workplace Tour Guide

• Connector Checklist
• Tools & Docs

Workplace Tour Fact Sheet

What is a workplace tour.

A Workplace Tour is a highly structured Career Awareness activity in which learners visit a workplace, learn about the business, meet employees, ask questions and observe work in progress.

More than a simple field trip or site visit, a Workplace Tour is designed and structured to meet specific learning outcomes, be educationally rich, and build awareness of the business, its industry sector, its role in the economy and the career options it provides.

A Workplace Tour involves preparation and follow-up in the classroom, including research and reflection by learners. Tours generally last between an hour-and-a-half to two hours.

Workplace Tours are one activity in the continuum of authentic work-based experiences provided to all learners engaged in career-related programs or course of study in the Earn & Learn community.

Workplace Tours Are Designed To:

• Provide exposure to the industry sector, potential career opportunities and jobs.
• Build occupational knowledge.
• Build an understanding of the education and training needed for entry into careers in the industry.
• Foster an understanding of the business’s workforce and its contributions to the community.

Workplace Tours Are Structured To:

• Enhance workplace knowledge and build career awareness.
• Illustrate how key academic concepts are applied in the real world.
• Offer learners a chance to ask questions and observe work in progress.
• Promote learner interaction with professional adults.

Workplace Tours Are Supported By:

• Learner preparation and follow-up in the classroom.
• Research on the industry, the careers it offers and the hosting company.
• Support for employer partners in delivering an engaging and interactive tour.
• Opportunities to reflect upon the experience verbally and in writing.

Workplace Tours Are Connected To:

• Classroom learning and preparation.
• Individual career development/training plans.
• A sequence of educational, training and workplace activities.
• The learner’s next step, by intentionally sequencing with future work-based or career-related classroom experiences.

Workplace Tour Virtual Format Options

• Consider working with an industry partner to provide an on-line tour of their facilities using Zoom or Facetime.
• Allow for learners to interact with employees and ask questions during the tour.

Support Materials

Wbl connectors workplace tour checklist.

Quick tips for Work-Based Learning Connectors to ensure a successful workplace tour.

Before The Workplace Tour:

• Identify the appropriate employer contact and work with them to plan the tour, providing them with materials and support.
• Suggest that the employer bring in someone from the HR team to talk about entry-level recruitment.
• Arrange for transportation, permission slips, food and address all logistics.
• Find out if safety gear is required and, if so, arrange for it to be provided.
• Talk with teachers/faculty about how a workplace tour can help them meet curriculum goals and make the classroom connection.
• Prepare learners by having them research the company and practice their personal introduction.
• Identify and document desired learning objectives.

During The Workplace Tour:

• Work with the tour host. Make sure to provide time for introductions, an overview of the business and its operations and what to expect during the tour.
• Ensure learners and teachers/faculty receive instruction in workplace safety and an orientation to workplace norms.
• Structure the tour so learners see the full spectrum of activities and occupations within the company.
• Help ensure that learners can observe and interact with employees at different levels of responsibility in the organization.
• If possible, have learners experience some hands-on activity during the tour.
• Have learners experience the tour in small groups and ask questions.

After The Workplace Tour:

• Help learners connect what they’re learning in class to what they experienced on the tour.
• Provide individual and group reflection activities for learners.
• Suggest that learners share their experiences via social media.
• Support learners in determining their next steps in learning about careers.
• Debrief with the tour host.
• Have the learners write thank-you letters.
• Assess the impact and value of this tour and utilize employer, teacher/faculty and learner feedback to improve future tours. Document and archive information in ELENA.
• Help learners update their career development plan and think about any next steps they would like to take to further their career goals.
• Make the tour part of a project and have learners prepare and deliver a presentation about the company after the tour.
• Have learners create a presentation about their career pathway and deliver it to the employer partner during the tour.
• Take pictures from the tour and provide them to the company for their website or newsletter.
• Publicize the tour and the business by placing a story in the local newspaper or posting on your webpage. (Make sure you clear this with the employer partner first.)
• Consider other potential public relations benefits and opportunities.

This includes Earn & Learn work-based learning connectors and others who facilitate, arrange and support work-based learning activities for learners.

Sample Timeline

• Beginning of the school year: Identify and communicate with potential sites. Determine dates.
• Three months in advance: Confirm sites and dates. Share format options.
• Two months in advance: Confirm format and travel logistics. Recruit learners.
• One month in advance: Collect forms. Prepare learners.
• One week in advance: Review orientation and logistics.
• During the workplace tour: Facilitate agenda, learner management and social media.
• After the workplace tour: Thank-you notes, reflection and update career development plan.

Tips For Success

• Conduct Effective Planning
• Prepare for Success
• Identify Learning Objectives
• Create Authentic and Engaging Experiences
• Connect to Careers
• Support Learner Growth
• Ensure Activities are Safe and Legal
• Provide Ongoing Support
• Provide for Reflection, Presentation and Feedback
• Connect to the Learner Next Step
• Assess and Document the Experience

Remote Note

Some employers may be in a position to conduct a remote tour of their workplace, perhaps as part of a scheduled Guest Speaker activity.    

• Consider working with an industry partner to provide an on-line tour of their facilities using Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Facetime.

Workplace Tour Downloads

Complete activity guide, implementation tools:, learner preparation.

Support learners in recognizing the curriculum connection.

Learner Reflection

Structure a reflection activity based on a “What? So what? Now what?” format.

Workplace Tour Activity Guide

• Activity Fact Sheet
• Coordinator Checklist
• Student Checklist
• Faculty Tip Sheet
• Employer Tip Sheet
• Employer Fact Sheet

Workplace Tour

A Workplace Tour is a highly-structured Career Awareness activity in which students visit a workplace, learn about the business, meet employees, ask questions and observe work in progress.

More than a simple field trip or site visit, a Workplace Tour is designed and structured to meet specific learning outcomes, be educationally rich, and build awareness of the business, its industry sector, its role in the economy and the career options it provides.

A Workplace Tour involves preparation and follow-up in the classroom, including research and reflection by students. Tours generally last between an hour-and-a-half to two hours.

Workplace Tours are designed to ...

• Provide exposure to the industry sector, potential career opportunities and jobs.
• Build occupational knowledge.
• Build an understanding of the education and training needed for entry into careers in the industry.
• Foster an understanding of the business’s workforce and its contributions to the community.

Workplace Tours are structured to ...

• Enhance workplace knowledge and build career awareness.
• Illustrate how key academic concepts are applied in the real world.
• Offer students a chance to ask questions and observe work in progress.
• Promote student interaction with professional adults.

Workplace Tours are supported by ...

• Student preparation and follow-up in the classroom.
• Research on the industry, the careers it offers and the hosting company.
• Support for employer partners in delivering an engaging and interactive tour.
• Opportunities to reflect upon the experience verbally and in writing.

Workplace Tours are connected to ...

• Classroom learning and preparation.
• Individual career development/training plans.
• A sequence of educational, training and workplace activities.
• The student’s next step, by intentionally sequencing with future work-based or career-related classroom experiences.

Workplace Tours are one activity in the continuum of authentic work-based experiences provided to all students engaged in career-related programs or course of study in the Orange County Regional Consortium.

Support Materials

• Coordinator Workplace Tour Checklist
• Student Workplace Tour Checklist
• Faculty Workplace Tour Tip Sheet
• Employer Workplace Tour Tip Sheet
• Employer Workplace Tour Fact Sheet

Implementation Tools

• Workplace Tour Research Activity
• Workplace Tour Student Reflection Worksheet

Quick tips for those charged with arranging and supporting work-based learning activities to ensure successful Workplace Tours.

Before the Workplace Tour ...

• Identify the appropriate employer contact and work with that person to plan the tour, providing materials and support where needed.
• Suggest that the employer bring in someone from the HR team to talk about entry-level recruitment.
• Arrange for transportation, permission slips, food and other logistics.
• Find out if safety gear is required and, if so, arrange for it to be provided.
• Talk with faculty members about how a workplace tour can help them meet curriculum goals and make the classroom connection.
• Prepare students by having them research the company and practice their personal introduction.
• Identify and document desired student learning objectives.

During the Workplace Tour ...

• Work with the tour host. Make sure to provide time for introductions, an overview of the business and its operations and what to expect during the tour.
• Ensure students and faculty receive instruction in workplace safety and an orientation to workplace norms.
• Structure the tour so students see the full spectrum of activities and occupations within the company.
• Help ensure that students can observe and interact with employees at different levels of responsibility in the organization.
• If possible, have students experience some hands-on activity during the tour.
• Have students experience the tour in small groups and ask questions as they arise.

After the Workplace Tour ...

• Help students connect what they’re learning in class to what they experienced on the tour.
• Provide individual and group reflection activities for students.
• Suggest that students share their experiences via social media and tag the company in posts.
• Support students in determining their next steps in learning about careers.
• Debrief with the tour host.
• Have the students write thank-you letters.
• Assess the impact and value of this tour and utilize employer, faculty and student feedback to improve future tours. Document and archive information.
• Help students think about any next steps they would like to take to further their career goals.
• Make the tour part of a project and have students prepare and deliver a presentation about the company after the tour.
• Have students create a presentation about their career pathway and deliver it to the employer partner during the tour.
• Take pictures from the tour and provide them to the company for their website or newsletter.
• Publicize the tour and the business by placing a story in the local newspaper or posting on your webpage. (Make sure you clear this with the employer partner first.)
• Consider other potential public relations benefits and opportunities.

Sample Workplace Tour Timeline

• Beginning of the year: Identify and communicate with potential sites. Determine dates.
• Three months in advance:
• Confirm sites and dates. Share format options.
• Two months in advance: Confirm format and travel logistics. Recruit students.
• One month in advance: Collect forms. Prepare students.
• One week in advance: Review orientation and logistics.
• During the workplace tour: Facilitate agenda, student management and social media.
• After the workplace tour: Thank-you notes and reflection.

When you go on a workplace tour, you’ll get a chance to look behind the scenes of a business or company and ask yourself if this is somewhere you can see yourself working in the future. Keep the following things in mind as you get ready for the tour.

• Turn in all required forms.
• Learn what the dress code is for the place you’re visiting.
• Research the company—how they got started, the kinds of jobs they have and how they contribute to your community.
• Think about what you want to learn and come up with at least three questions about the company or the careers it offers.
• Practice your elevator pitch. Include your name, grade, why you are in this program and what you’d like to do with your future. Summarize your knowledge, skills, accomplishments and anything else that would make an employer see you positively.
• Pay attention to what’s going on at the worksite. Can you see yourself working in a place like this? What kinds of jobs are you interested in?
• Actively participate. Ask the questions you came up with and any others that will help you determine if a career in this industry is for you.
• See if you can connect what’s going on in the workplace with what you’re learning in the classroom.
• If you have a chance, ask the people you meet for their business cards or see if they’ll connect with you on LinkedIn.
• Talk to your classmates and faculty members about the workplace tour and your feelings about pursuing a career in that industry. What kind of jobs do you want to know more about? Would you be interested in going on another tour in the future? What kind of education will it take to get there?
• Write a thank-you note to the people who hosted the tour.
• Fill out the tour evaluation. Be honest. What worked for you? That will help improve future tours.
• Think about any next steps you’d like to take to further your career goals.

Are You Ready for the Tour?

Have you....

• Turned in your forms?
• Decided what to wear?
• Researched the company?
• Crafted your questions?
• Polished your resume?
• Practiced your pitch?

Some Social Media Do’s and Don’ts

• Choose your profile picture carefully.
• Keep a professional profile.
• Create a LinkedIn profile and build your personal brand.
• Maintain privacy. If you don’t want something to be seen by all, don’t post it on the internet.
• Post illegal activities.
• Threaten violence.
• Lie about professional and academic achievements.
• Review the Workplace Tour Fact Sheet and assess how a tour can support classroom activities and help meet curriculum goals.
• Review the plan for the tour with the coordinator and decide where you can be helpful.
• Discuss expectations for the tour with students and point out what they might learn from it.
• Have students research the employer and prepare at least three meaningful questions to ask during the tour. What do they want to know about the company and the industry?
• Attend the tour and work with the tour coordinator to support aspects of the tour.
• Support the employer by making sure students are attentive, polite and engaged.
• Help connect what you see at the workplace with classroom topics.

After the Workplace Tour...

• Provide individual and group reflection activities for students. Help them make the connection between the classroom and the workplace.
• Provide feedback to help assess the impact and value of the tour.
• Document and archive information about the tour.
• Have students write thank-you notes to the employer partner.
• Suggest students share a post about the day via social media, tagging the company in posts.
• Guide students through a comparison of the culture and style of the workplace with others they have observed, including behavioral and communication expectations.
• Make the tour part of a project and have students prepare and deliver a presentation to others at the college about the company.
• Take pictures from the tour and provide them to the company for their website or newsletter. Ensure you have signed releases for all photos.
• Publicize the tour and business by placing a story in the local newspaper or posting on the college website.

The Classroom Connection: Preparation and Reflection

• Support students in recognizing the curriculum connection.
• Structure a reflection activity based on a “What? So what? Now what?” format.

Thanks for agreeing to be a host for a workplace tour! In preparing for the visit, keep the following tips in mind.

Before the Workplace Tour...

• Review the information packet about the college and the objectives of the tour.
• Let the work-based learning coordinator know who the main contact is and provide email/phone, etc.
• Work with your coordinator to design an engaging tour of your workplace.
• Let the coordinator know where the visiting group should park and enter the building. Include information about security procedures and appropriate dress.
• If safety gear is required at the worksite, arrange for it to be available.
• Brief the employees who will be involved in the tour. Provide an overview of your partnership with the sponsoring college or program, what to expect during the tour, their role and why their involvement is important.

During the Workplace Tour...

• Provide an overview of the business, its operations and what to expect during the tour.
• Provide instruction in workplace safety, if needed,and an orientation to workplace norms.
• Bring in someone from HR to talk about entry-level recruitment and careers at the company.
• If possible, arrange for students to participate in small groups.
• Have students observe, hear from and speak to employees with different levels of responsibility and roles in your company.
• See if any of your employees are connected to the college in some way and make sure those individuals get to talk with the students.
• Make sure students are exposed to a range of career options in your industry, and let them know what it will take for them to be hired when they complete their education and training.
• Debrief with your team.
• Provide feedback to the work-based learning coordinator to improve future tours.
• Consider how you might use the tour to promote your company’s visibility in the community.
• Explore ways that you might further interest students and grow the pool of potential future employees.
• Talk to the work-based learning coordinator about being a classroom speaker or guest trainer, helping with curriculum, or hosting students for Job Shadows, Jobs or Internships.

On a workplace tour, students visit a workplace, learn about the business, meet employees, ask questions and observe work in progress.

More than a simple field trip or site visit, a workplace tour is designed and structured to meet specific learning outcomes, be educationally rich, and build awareness of the business, its industry sector, its role in the economy and the career options it provides.

Why are Workplace Tours important for students?

• Provides exposure to potential careers and jobs, and helps identify potential interests as well as those occupations not of interest.
• Helps build occupational knowledge and familiarity with the education and training needed for success in the industry.
• Helps make the connection between academic theory and practical application.
• Creates awareness of the business’s role in the community, as well as its functions, processes, products and employees.

What are the benefits to my company?

• Exposes potential future workers to job opportunities and careers with your company.
• Introduces your employees to students, which helps them understand how to communicate with the next generation of workers.
• Helps current employees feel good about the company’s commitment to education and the community.
• Promotes an understanding of the role and contributions of your business.

What do I need to do next?

• Contact your work-based learning coordinator.
• Arrange for a presentation to those of your employees who will be hosting the tour.
• Consider any impacts on company policy.
• Distribute the Employer Workplace Tour Tip Sheet to interested employees.
• Review Employer Participation Options Fact Sheet to learn more about how to get the most out of your partnership with the Orange County Regional Consortium.

Activity Summary

• Program Level: All.Employer/Student
• Ratio: Varies. 1 or 2 employees to 20+ students.
• Duration: Usually 1.5 to 2 hours
• Frequency: One time
• Location: Workplace
• Costs: Staff time

I want to tour a WeWork location. How do I book this?

Interested in a WeWork location and want to see more of the building? You can book a tour on wework.com.  Tours are available to those looking to book either a Dedicated Desk or a Private Office.

How do I book a tour?

5. Fill in the for and click  View available times.

6. Choose the date and time and enter your company name. Click Book Now .

You will receive a tour booking confirmation email. It may take some time to come through. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please visit the “Contact us” page on the WeWork website .

Men At Work tour 2022: Where to buy tickets, schedule, dates

• Published: Aug. 05, 2022, 2:06 p.m.

Colin Hay's Men At Work have just a few shows left on their 2022 tour calendar. Ashli Truchon | LehighValleyLive Contributor

• Matt Levy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Men At Work are back on the clock this year.

The popular Australian group, which broke out in the ‘80s with hits “Who Can It Be Now?” and “Down Under,” have 16 solo and multi-headliner concerts all over the U.S. taking place through Sept. 4.

One of those mega co-headliner gigs will take place Aug. 19 at Atlantic City’s Borgata Event Center where Men At Work will split the bill with ‘80s hitmakers Rick Springfield and John Waite.

At all shows, expect to hear classic Men At Work hits as well as tracks from lead singer Colin Hay’s expansive solo career.

Now, here’s everything you need to know about how to take a night off with Men At Work.

Where can I buy Men At Work tickets?

Tickets to see the Grammy winning group are available on all verified ticketing sites, including StubHub , Vivid Seats , TicketNetwork , Ticketmaster and TicketCity .

A complete calendar featuring all upcoming Men At Work tour dates, venues, show start times and links to buy tickets can be found here .

Other ‘80s stars on tour in 2022

Many of the biggest acts from the New Wave era are still entertaining crowds all over the world this year.

Here are five of our favorites we think you ought to check out.

• Duran Duran featuring Nile Rodgers of Chic
• The B-52s featuring KC and The Sunshine Band and The Tubes on select dates
• REO Speedwagon featuring Styx and Loverboy
• Pat Benatar featuring Neil Giraldo
• Hall and Oates

RELATED STORIES ABOUT LIVE EVENTS:

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Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Matt Levy covers the live entertainment industry, writing about upcoming concerts, festivals, shows and events. He can be reached at [email protected] .

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

• Find a Location

Take a virtual tour through WeWork

Strap on your vr headset and experience wework through this video tour.

Whether you’re on a tour, enjoying one of our events, or recently joined as a full-time member, having the ability to chart your own course is one of the best things about the WeWork community.

WeWork VR Tour WeWork 360 is a new way of sharing our spaces. By allowing you to choose your own path, you can decide where and how you want to interact with our space virtually; it’s a curated experience where you can focus on the moments that are most meaningful to you, just like working in a WeWork. Click around to explore! Posted by WeWork on Tuesday, February 21, 2017

We’re always looking for new ways to share WeWork with the world, and WeWork 360 does just that — by allowing you to choose your own path. You can decide where and how you want to interact with our space virtually; it’s a curated experience where you can focus on the moments that are most meaningful to you, just like working in a WeWork.

We’re excited to share this with you and hope that it can help convey what makes WeWork so special.

Related articles

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Social Link

Colin has a busy 2024 planned with a combination of a solo tour through the US, Men At Work’s return to South America in February, and some Colin Hay Band shows Down Under in Australia in June & July.

Remember, only buy tickets using the links listed here or Colin’s social media, or directly from the venue website! 

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Workplace Tours

Jump to Resources

What Are Workplace Tours?

Workplace tours are usually early career awareness activities for students. They are more than typical field trips because they incorporate explicit student preparation, student interactions with employer representatives during the tour, and student reflections following the tour. Workplace tours offer students the opportunity to learn about the careers available with a particular employer and observe the work performed by people in those careers. Tours are typically conducted with small groups of students and teachers.

The student’s primary role is to observe the workplace, listen to what the host has to say, ask questions, and think about potential career opportunities. Students’ experiences with workplace tours can help guide their choices about additional career awareness and exploration activities as well as their higher education plans.

Which Students Participate in Workplace Tours?

Workplace tours can help students connect classroom learning with its application in the working world.

Workplace tours can occur during the middle or high school grades to expose students to multiple careers in a range of industries. While the focus at all grade levels is on exposure to the specific workplace and the employer, high school students will benefit from more in-depth discussion about potential careers and the education and skills required for them. The WBL coordinator should discuss specific expectations for the tours with the workplace hosts and assist with developing appropriate agendas and presentations. An example of an employer preparation checklist can be found in the Resources section.

At the high school level, workplace tours may connect to a specific curriculum related to workplace skills or an academic subject. Workplace tours can help students connect classroom learning with its application in the working world. For example, a tour of an engineering firm could showcase practical applications of the mathematics involved in building design.

How Are Workplace Tours Structured?

Workplace tours can range in time from an hour or two to a half day, depending on the complexity of the workplace and the time the host employer is willing to devote.

While each tour may be different, a sample agenda could include:

• Introductions, welcome, and overview of the industry and the employer.
• Tour highlighting work in action, organizational culture, different careers, and various components of the workplace. The tour may visit a series of work stations where different employees discuss or demonstrate the work they do. Students may tour in a single group or be broken up into small groups, depending on what works better in the specific workplace.
• Wrap-up session for employees to answer student questions and for employers to ask questions of students.

Students’ observations of the workplace should be guided and documented by using a student observation form, a sample of which is included in the Resources section.

Back to Top

How to Implement a Workplace Tour

Successful workplace tours require collaboration, communication, and preparation by several stakeholders. The process involves preparing students to be ready to learn and participate in the activity, helping teachers work with students to get the most from the experience, and preparing the hosts to be able to communicate effectively with students, anticipate the types of questions they are likely to ask, and learn about the next generation of potential employees.

The work entailed in organizing a workplace tour can extend over several months. As noted in the Introduction , the following steps should be followed when organizing a workplace tour:

• Identify the stakeholders needed to assist with implementation. Typically, these will be district and school staff and employers and/or representatives of employer associations.
• Secure agreement from school administrators and teachers to assist in planning workplace tours. Solicit their preferences for scheduling and for the classes and grade levels that will participate.
• Collect information on students’ career interests. This may be done by teachers, counselors, or career advisors.
• Based on students’ interests, identify employers to ask to host workplace tours. Employer recruitment can take time, so an early start is advisable.
• Prepare students for the tour.
• Prepare the host employer to offer a tour that will be an enriching experience for both students and employees.
• Conduct the workplace tour. Document it with photos, as appropriate.
• Provide structured opportunities for students to reflect.
• Obtain evaluations from students and representatives of the host employer.
• Thank the host employer and the school staff who participated. Give recognition to all participating stakeholders.

The following pages provide more detailed descriptions of steps that should be taken to implement a well-organized workplace tour. These steps are presented in the form of a timeline, starting months before the actual event. Some steps in the timeline will not apply to classes of adult students. The timeline is flexible and can be condensed, but proper student and employer preparation is important.

Suggested Implementation Timeline

Note: Throughout this manual, the term WBL coordinator (typically, a district or school staff member) is used to refer to the individual responsible for planning and implementing WBL activities. Depending on the activity and context, stakeholders from school sites (counselors, teachers, and administrative staff) may be involved. The WBL coordinator should be sure to use the WBL database, as described in the  Introduction , to track employer and school contact information as well as the tasks each has agreed to carry out with respect to workplace tours.

The WBL coordinator should refer to the overall WBL plan (see Introduction ), if there is one, to ensure that the scheduling of a workplace tour with a specific employer or students from a particular school is coordinated with the implementation of other WBL activities planned for that employer or that school. Both the employer and the school staff will appreciate it if the WBL coordinator initiates contact for workplace tours in that larger context.

Note: The WBL coordinator is assumed to be responsible for completing or assigning each task described below, except as noted otherwise.

Before or early in the school year

• Reach out to school administrators and teachers to enlist their participation in scheduling a workplace tour or a series of tours.
• Working with teachers and counselors, collect information on students’ career interests and teachers’ ideas on careers that relate most closely to the curricula.
• Identify which local employers would be good candidates for hosting tours that align with students’ and teachers’ interests. Use the WBL database and other sources (e.g., advisory committee members, employers of former students, organizations like chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, workforce development boards, state departments of labor or commerce, and the personal networks of district and school staff members) to identify employers to target.
• Map out potential workplace tours and a desirable schedule. Identify desired workplace tours by week or month during the year. Be sure to include a wide a range of employer types so that as many students as possible visit a workplace that aligns with their career aspirations.
• Find out about school policies and procedures for student field trips, including provisions for transportation.

Four months before the workplace tour

Note: These steps can be completed early in the school year for the full calendar of workplace tours or on a rolling basis for tours in the coming months.

• Review the employer outreach information in the Introduction to this manual.
• Using the WBL database and other resources, identify employers or occupations in the local area that align with students’ interests and school curricula. Identify as many employers as possible so that there are options to pursue if the first-choice employer declines to host a tour. In rural areas with few employers, matching student interests with potential employer hosts may be especially challenging.
• Also using the WBL database, identify employers who had positive experiences as guest speakers (and were well-received by students and teachers) or other WBL activities and might be interested in hosting a tour.
• Begin outreach to targeted employers. Sample communications for employer recruitment can be found in the Resources section. To be sure that workplace tours are provided in the industries of greatest interest to students, recruit multiple employers at the same time (if there are multiple employers in the same industry in the area). If there are too many positive responses to manage, find future opportunities to engage the “extra” employers in workplace tours or other WBL activities.
• In recruiting employers to host workplace tours, be as specific as possible about what is requested, what is expected, and what support will be provided by the WBL coordinator and others. Make it as easy as possible for the employer to say “yes.”
• Follow up introductory invitations with phone calls, as needed. Use the WBL database to identify past hosts of workplace tours or other employers who may reinforce the invitation with a peer-to-peer communication (see sample in Resources section).
• As responses come in, confirm the dates and communicate them to the schools and the hosts.
• Continue employer recruitment, as needed, until all the targeted slots for workplace tours are full.

Three months before the workplace tour

Note: These implementation steps refer to planning a single tour but can be completed concurrently for multiple tours that may be scheduled for around the same time.

• Select students. In partnership with the school (counselors, career advisors, teachers, and administrators), determine which students or classes will participate in the workplace tour, based on the particular employer’s alignment with students’ career interests and classroom curricula.
• Identify adults who will accompany the students. Workplace tours typically have ten students to one adult. Depending on the workplace, tours may involve as many as 35 students. The adults can be employees of the host employer, district or school staff members, and/or parents. They will help manage students throughout the tour. Teachers who accompany students on workplace tours will benefit by becoming better able to make connections between academic subjects and their applications in the workplace.
• Identify transportation needs and how they will be addressed (e.g., bus, personal/parent vehicles, or others).
• Set a date. Working with the employer host and the school, determine the desired date, making sure to avoid conflicts with school and community calendars. Ask the employer to sign a workplace tour participation form (in the Resources section) so that planning can move forward.
• Discuss and reach agreement with the employer host about the number of students, the time and duration of the tour, and the agenda for the tour. (A sample agenda can be found on the first page of this chapter.)
• If any students have special needs, determine whether and how they can be accommodated.
• Inquire about the employer sponsoring transportation and/or lunch, if needed.
• Determine the appropriate dress code for students and adults participating in the tour.
• Identify any safety requirements for participation in the tour (e.g., closed-toe shoes or safety goggles).
• Obtain permission for photos to be taken.
• Work with school staff to determine how they will obtain parent/guardian permission for students to register and participate in the fair and teacher permission to be absent from classes. Examples are provided in the Resources section, but the school should use the same forms it uses for field trips and the same process and deadlines for distributing and collecting the forms. The forms may need to be modified to include a release for photographic documentation of the tour or to disclose any safety risks posed by visiting the workplace.
• Make appropriate arrangements if the tour will include lunch time and the employer does not provide a meal (e.g., student brown bag or box lunches from school cafeteria).
• Teachers/counselors/career advisors: Begin to prepare students for the workplace tour. In class, introduce career opportunities, working conditions, workplace behaviors, and dress code specific to employer they will be visiting.

Two months before the workplace tour

• Make transportation arrangements for students based on prior assessment of needs and how they will be met.
• Teachers/counselors/career advisors: Continue preparing students for the workplace tour. Teachers in subjects that relate to the specific workplace students will tour might introduce or review lessons on topics that are used on the job in the employer host’s industry.

One month before the workplace tour

• Have schools distribute required student registration, parent permission, and teacher permission for class absence forms. School staff should determine the deadline for return of permission forms.

• Consult with the employer host to make sure the agenda and all on-site arrangements are in place.
• Names of participating students, staff, and other adults
• Times of departure and arrival
• Transportation arrangements
• Agenda for the tour
• Special safety or security equipment or procedures
• Accommodations for students with special needs

Two weeks before the workplace tour

• Ensure that signed registration/permission and class absence forms have been collected and that the appropriate school staff member is following up on any that have yet to be returned.
• Confirm transportation.
• Teachers/counselors/career advisors: Continue to prepare students by introducing them to the employer hosting the tour and its industry. Discuss the dress code and any lunch or transportation arrangements that involve students’ families.

One week before the workplace tour

• Make sure all permission forms have been collected.
• Confirm transportation (and lunch, if applicable) arrangements.
• Confirm all details with employer host. Provide contact information (e.g., cell phone numbers and email addresses) for communications on the day of the tour.
• Obtain name tags for students and adults who will be in the tour group. They may be pre-printed or hand-written.
• Address any questions or concerns of students (or their parents), teachers, or the employer host.
• Teachers/counselors/career advisors: Review workplace behavior expectations with students, including the dress code for the tour. They should also introduce the student observation form (see Resource section) so that students will be prepared to document their experiences.

One day before the workplace tour

• Double-check all arrangements.

Day of the workplace tour

• Ensure all students are accounted for on the bus or in personal vehicles when traveling to and from the tour.
• Ensure students are dressed appropriately.
• Distribute student observation forms to students. Distribute name tags.

• Respond promptly to any questions or concerns that arise during the day.
• Bring the schedule and contact information and manage the time appropriately.
• Use both still and video photography to document the tour, if the host employer and students/students’ parents have given permission to do so.
• Provide evaluation forms to students and employers. Collect student evaluation forms.

One day to one week after the workplace tour

• Send thank-you emails to host employer and a reminder to return the evaluation form if it was not collected the day of the tour; include a few photos and highlights from student comments.
• Review student evaluations to assess what they learned from the tour.
• Collect employer evaluation or contact the employer representative and fill out the evaluation through telephone conversation (whichever is easiest for the employer).
• Review employer evaluations and follow up, as appropriate, regarding concerns or comments. Also, follow up with hosts who expressed interest in other WBL activities.
• Summarize student evaluations and reflections and share them with host employers so that they can understand their contribution to students’ learning.
• Provide exposure and positive recognition for host employers in the local newspaper, school newsletter, or other media if the employers gave permission to do so.
• Teachers/counselors/career advisors: Have students write thank-you notes to the employer host. Review them before sending.
• Teachers/counselors/career advisors: Conduct reflection activities in classes and compile written reflections for dissemination to all participating students and their teachers.

Workplace Tour Resources

Note: These forms can be printed with expanded space for written responses or adapted in other ways.

WBL coordinator:

• Sample Email for Employers to Forward to Others (Doc)
• Sample Email to Employers from WBL Coordinator (Doc)
• Workplace Tour Participation Form (Doc)
• Teacher Permission Form for Class Absence (Doc)
• Student Registration and Parent-Guardian Permission Form for Workplace Tour (Doc)
• Workplace Tour Employer Evaluation (Doc)
• Employer Workplace Tour Checklist-Expectations (Doc)

Workplace Tour Student Evaluation (Doc)

Workplace Tour Student Observation Form (Doc )

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Men At Work

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With over thirty million albums sold worldwide, Grammy award winning pop rock band Men At Work from Melbourne, Australia, in 1983 they became the first Australian artists to simultaneously have a number one single and album in the US Billboard charts.

Formed in 1979 as an acoustic duo by Colin Hay (vocals) and Ron Strykert (guitar) in their hometown of Melbourne, the band soon expanded as the welcomed Jerry Speiser (drums), Greg Ham (flute) and John Rees (bass) helping to realise their full potential with influence stemming from pivotal bands such as The Police.

After spending the early beginnings of their career on the Australian pub circuit, the band quickly gained popularity locally and in 1981 Men at Work struck commercial gold. The release of their debut album “Business as Usual” (1981) through Columbia Records saw Men at Work make a clean sweep as they stormed album charts in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, UK and US with the number one spot. Going seven times platinum, the album featured the tracks “Who Can It Be Now”, “Down Under” and “Be Good Johnny”.

The band went down a treat across the pond in both the US and Canada with an overwhelming amount of support from local radio stations coinciding with their extensive US tour. In 1983 Men At Work released their second album “Cargo” which zipped to the top of the Australian album charts at number one producing the singles “Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive”, “Overkill” and “It’s a Mistake”. Later that year the band received a Grammy award for Best New Band and the following year were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

While in the midst of recording their third album “Two Hearts” (1985) tensions ran high in the band as management decided that Rees and Speiser were not needed on the recording and instead were replaced by session musicians. With the album only peaking at number 16, their success was soon short-lived as they hit a dry spell combined with declining popularity and record sales it forced the band to break up in 1986. During the split, Hay embarked on a solo career playing alongside Ringo Starr & His All Star Band meanwhile Ham played Sax in The Nudist Funk Orchestra.

The band reformed in 1996 with Ham and Hay performing all their greatest hits as they embarked on an extensive South American tour which culminated in the release of the live album “Brazil ‘96” (1997). Although the band only released three studio albums, they achieved incredible levels of recognition worldwide with the highest of accolades bestowed upon them.

Live reviews

If reading about a Men At Work tour with a date at hand had been a nice surprise, the concert in Berlin, at the Columbia Theater, has been a greatly enjoyable one. Mind you, anyone who has been playing their music with honest dedication for over forty years can only be playing it better now, so the good execution of the pieces might not be what surprised me. Colin Hay is a professional with long experience, so I did expect no disappointment.

The surprise was to see that actually any Men At Work song from the first two albums still can be a great live act, and by that I mean almost each one, surely from the first two, less so for the third, showing signs of departing ways among members and with a higher melancholic vein in it. An even more emotional, soul revealing surprise, has been to hear myself singing basically each song from Men At Work all along, not even remembering when was last time I knew the lyrics: it was the case of "Children On Parade", a song that I had liked but very much forgotten. Hay and his band have rendered it impeccably in its heart melting glow of melancholy. In times where everybody around only "dug" the timeless hits (without knowing they were timeless already then) such as "Who Can It Be Now" and the piercingly iconic "Down Under" and the summery careless "Be Good Johnny" (a total of three world hits from one first album...), I found that "Touching The Untouchables", "Down By The Sea", "No Restriction", "No Sign Of Yesterday" to name just a few, had a depth of lyricism, musical and instrumental strength that could score well onto any prog-rock "refinement" scale. The concert has proven that, and Hay and its band have done so impeccably: "Be Good Johnny" has taken the audience in an exhilarating ride, showing no time patina on its solid rock. "Down Under", probably the most demanding tribute, has been arranged in an apparently less faithful arrangement, probably due to the unavoidable comparison with the playing and the presence of Greg Ham, as this was probably the song by which all of us might reminisce of Ham's stage presence (he wasn't the author though). Most of us, Men At Work long date aficionados have gotten knowledge of the absurd, destructive (and utterly pointless) lawsuit about the Kookaburra flute line and how this had a bearing in the late end of that brilliant and happy chap we all remember Greg was. But "Down Under" has turned to be again one of the high moments of the concert, it simply unleashed its charismatic friendly call onto the audience, who could not resist to the crisp beauty of this ballad. Here, though, I am definitely no objective judge: "Down Under" is like anything fried: you just like it whatever, there's no other way.

Hay is fun, he has a warm down to earth welcoming humour, setting a friendly atmosphere from start to finish into the event. He still, in spite of self irony, has a great voice, fitting most of the essentials of the songs that so much owed to its characteristic, personal finely grained coarse timbre. The poly-instrumentism of Scheila Gonzalez, heir of the responsibility of being Greg Ham on stage, is admirable: sax, flute and keyboards and vocals, Sheila has energy and presence of a real Man At Work, "or a woman if you are one". Another energy bundle is Cecilia Noel, who dances and mimics stories of the songs while singing with a primary contribution to the vocal parts, she definitely adds a higher part for the scenic presence of the band. A great bass solo by Yosmel Montejo in the end cue of the almost Pink-Floydian "No Sign Of Yesterday", crispy guitar solos are there aplenty all over, provided by both the refined and tasteful guitarist Mr Hay himself and from young San Miguel Perez and a nice surprise again: a drum solo, by Jimmy Branly, all three member of the Los Angeles based band working at present with Hay.

Thinking back, the stage was definitely a tick too small, acoustics came too "burned" in some points, at least very near to the stage where I was. If there is just one point where I might have wished a higher adherence to the Men At Work arrangements, this might be the slide guitar solo in "No Sign Of Yesterday": the sound of a bottleneck slide charges the original mood in a way that the even very enjoyable and very to the point solo of this version simply does not get.

Even if the concert is substantially a Men At Work act, Hay's solo songs have indeed provided for even more value to the experience, as a kind reminder that his work has moved on and his life has more colours and chords to offer and, as his songs do, to share with us. It helps putting things into perspective, which to me gives even more a sense of vitality to the Men At Work part: it feels much more as something that is still here alive and still "rocks", not just an act for nostalgic teens from the Eighties. Indeed there is nostalgia: those were times when hits were written by the heart and soul of real players and went straight to the heart and soul of the audience and into their life, becoming part of it, as any good genuine pure memory of a good piece of life. No algorithms, no industrial marketing productions, no digital vocal audio tuning, no nothing. Just the damn good old real thing.

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Men at Work provide an explosive concert experience. Greg explodes with almost no warning into a frenzied flurry of fingers and flute before Simon explodes into song and the clapping around me takes on a rhythm that almost blocks out the rest of the band. Not to be outdone by their own audience the band picks up the tempo and the room fills with sweet down-under accents I remember so well from my childhood.

Hilarious dancing and jumping breaks out on the stage while Greg skillfully handles his solos and sets a staccato beat for the clapping rhythm. While the ethereal vocals and skillful playing of the other members is interesting Greg Ham is the real focus for me. He switches seamlessly from flute to saxophone and again sets both the rhythm for the audience and the tempo for the band. His solos show an intense concentration while the other members dance around and enjoy themselves.

Eschewing a fancy setup the bands equipment is easily visible making the instrument changes for Greg easier and forcing the focus to remain on the band and nothing else. There are a few lights high above the band shedding small swaths of coloured light onto the band. The vocal harmonization in an otherwise staccato song leaves me in awe of the bands talent.

This band blew me away first time I heard them. That was long time ago, I’m now 58 and to this day “ The Land Down Under” will light up my day, makes me smile , makes me dance! So gentlemen if you read this thank you! You left you mark and a place in my heart! I love y’all!!!

Billy Idol never lets me down! He has never been given the credit he deserves for his talent, he can still bring me to a stand still! I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing him in concert and now at 58 not sure I ever will but I will be a true blue fan always and forever!!

Anyone knows how many of the original members are coming to Dublin in March? It seems Colin is on tour in France these days. And the rest? (RIP Greg) I don't want to see a "Tribute band" instead...

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How to Become a Tour Guide

By Alyciah Beavers

Published: February 28, 2024

If you’ve been wondering how to embark on a fulfilling journey as a tour guide, this article is your roadmap to a career that lets you explore the world while sharing its wonders with others. Here, we discuss the role of a tour guide, how to become one, and some of the tour guide skills you should possess. Plus, we’ll delve into what the tour guide salary is like, helping you make an informed decision about this exciting profession.

Career Summary

Tour guide salary.

Are you wondering how much a tour guide earns in the United States? Well, the average tour guide salary is $40K per year. However, there is an estimated addition of $18K each year in bonuses, commissions, profit sharing, and tour guide tips from clients.

According to Glassdoor , here is the breakdown per each level:

• Entry Salary (US$45k)
• Median Salary (US$59k)
• Executive Salary (US$79k)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average wage in the US is $61,900, meaning that tour guide salary falls behind the national average of other occupations.

What does a Tour Guide do?

A tour guide, also called a tour leader or local guide, plays a considerable role in promoting and preserving a town, city, organization, or country’s historical and cultural heritage. These are certified professionals licensed to lead other people on trips and tours while providing an informative, educational, and enjoyable experience.

Tour Guide Career Progression

• Entry-Level Tour Guide :  Leading basic tours, assisting with logistics, and providing introductory information to tourists.
• Tour Guide :  Leading a variety of tours, providing in-depth information, and ensuring an enjoyable experience for tourists.
• Senior Tour Guide : Taking on more complex and specialized tours, training and supervising junior guides, and often acting as a point of contact for clients.
• Specialized Tour Guide : Specialized tour guides focus on specific niches or interests within the industry, such as history, art, adventure, wildlife, or culinary tours.
• Tour Manager : They oversee the logistics and operations of multiple tours and ensure that all aspects of a tour, including transportation, accommodations, and activities, run smoothly.
• Tour Company Owner or CEO : At the highest level, a tour company’s executive director oversees the entire business. They set the company’s vision, strategy, and direction, manage financial aspects, and make critical decisions impacting its growth and success.

The Pros and Cons of Working as a Tour Guide

• You will live your dream and share your exploration and traveling passion with others.
• It is an opportunity to interact and relate with people from diverse walks of life and learn about different cultures.
• You are constantly learning about the history, culture, and geography of the places you guide.
• It is an opportunity to assist people in having memorable experiences and creating lasting memories.
• Tour guides may have to give the same tour multiple times daily, leading to repetition and potential monotony.
• Career growth and advancement opportunities may be limited for tour guides, as it’s often a front-line, customer-facing role.
• Sometimes, tour guides must work in various weather conditions, which can be uncomfortable and challenging.
• Guides may need to work with tourists who speak different languages, creating communication challenges.

Useful Tour Guide Skills to Have

• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Public speaking Skills
• Storytelling Skills
• Multilingual Skills

Popular Tour Guide Specialties

• Historical and Cultural Tours
• Culinary Tours
• Wildlife and Eco-Tours
• Religious and Spiritual Tours

Do I Need A Degree To Become A Tour Guide?

You only need a high school diploma to become a tour guide. However, different tour guide jobs need a degree. For example, to become a tour guide in a museum, you might require a degree in history-related fields.

Here are some key points to consider in determining whether to get a degree or not:

• Location and Regulations : The requirements for becoming a tour guide can vary by country and region. Some places may have specific regulations or licensing requirements for tour guides, which may or may not include the need for a degree. It’s essential to research the rules in your specific area.
• Type of Tours : The tours you want to guide can also influence the educational requirements. For example, leading historical or cultural tours may require more specialized knowledge and may be more likely to necessitate a degree in history , art, or a related field.
• Tour Company or Organization : Some tour companies or organizations may have specific requirements. Some may prioritize experience, personality, and local knowledge over formal education, while others may prefer candidates with relevant degrees or certifications.
• Tourist Demands : Understanding the needs and interests of the tourists you plan to guide is crucial. Some tourists may prefer guides with in-depth knowledge, which a degree can provide, while others may prioritize guides that offer a unique and engaging experience.
• Language Skills: Fluency in one or more languages can be a valuable asset for a tour guide. Language proficiency may sometimes be more important than a formal degree.
• Local Knowledge : For tours in a specific location, deep local knowledge, history, and cultural insights are often precious. This kind of expertise doesn’t necessarily require a formal degree.

What are the Benefits of Getting a Degree in Tourism?

Getting a degree in tourism can be important for several reasons, depending on your career goals and the specific context of the tourism industry in your region.

Here are some reasons why obtaining a degree in tourism can be beneficial:

• Knowledge and Expertise : A degree in tourism provides a comprehensive understanding of the local culture, history, geography, and other relevant information about the destinations you’ll be guiding people through. This knowledge can enhance the quality of your tours and make you a more informative and engaging guide.
• Professionalism : A degree can help you develop the tour guide skills and professionalism required to excel in the field. You’ll learn about customer service, communication, and safety protocols, which can enhance the overall experience for tourists and ensure their safety.
• Legal and Regulatory Requirements : Tour guides must be licensed or certified in many places, and a degree in tourism can help you meet these regulatory requirements. It can also provide a strong foundation for passing required exams or assessments.
• Career Advancement : A degree can open up more career opportunities within the tourism industry. For example, you might qualify for higher-paying positions, such as managing a team of guides or working as a travel consultant or planner.
• Networking : While pursuing a degree, you’ll have the opportunity to network with other students, professors, and industry professionals.
• Global Perspective : Some tour guide programs cover international tourism, which can be especially valuable for working in a worldwide or cross-cultural context. It can help you understand the needs and expectations of tourists from diverse backgrounds.

How Long Does It Take To Get A Degree In Tourism?

The time it takes to earn a degree in tourism can vary depending on several factors, including the degree level and whether you’re pursuing the degree full-time or part-time.

Here’s a general overview of the different types of degrees in tourism and their durations:

• Certificate in Hospitality and Tourism : It takes at least two weeks to complete a certificate in tourism and hospitality, where you will also get on-site training.
• Associate’s Degree : An associate’s degree in tourism or a related field takes around two years of full-time study. You will find these programs at community colleges or vocational schools.
• Bachelor’s Degree : A bachelor’s degree in tourism or hospitality management takes about 3 to 4 years of full-time study. The exact duration can vary by country and specific program requirements.
• Master’s Degree: A master’s degree in tourism or a related field usually takes 1 to 2 years of full-time study after obtaining a bachelor’s degree. Some programs may offer accelerated options, and the duration may also depend on the specific master’s program.

How Much Does It Cost To Study Hospitality And Tourism At University?

The cost of studying Hospitality and Tourism at a university can vary widely depending on several factors, including the region where you choose to study, the specific university or college you attend, your residency status, and the level of the program, whether undergraduate or postgraduate.

On average, public colleges charge $9,300 per year for in-state students, whereas out-of-state students pay $26,400 for a bachelor’s degree . 

Here are factors that can influence the cost:

• Location : Tuition fees can vary significantly from one state to another. 
• University : The reputation and ranking of the university can impact tuition costs. More prestigious universities may charge higher tuition fees.
• Degree Level : Undergraduate programs are typically less expensive than postgraduate programs such as a master’s program.
• Duration of Program : Longer programs will cost more than shorter ones.
• Additional Costs : Consider other expenses, such as housing, textbooks, transportation, and living costs, when calculating the total cost of your education.
• Scholarships and Financial Aid : Many universities offer scholarships and financial aid to help students offset the cost of their education.

Can I Become A Tour Guide Through Online Education?

Are you researching how to become a tour guide and wondering if you can study online? Yes, you can . And, it is cheaper to study online to become a tour guide.

Here’s a general outline of the steps involved in becoming a tour guide and where online education can fit in:

• Research and Familiarization : Start by gaining in-depth knowledge about the area where you wish to become a tour guide. This may involve online research, reading books, and watching documentaries or online courses related to the region’s history, culture, and geography.
• Formal Education : Many universities and colleges offer online degrees or certificates in tourism , hospitality, history, or cultural studies, which can provide you with a strong educational foundation. 
• Customer Service and Soft Skills : Effective communication, people skills, and customer service are crucial for tour guides. You can improve these skills through online courses, workshops, and books on customer service and interpersonal communication.

What Are Some Web Resources To Learn Skills To Become A Tour Guide?

Here are some web resources to help you develop the necessary tour guide skills and knowledge related to tourism and hospitality:

• National Tour Association (NTA) : The NTA provides resources, education, and networking opportunities for tour professionals. Their website offers webinars, articles, and publications on tour guiding and tourism.
• International Tour Management Institute (ITMI): ITMI offers online courses and resources for tour guides and directors. They cover various aspects of tour management, from group dynamics to destination knowledge.
• Tourism e-Lab : This e-learning platform offers a wide range of online courses related to tourism and hospitality. Courses cover tour guiding, travel management, and customer service.
• World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) : The WFTGA website provides information about professional tour guiding standards, international tour guiding events, and educational opportunities.
• Tourism and Hospitality Schools’ Websites : Many universities and colleges with programs in tourism and hospitality offer free resources, such as lecture notes and presentations, on their websites. These resources can help gain a more in-depth understanding of the field.
• Forums and Online Communities : Joining forums and communities of tour guides can be a great way to learn from experienced guides, exchange tour guide tips, and get advice. Look for platforms like TripAdvisor’s forums forums or dedicated tour guide forums.

Practical Experience

What are internship opportunities for a tour guide.

Internship opportunities for a tour guide can be a great way to gain practical experience and develop the skills necessary for a career in tourism and hospitality.

Here are some internship opportunities that can help you on your path to becoming a tour guide:

• Tour Companies : Many tour companies offer internships for individuals interested in becoming tour guides. These internships may involve shadowing experienced guides, learning about different tour routes, and assisting with tour logistics.
• Museums and Cultural Institutions : Museums and cultural institutions often offer internships related to guided tours. These internships may involve researching and developing tour content, leading tours, and interacting with visitors.
• National and State Parks : If you’re interested in nature and outdoor activities, consider internships at national and state parks. These opportunities can provide you with experience in guiding hikes, wildlife tours, and educational programs.
• Historical Sites : Historical sites and landmarks often employ tour guides. Interning at such locations can give you hands-on experience sharing historical and cultural information with visitors.
• Travel Agencies : Some travel agencies offer internships that involve assisting clients with tour bookings, creating itineraries, and learning about various travel destinations.
• Cruise Lines : If you’re interested in working as a tour guide on cruise ships, consider internships with cruise lines. These internships may involve assisting with onboard tours and excursions.
• Hospitality Industry : Some internships in the hospitality industry can also be relevant for tour guides. Working at hotels, resorts, or hostels can help you gain customer service and guest interaction skills.

What Skills Will I Learn as a Tour Guide?

Here are some of the critical skills you’ll develop as a tour guide:

• Knowledge of the Destination : A tour guide must have in-depth knowledge about the location they are guiding in. This includes historical, cultural, and geographical information and up-to-date information on local events and attractions.
• Communication Skills : Effective communication is crucial. You need to convey information clearly and engagingly to your clients. This includes public speaking, storytelling, and interpersonal communication.
• Adaptability : Tour guides must be flexible and adapt to unexpected changes or challenges during tours, such as weather, transportation issues, or last-minute schedule changes.
• Leadership : You will lead a group, manage their behavior, and ensure they follow the tour’s rules and guidelines.
• Time Management : Tours often have tight schedules, so keeping the group on time and track is crucial.
• Safety Awareness : Ensuring the safety of your clients is paramount. You need to be trained in first aid and emergency procedures and understand the local safety regulations well.
• Cultural Sensitivity : Be aware of cultural norms and differences to respect the traditions and customs of your clients, especially in a multicultural environment.
• Navigation : Familiarity with the area’s layout and understanding of maps and GPS systems are valuable for navigating destinations.
• Storytelling : Being able to tell engaging and informative stories about the location’s history, culture, and landmarks can make the tour more enjoyable and memorable for your clients.
• Knowledge of Tour Logistics : Understanding the logistics of organizing and conducting tours, such as transportation, entrance fees, permits, and other administrative tasks.
• Conflict Resolution : Dealing with client disputes or conflicts within the group diplomatically and effectively is an important skill.
• Technology: Proficiency with technology, including audio equipment, multimedia presentations, and mobile apps, helps guide the tourists, thus enhancing the tour experience.

What is the Work-Life Balance of a Tour Guide?

A tour guide’s work-life balance can vary depending on several factors, including the type of tours they lead, their company, their experience, and their personal preferences.

Here are some key considerations:

• Seasonality : Tour guides often work in a seasonal industry. Summer seasons and holidays, for instance, have long, busy workdays with limited time off. In contrast, during the off-season, they may have more flexibility and free time.
• Hours of Operation : Some tours, like day tours or city tours, have regular working hours, while others, like multi-day or specialized tours, may require irregular or longer hours. Evening and weekend work is common in the industry.
• Flexibility : Independent tour guides may have more control over their schedules and can better manage their work-life balance. On the other hand, guides employed by larger tour companies may have less flexibility and be subject to fixed plans.
• Physical Demands : Tour guiding can be physically demanding, as guides often spend long hours on their feet and may need to keep up with a fast-paced itinerary. This can impact their work-life balance and overall well-being.
• Personal Preferences : Some tour guides may prefer a more flexible, on-the-go lifestyle, while others may value a more structured work schedule. The balance between work and personal life can vary based on individual preferences.
• Time Off : Tour guides work when others have time off, such as weekends and holidays. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage, as it allows them to meet tourists during these high-demand periods but can limit their leisure time.
• Burnout : The nature of the job, with its long hours, repetitive information delivery, and the need to cater to tourists’ needs, can lead to burnout if not appropriately managed.

What’s the Career Outlook for Tour Guides?

According to BLS, the projected employment outlook for a tour guide will change drastically from 2022 to 2032, with 4,300 new jobs each year and an 8% growth in this industry.

However, the career outlook for tour guides depends on the location, the type of tours offered, and economic conditions. 

What Are The Job Opportunities Of A Tour Guide?

Job opportunities for tour guides can vary depending on their location, specialization, and skills.

Here are some common job opportunities for tour guides:

• City Tour Guide : City tour guides lead tourists on tours of urban areas, providing historical, cultural, and architectural information about the city’s landmarks, neighborhoods, and attractions.
• Museum Tour Guide : Tour guides work in museums and art galleries, offering explanations and insights about the exhibits and artifacts.
• Nature and Adventure Tour Guide : These guides lead outdoor tours, such as hiking, wildlife safaris, or adventure activities like rafting or zip-lining. They share their knowledge about local flora, fauna, and outdoor experiences.
• Cultural Tour Guide : Tour guides showcase a region’s local culture, traditions, and customs. They often lead tours to festivals, historical sites, and cultural events.
• Wine Tour Guide : Wine tour guides work in vineyards and wineries, leading tours that include wine tastings and education about the winemaking process.
• Food Tour Guide : Food tour guides introduce tourists to local culinary delights, taking them to restaurants, markets, and food-related events to sample regional dishes.
• Historic Tour Guide : Historic tour guides specialize in providing insights into the history of a particular location or landmark. They may lead tours of historical sites, battlefields, or architectural wonders.
• Educational Tour Guide : Educational tour guides work with school groups or educational institutions, providing informative tours focused on history, science, or culture.
• Cruise Ship Tour Guide : Cruise ship tour guides organize and lead shore excursions for cruise passengers at various ports of call.
• Language-Specific Tour Guide : If you are proficient in a foreign language, you can be a language-specific tour guide for tourists who speak your language. This is especially valuable in regions popular with international tourists.
• Private Tour Guide: Some tour guides offer private tours tailored to the specific interests of individual or small groups of travelers.
• Virtual Tour Guide : With the rise of virtual tourism and online experiences, there is a growing demand for virtual tour guides who lead tours via video conferencing or virtual reality platforms.

What Type of Organizations Hire a Tour Guide?

The type of companies or organizations that hire tour guides can vary based on the tours’ nature and the guiding services’ specific focus.

Here are some examples:

• Tour Operators
• Travel Agencies
• Museums and Cultural Institutions
• National and State Parks
• Cruise Lines
• Historical Sites and Landmarks
• Zoos and Aquariums
• Adventure and Eco-Tourism Companies
• Walking and Segway Tour Companies
• Bus and Trolley Tour Companies
• Language Schools
• Event and Conference Organizers
• Educational Institutions

Should I become a Tour Guide?

Looking at all the information we have discussed above, becoming a tour guide will help you develop new skills such as adaptability and communication skills. There is a chance to grow and move from entry-level to CEO based on your specialty.

However, the annual average wage is relatively lower than other occupations, which might challenge some. Therefore, look at your skills, passion, and lifetime goals to determine if the career works for you.

Careers Related to Tour Guide

• Customer Service Representative
• Event Planner
• Travel Agent

About the Author

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What does a tour guide do?

Would you make a good tour guide? Take our career test and find your match with over 800 careers.

What is a Tour Guide?

A tour guide provides assistance, information, and guidance to individuals or groups of tourists during their travels. Their primary role is to enhance the travel experience by sharing knowledge and insights about the destinations, attractions, and cultural aspects of the places being visited. Tour guides are well-versed in the history, geography, culture, and traditions of the locations they cover, and they use their expertise to educate and entertain the tourists.

Tour guides are responsible for organizing and leading tours, ensuring that the itinerary is followed, and the group stays on schedule. They may work in various settings, including cities, historical sites, natural landscapes, or cultural landmarks. During tours, guides provide commentary, answer questions, and engage with the tourists, creating an interactive and immersive experience. They may also assist with logistical matters, such as arranging transportation, coordinating entry to attractions, and recommending places to eat or shop.

What does a Tour Guide do?

Tour guides bring destinations to life by providing valuable expertise and insights. While guidebooks and online resources can offer information, tour guides offer a unique and personalized experience that cannot be replicated.

Duties and Responsibilities Tour guides have a range of duties and responsibilities to ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience for tourists. Some of the key responsibilities include:

• Planning and organizing: Tour guides research and plan tour itineraries, considering factors such as the duration of the tour, the interests of the group, and the availability of attractions. They arrange transportation, accommodation, meals, and any necessary permits or tickets, ensuring that everything is well-coordinated.
• Providing information and commentary: A primary role of tour guides is to offer informative and engaging commentary about the destinations being visited. They share historical facts, cultural insights, and interesting anecdotes to educate and entertain tourists. Guides should have a deep understanding of the locations, including their history, architecture, local customs, and traditions.
• Leading tours and managing groups: Tour guides are responsible for leading the group throughout the tour. They ensure that the group stays together, follows the itinerary, and adheres to any safety guidelines. Guides should have good organizational and leadership skills to manage groups of varying sizes and diverse backgrounds.
• Assisting with logistics: Tour guides handle practical aspects of the tour, such as coordinating transportation between sites, arranging entry to attractions, and managing timing to optimize the itinerary. They provide directions, answer questions, and offer recommendations for meals, shopping, and other activities.
• Ensuring safety and security: Guides prioritize the safety and security of the tourists. They inform the group about potential risks or hazards, and they take necessary precautions to prevent accidents or incidents. In emergency situations, guides should be prepared to provide assistance and follow appropriate protocols.
• Interacting and engaging with tourists: Tour guides create a welcoming and interactive environment for tourists. They foster a positive and friendly atmosphere, encourage questions, and actively engage with the group. Guides should be approachable and adaptable, catering to the needs and interests of the tourists.
• Resolving issues and addressing concerns: Tour guides act as a point of contact for tourists, addressing any concerns or issues that may arise during the tour. They handle complaints, resolve conflicts, and provide assistance or alternative solutions when needed.
• Promoting responsible and sustainable tourism: Guides play a crucial role in promoting responsible tourism practices. They educate tourists about local customs and cultural sensitivities, encourage respectful behavior towards local communities and the environment, and advocate for sustainable travel practices.

Types of Tour Guides There are various types of tour guides, each specializing in different areas and catering to specific types of tours. Here are some common types of tour guides and a brief description of what they do:

• City Tour Guides: City tour guides specialize in providing tours within a specific city or urban area. They are well-versed in the history, architecture, landmarks, and culture of the city. Their role is to guide tourists through popular attractions, historical sites, and local neighborhoods, offering insights and commentary along the way.
• Cultural Tour Guides: Cultural tour guides focus on highlighting the cultural aspects of a destination. They provide in-depth knowledge about local traditions, customs, festivals, and arts. These guides may accompany tourists to museums, art galleries, cultural events, or religious sites, helping them understand and appreciate the cultural significance of these places.
• Ecotourism Guides : Ecotourism guides are responsible for designing and planning itineraries that are environmentally and culturally responsible, researching the destination, developing educational materials, preparing necessary equipment, and coordinating logistics such as transportation, accommodation, and meals.
• Adventure Tour Guides: Adventure tour guides lead tours focused on outdoor activities and adventure sports such as hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, or skiing. They possess skills and knowledge in the specific activities offered, ensuring the safety of participants while providing guidance and instruction. Adventure guides may take tourists to remote and challenging locations, coordinating logistics and providing a thrilling experience.
• Historical Tour Guides: Historical tour guides specialize in providing detailed insights into the history of a destination. They are knowledgeable about specific historical periods, events, and significant landmarks. These guides often work in historical sites, monuments, or archaeological sites, sharing historical context and stories that bring the past to life for tourists.
• Specialized Tour Guides: Specialized tour guides cater to niche interests or specific types of tours. Examples include food tour guides who focus on culinary experiences, wine tour guides who provide expertise on vineyards and wine tasting, or art tour guides who lead tours in museums and art galleries, offering interpretations of artworks.

Are you suited to be a tour guide?

Tour guides have distinct personalities . They tend to be social individuals, which means they’re kind, generous, cooperative, patient, caring, helpful, empathetic, tactful, and friendly. They excel at socializing, helping others, and teaching. Some of them are also enterprising, meaning they’re adventurous, ambitious, assertive, extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, confident, and optimistic.

Does this sound like you? Take our free career test to find out if tour guide is one of your top career matches.

What is the workplace of a Tour Guide like?

The workplace of a tour guide can be quite diverse and dynamic, offering a mix of indoor and outdoor environments. One aspect of their workplace involves cultural and urban settings. City tour guides, for instance, operate within bustling cities, leading tourists through streets, squares, and iconic landmarks. They may work in vibrant neighborhoods, historic districts, or cosmopolitan areas, immersing tourists in the local culture and urban atmosphere. These guides navigate through crowded streets, interact with locals, and provide insights into the city's history, architecture, and vibrant lifestyle. They may also lead tours in museums, art galleries, or cultural centers, where they can showcase the city's artistic and cultural offerings.

Another significant aspect of a tour guide's workplace is outdoor settings. Nature and wildlife tour guides find themselves working in breathtaking natural landscapes, such as forests, mountains, or coastal areas. These guides lead groups on hikes, nature walks, or wildlife safaris, sharing their knowledge about the local flora, fauna, and ecosystems. Their workplace is characterized by stunning scenery, serene environments, and opportunities for visitors to connect with nature. Adventure tour guides also operate in outdoor settings, taking tourists on thrilling activities like rafting, rock climbing, or skiing. They work in adventurous and often remote locations, ensuring the safety of participants while providing an adrenaline-pumping experience.

Additionally, the workplace of a tour guide can extend to various modes of transportation. They may lead tours on buses, boats, trains, or even walking tours, utilizing different forms of transportation to explore diverse attractions and destinations. This allows guides to provide a comprehensive experience, showcasing various facets of a region while offering comfort and convenience to tourists.

Tour Guides are also known as: Tourist Guide

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Alternative work schedules.

If you would like more flexibility schedule and/or the opportunity to get an extra day for personal errands and activities, an Alternative Work Schedule might be for you!

The availability of AWS varies by Operating Unit. Many offer some or all of the options described on this page, while others may choose not to offer them at all if such schedules are determined to have a bad effect on productivity, service to the public, or cost. Finally, even if your Operating Unit offers AWS, your actual work schedule is at the discretion of your supervisor. So if you want to change your work schedule or work an AWS, always check with your supervisor!

AWS Essentials

• Alternative work schedules are established for entire groups of employees; individuals can’t request and work alternative schedules unless they have been approved for their operating unit as a whole.
• If your unit is on a compressed schedule, and that causes a hardship for you, you can ask to be exempted from the schedule.

There are two types of alternative work schedules: compressed and flexible .

A compressed schedule involves longer but fewer work days, so that you can complete a full 80 hours during each biweekly pay period in less than 10 work days.

A flexible schedule includes a variety of options, all involving certain core hours during which everyone must be present, coupled with flexible arrival and departure times. Credit hours are another element of flexible schedules.

Compressed Schedules

These schedules are fixed; there’s no flexibility about when you report to work and leave each day. Once established, your schedule does not change.

There are several ways in which a compressed schedule can work. The two most common are:

• 5-4/9 in which you work 8 9-hour days and 1 8-hour day in the pay period and get an extra day off.
• 4-10 in which you work 4 10-hour days each week of the pay period and have an extra day of each week.

In every case, you will work a total of 80 hours during each biweekly pay period. The advantage is that you will have extra days off.

Flexible Schedules

As the name implies, flexible schedules are more flexible. But that doesn’t mean you can come and go at any time; you work out a schedule with your supervisor and adhere to the schedule.

Flexible schedules all have two things in common: core hours, during which you and all others in your unit must be at work; and flexible times bands which are the times you can vary to arrive and depart from work.

There are 5 types of flexible work schedules:

• Contains core hours (during which you must be at work) which are established on fewer than 10 workdays during each biweekly pay period. (In some cases, there may be no core hours at all.)
• Schedules may include more hours in one week than the next.
• The basic requirement is to complete 80 hours of work during each biweekly pay period.
• Basic requirement to complete 80 hours in each biweekly pay period.
• Must work during core hours on each of the 10 workdays in the pay period.
• Flexibility is in the number of hours you work each day and each week.
• Schedules can vary from week to week and day to day, with more hours worked in one week than the other. 
• Schedule can vary each day around the core hours, but you have to complete 40 hours each workweek.
• Can’t work fewer hours one week than the other during a biweekly pay period.
• Schedule could have varied hours on different days. For example: 3 10-hour days, and two 5-hour days each week, as long as you were on the job during the core hours established for your unit during the short days. You are not paid overtime for the two extra hours on each 10-hour day; instead, those hours are counted as “base hours” and used to make up the 40-hour weekly work requirement.
• Work 8 hours each day and 40 hours each week.
• Can vary the times you arrive and leave work each day, as long as you’re there during the established core hours.
• Almost the same as a gliding schedule.
• Schedule is the same every day until a formal opportunity for changing it arises. 

Credit Hours

These are extra hours that you work in excess of the basic work requirement under a flexible schedule. You can use credit hours on another day, week, or pay period to be absent from work with no loss of pay. When you use credit hours, they are treated just like regular time worked so you get your regular pay for them.

You don’t receive overtime pay for these hours because they’re not ordered by management; they’re chosen by you.

Some employees working flexible schedules may not be allowed to earn credit hours, since it’s a management decision to let employees work them.

Total Number of Credit Hours and Payment

You can only carry over 24 credit hours per pay period, if you’re a full-time employee.

Part-time employees can carry over less - the carryover of a part-time employee is limited to one-fourth of the employee’s biweekly basic work requirement.

If you leave your job, or no longer work a flexible schedule, you will be paid (at your basic rate) for credit hours that haven’t been used. If you transfer to another job in the Department that has a flexible work schedule and allows you to earn and use credit hours, you may be able to carry accrued credit hours with you to the new job.

Excused Absences and AWS

For a flexible schedule :

• If a holiday falls on a day when you would have worked more than 8 hours, you can only receive 8 hours for the holiday. The time that you miss above 8 hours has to be made up somehow; if not with accrued credit hours, then through accrued compensatory time, accrued compensatory time off for travel, restored annual leave, or annual leave.
• If a closure occurs on a day when you would have worked more than 8 hours, you receive the number of hours you were scheduled to work on that day.

For a compressed schedule :

• If a holiday falls on a 9-hour day, you will receive the full 9-hours. So excused absence for holidays will be equal to the hours you were scheduled to work.
• The same is true for things like building closures due to inclement weather. If you were scheduled to work 10 hours under your compressed work schedule, you’ll be granted 10 hours of excused absence.

Replacement Holidays when Holidays Non-Work Days

If you’re working either a compressed or flexible work schedule, and a holiday falls on a day you are not scheduled to work, then you will be given the preceding workday off instead. This is true even if the replacement holiday is in a different pay period.

The exception is a holiday that falls on a Sunday when you were not scheduled to work; in that case your next scheduled workday will be your replacement day off. However, the head of your agency can handle this differently if the plan described here would have a bad impact on service to the public, productivity, or cost.

If you’re a part-time employee, you will not be given a replacement day off for holidays that fall on days when you’re not scheduled to work.

Premium Pay and AWS

Entitlement to overtime, compensatory time, and differentials varies based on your work schedule.

For a Flexible Schedule :

• Time off from work on a subsequent workday for a period of time equal to the number of extra hours of work ordered; and/or
• To use the extra time work to make up your basic work requirement .
• If you work a flexible schedule, the time worked can be scheduled to occur on a regular basis (regularly scheduled) or irregular or occasional in nature.
• A prevailing rate employee
• An employee covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), or non-exempt
• An employee exempt from FLSA whose rate of basic pay is equal to or less than the rate for GS-10, step 10.
• If you are FLSA exempt and your rate of basic pay exceeds the GS-10, step 10 rate, you can be ordered to have mandatory compensatory time off, instead of overtime pay. OPM has more information on these special situations at http://opm.gov/oca/aws/html/flex.asp
• If you are scheduled to work on a Sunday, you will receive Sunday pay for the time you work, but only for 8 hours. If you work more than 8 hours, the additional hours will be paid at your basic rate.
• If you are regularly schedule to work during a night shift from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
• will not be paid night differential pay under a flexible work schedule for hours you choose to work before 6 a.m. or after 6 p.m. if there are 8 or more hours available for work during daytime hours.
• If you are required to work on a holiday, you’ll get paid your base rate for the number of hours actually worked up to what you were scheduled to work for that day. You’ll also get paid for your regular hours of excused absence at your base rate. Any hours worked over what you were scheduled to work on that day can be overtime or compensatory time, paid at the overtime rate.

For a Compressed AWS

• If you are exempt from FLSA, overtime hours are the hours of work in excess of the biweekly compressed work schedule and must be officially ordered by management.
• If you are a full-time FLSA non-exempt employee, overtime hours also includes hours worked outside the compressed work schedule that are "suffered or permitted." This means that if you work beyond your schedule and your supervisor knows it and does not stop it, you are entitled to overtime for the time worked.
• Mandatory compensatory time off is allowed for FLSA exempt employees (not prevailing rate) whose rate of basic pay is greater than the rate for GS-10, step 10, and only in lieu of overtime pay for irregular or occasional overtime work. For more information see OPM’s website: http://opm.gov/oca/aws/html/comp.asp
• You’re paid Sunday pay for hours worked (other than overtime hours) if your shift begins or ends on Sunday. You’ll be paid night pay for all work hours scheduled between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
• You will receive night differential pay for the number of hours you are scheduled work between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
• Holiday pay works the same as for employees on flexible AWS.

Miscellaneous

• In connection with travel and training . If you’re on official travel or taking training, your AWS can be temporarily changed to a standard schedule (e.g., 8:30-5:00) for the duration of the travel or training.
• For Senior Executive Service employees . Although SES employees can work an alternative schedule, they may not earn credit hours.
• Time-keeping. If you work an alternative schedule, you will probably be asked to document your arrival and departure times via the webTA application or you may be asked to sign-in/out.

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Tiger Woods still doing hard, painful work

Tiger Woods at Augusta National ahead of the 2024 Masters. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Hopes Masters will jump-start once-a-month playing ambitions

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AUGUSTA, Ga. – Tiger Woods laughed when asked about the prospect of joining Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson to hit the ceremonial first tee shot at the 88th Masters Tournament.

“No, I have not thought about being a starter here, no,” Woods said.

And yet is it also laughable to think that he could still win this week?

He doesn’t think so.

“If everything comes together, I think I can get one more,” said Woods, 48, who will be paired with Jason Day and Max Homa for the first two rounds at Augusta National. A silence came over the main interview room, and Woods, economical with his words as ever, laughed. “Do I need to describe that any more than that, or are we good?”

Where are we with Tiger Woods? Who is he these days? What is he capable of? It speaks to the dizzying, tilt-a-whirl landscape of professional golf that we have lost track of even him.

If everything comes together … That might be only the second or third biggest if in golf. He still gets out of bed every day intending to do the hard and painful work with his physical therapist. He loves the game too much to quit on it; "Golf is life," to paraphrase Dani Rojas from “Ted Lasso.”

And yet the 82-time PGA TOUR winner, including 15 majors, is a realist. He struggled in his last start, The Genesis Invitational, and withdrew with the flu after completing just 24 holes. More often, he is limited by inflammation and flare-ups that he can’t predict from one day to the next.

“Some days I just feel really good,” Woods said, “and other days, not so much.”

He played in his first Seminole Pro-Member with PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh on March 4. (Woods is believed to be the first choice to be U.S. Ryder Cup captain at Bethpage Black next year.) Since then, the Tiger-trackers haven’t had much to work with, but Fred Couples filled up some notebooks after he, Woods and Justin Thomas played the front nine here under cloudy skies Tuesday.

“Can he win here?” said Couples, who himself is battling a bad back. “You know what, yeah. I just watched him play nine holes, and nine holes is only nine holes on a Tuesday, but he never mishits a shot. But the idea of making a (record 24th consecutive) cut, I think he would laugh at that because he's not here to – that's a huge record, but he's here to win. He's here to play really, really hard.

“From what I see – I don't ask him much,” Couples continued. “We always talk about Sam or Charlie (Woods’ children); very rarely, ‘How is your ankle?’ His ankle is bad. We know it. But it looks like he's here, he's going to walk 72 holes, and if he keeps playing like that, he'll be a factor.”

The fused right ankle, which Woods had fixed after withdrawing from last year’s Masters – he had just tied the all-time record with his 23rd straight made cut – doesn’t hurt, he said. Everything else does.

“Every shot that’s not on a tee box is a challenge,” he said of the hilly Augusta terrain.

The 40s are a fraught time for professional golfers, who aren’t yet eligible for PGA TOUR Champions and must rely on defiance, guile and grit as they strain for whatever it was that made them elite. Players of this vintage can surprise – think Kenny Perry, Vijay Singh and Steve Stricker. Think Woods, going off one last time like a long-abandoned firework at the 2019 Masters as he won a fifth green jacket.

More often, though, they get into broadcasting or just look for the nearest unlit exit.

Woods occupies some ill-defined middle ground. His 2019 Masters win was enough to make you believe in transcendence, or at least physical therapy. Injuries from his 2021 single-car accident, though, have limited his recent play. He has not gone four rounds in an official PGA TOUR event since the 2023 Genesis Invitational. At last year’s Masters he was stopped with plantar fasciitis and withdrew. He flew to New York to undergo ankle fusion surgery, which kept him out of PGA TOUR competition until the unofficial Hero World Challenge last December. By this point, we’d lost count of his comebacks.

Buoyed by his ability to get through four rounds at the Hero, where he finished near the bottom of the limited field, Woods stated that he hoped to play once a month in 2024.

That has not come to fruition.

“Well, I wasn't ready to play,” he said Tuesday, when asked about having missed the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, which he’s won eight times, and THE PLAYERS Championship, which he’s won twice. “My body wasn't ready. My game wasn't ready. And I thought that when I was at Hero, once a month would be a really nice rhythm. Hasn't worked out that way.

“But now we have major championships every month from here through July,” Woods continued. “So now the once-a-month hopefully kicks in.”

His body likes the heat, and Augusta is not expected to be as cold and miserable as last year. It’s a start.

Cameron Morfit is a Staff Writer for the PGA TOUR. He has covered rodeo, arm-wrestling, and snowmobile hill climb in addition to a lot of golf. Follow Cameron Morfit on Twitter .

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NCAA.com | April 8, 2024

2024 women’s gymnastics championships: schedule, dates, regionals information.

The 2024 NCAA women’s gymnastics selection show aired on March 25 . See the full selections release here.

Regional competition was  April 3 - 7 , leading to the finals from Thursday, April 18 to Saturday, April 20 .

The NCAA announced on April 8,  the teams and individuals who have advanced to compete in the 2024 National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships  for the semifinal an championship rounds.

2024 NC women's gymnastics championship bracket

Here's a look at the latest NC women's gymnastics championship bracket:

👉 Click or tap here for a closer look at the bracket  | Click or tap here for live results

Championship schedule

Click or tap the links below to watch live and view final stats

• Schools: Arkansas, California, LSU, Stanford
• Watch on ESPN2
• Schools: Alabama,Florida, Oklahoma, Utah

Click or tap here for the national's rotational schedule for semifinals

• 4 p.m. | ABC

Regionals |  First round, Wednesday, April 3:

• Ann Arbor (Michigan): Illinois 195.825 , Ball State 195.725
• Fayetteville (Arkansas): BYU 195.750 , Boise State 195.750 (tie breaker)
• Ann Arbor (Michigan):
• Alabama 197.450, Penn State 196.925 , Michigan 196.725, Kent State 195.650 Oklahoma 198.050, Ohio State 196.975 , Illinois 196.750, NC State 195.950 
• Gainesville (Florida): Iowa State 195.875 , Clemson 195.625
• Berkeley (California): Southern Utah 195.525 , San Jose State 195.500
• Fayetteville (Arkansas): Arkansas 197.325, Kentucky 197.100 , Nebraska 196.600, Arizona 195.600 LSU 197.800, Minnesota 196.950, Oregon State 196.450, BYU 196.500 
• Gainesville (Florida): Utah 197.825, Michigan State 197.475 , Towson 196.350, Maryland 195.050 Florida 197.925, Missouri 197.525 , Georgia 197.425, Iowa State 196.575 
• Berkeley (California): Denver 197.275, Arizona State 197.150, UCLA 197.050, Washington 196.650 California 197.800, Stanford 197.600, Auburn 196.800,  Southern Utah 196.475
• Ann Arbor (Michigan): Oklahoma 198.400, Alabama 197.575 , Penn State 197.200, Ohio State 197.050
• Fayetteville (Arkansas): LSU 198.250, Arkansas 197.825 , Kentucky 197.475, Minnesota 197.400
• Gainesville (Florida): Florida 198.325, Utah 197.575 , Missouri 197.325, Michigan State 196.650  
• Berkeley (California): California 198.275, Stanford 197.575 , Denver 197.450, Arizona State 196.750

Arkansas Regional (University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, host)

• Boise State
• Brigham Young
• Oregon State
• Luciana Alvarado-Reid, Central Michigan
• Kendall Whitman, George Washington
• Vault – Sydney Benson, Brigham Young
• Vault – Elizabeth Cesarone, Central Michigan
• Vault – Sarah Zois, George Washington
• Vault – Kiera O'Shea, Northen Illinois
• Uneven Bars – Courtney Blackson, Boise State
• Uneven Bars – Emily Lopez, Boise State
• Uneven Bars – Anyssa Alvarado, Brigham Young
• Uneven Bars – Anna Bramblett, Brigham Young
• Uneven Bars – Alyssa Al-Ashari, Northern Illinois
• Balance Beam – Emily Lopez, Boise State
• Balance Beam – Emma Loyim, Bosie State
• Balance Beam – Adriana Popp, Boise State
• Balance Beam – Brynlee Anderson, Brigham Young
• Balance Beam – Elease Rollins, Brigham Young
• Balance Beam – Maya Peters, George Washington
• Floor Exercise – Courtney Blackson, Boise State
• Floor Exercise – Emma Loyim, Boise State
• Floor Exercise – Hallie Hornbacher, Central Michigan

California Regional (University of California, Berkeley, host)

• Arizona State
• *California
• San Jose State
• Southern Utah
• Maggie Slife, Air Force
• Karina Monoz, Iowa
• Lauren Macpherson, San Jose State
• Niya Randolph, Southern Utah
• Vault – Kayla Pardue, Southern Utah
• Vault – Keanna Abraham, UC Davis
• Vault – Megan Ray, UC Davis
• Uneven Bars – Kara Houghton, Sacramento State
• Uneven Bars – Jada Mazury, San Jose State
• Uneven Bars – Isabella Neff, Southern Utah
• Uneven Bars – Brianna Brooks, Utah State
• Balance Beam – Ilka Juk, Iowa
• Balance Beam – Katherine Weyhmiller, San Jose State
• Balance Beam – Ellie Cacciola, Southern Utah
• Balance Beam – Kennedi McClain, Southern Utah
• Floor Exercise – Emily Erb, Iowa
• Floor Exercise – Bailey Libby, Iowa
• Floor Exercise – Jada Mazury, San Jose State
• Floor Exercise – Keanna Abraham, UC Davis

Florida Regional (University of Florida, host)

• Michigan State
• Rebecca Wells, Clemson
• Syd Morris, Long Island University
• Kylie Gorgenyi, New Hampshire
• Vault – Molly Arnold, Clemson
• Vault – Noelle Adams, Iowa State
• Vault – Josie Bergstrom, Iowa State
• Vault – Lali Dekanoidze, North Carolina
• Vault – Emily Leese, Rutgers
• Uneven Bars – Lali Dekanoidze, North Carolina
• Uneven Bars – Isabelle Schaefer, North Carolina
• Uneven Bars – Avery Balser, Rutgers
• Balance Beam – Kielyn McCright, Clemson
• Balance Beam – Koelle Adams, Iowa State
• Balance Beam – Josie Bergstrom, Iowa State
• Floor Exercise – Julia Bedell, Brown
• Floor Exercise – Molly Arnold, Clemson
• Floor Exercise – Brie Clark, Clemson
• Floor Exercise – Noelle Adams, Iowa State
• Floor Exercise – Kaia Parker, Iowa State
• Floor Exercise – Brooke Donabedian, Temple

Michigan Regional (University of Michigan, host)

• Zoe Middleton, Ball State
• Raisa Boris, Eastern Michigan
• Payton Murphy, Western Michigan
• Vault – Victoria Henry, Ball State
• Vault – Suki Pfister, Ball State
• Vault – Alana Fisher, Eastern Michigan
• Vault – Arielle Ward, Illinois
• Vault – Jaye Mack, Illinois State
• Uneven Bars – Ashley Szymanski, Ball State
• Uneven Bars – Megan Teter, Ball State
• Uneven Bars – Lynden Saltness, Illinois
• Uneven Bars – Mia Takekawa, Illinois
• Balance Beam – Ella Chemotti, Eastern Michigan
• Balance Beam – Mia Takekawa, Illinois
• Balance Beam – Nya Kraus, Lindenwood
• Floor Exercise – Suki Pfister, Ball State
• Floor Exercise – Mia Townes, Illinois
• Floor Exercise – Jaye Mack, Illinois State
• Floor Exercise – Jordyn Ewing, Pittsburgh
• Floor Exercise – Cassie St. Clair, Western Michigan

The top two teams from each regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships. In addition, the top all-around competitor and top event specialist from round two at each regional (who is not on a team advancing to nationals) will advance to the national championships. Event specialist qualifiers will only compete in the events they qualified.

The national championships will take place April 18-20 in Fort Worth, Texas, at Dickies Arena. The championship event is hosted by Texas Woman's University and Knight Eady. For tickets and information regarding the National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships, go to ncaa.com/wgymnastics.  Tap or click here to learn more about the 2024 championship.

NC women's gymnastics championship history

Last season, Oklahoma won the 2023 NCAA women's gymnastics national championship, scoring 198.3875 . Florida landed in second with a 198.2375 score. Utah and LSU placed third and fourth, respectively.

🔄 WHAT HAPPENED:  Full coverage of the 2023 NCAA women's gymnastics championship  | 2023 final bracket

CONTENT FROM COLLEGEGYMNEWS.COM 🗓  Full schedule  | Live blogs WEEKLY COVERAGE: The Mount | The Dismount LATEST NEWS: Injury updates  | 🏆 Weekly award tracker 📑Feature stories

Oklahoma remains on top in women's gymnastics Week 14 Power rankings

2024 NC women’s gymnastics championships advancing teams and individual competitors

Career perfect 10 leaders in women's college gymnastics

Goldman family once went on a book tour to promote OJ Simpson’s ‘hypothetical’ account of killing Ron and Nicole: report

T he book tour was possibly the strangest ever launched: A murder victim’s family promoting a work written by the acquitted suspect about how he would have done the killing — you know, if he’d wanted to.

But truth was always stranger than fiction for those captured in OJ Simpson’s dark, shadowy orbit.

And Ron Goldman’s family learned that the hard way 17 years ago, when they traveled to London to push a book that supposedly contained OJ’s version of what happened that fateful night of June 12, 1994, according to The Guardian.

Simpson — whose family announced that he died Wednesday of cancer at the age of 76 — had been banned in 2006 from publishing the eyebrow-raising book, in which he laid out how he — hypothetically — would have murdered ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, 35, and Goldman, 25, in one of the most sensational killings of the last century.

But Goldman’s family won the right to print the bizarre “confession,” which Simpson wrote to earn cash for his two kids by Nicole, The Guardian said.

Public outrage over the plot had torpedoed the book before it could land.

But Goldman’s father, Fred, and his sister, Kim, worried that another publisher would pick up OJ’s account of the gruesome stabbings in Brentwood, California.

So they decided to do something about it, Fred told The Guardian.

“By that stage, we had read the manuscript and realized it wasn’t the ‘how-to’ book that we feared — but a confession,” Kim added.

By that time, the former Buffalo Bills running back had already lost a civil suit that found him liable for willfully and wrongfully causing the pair’s deaths.

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But he’d never paid the $33.5 million that he owed to the victims’ families.

So the Goldmans moved to seize his book deal like it was any other asset, The Guardian said.

“The killer moved to Florida to avoid paying the money he owed us,” Kim told the outlet at the time, referring to OJ.

“Florida is very friendly to debtors: his house is safeguarded from our claims, as are his pensions,” she continued. “He declared himself bankrupt to avoid paying us. We couldn’t get any money from him — not that we wanted the money for ourselves, you understand, we just wanted him to suffer — until the prospect of us buying up the rights to his book became a possibility.”

In June 2007, a bankruptcy court gave the copyright to the Goldmans so Simpson couldn’t profit from it, the outlet said.

“Ron Goldman will own Simpson’s name, likeness, signature and story and will hawk it to satisfy this terrible judgment,” David Cook, the family lawyer, said after the ruling. “Justice has arrived in Miami.”

Kim echoed similar thoughts in the book’s preface, which she wrote.

“He had worked hard on this book, and thought he would retire off of it, and we took it right out from under him,” she wrote. “He had escaped our reach for nearly 11 years, but not this time.”

Simpson’s name was stricken from the piece he authored, replaced by a credit to the Goldman family, The Guardian said.

And they changed the look of the book’s title.

It had originally been named, “If I Did It, Here’s How It Happened.” But the Goldmans faded the word “if” to make it barely legible, while the words “I did it” were printed in bright pink, the outlet added.

They also tacked on a subtitle: “Why OJ Simpson’s Confession Must Not Remain a Secret.”

The Goldmans said they weren’t going to profit from the book, which goes into creepily detailed accounts of what “might” have led up to the pair’s savage killing.

“He wrote it as a cynical exercise to make money,” Fred told the outlet. “We’re publishing it to turn his words against him, to show to anybody who’s sitting on the fence about this case that he was responsible for the murder of Ron and Nicole.”

Ironically, 10% of the sales were slated to go to OJ to help lessen his bankruptcy burden — Kim said it was a tenet of the agreement.

The remaining proceeds were to go to charity — including foundations set up in both victims’ names that were meant to help victims of domestic violence.

“I do personally feel that I would let Ron down if I didn’t pursue this,” his dad told The Guardian.

“Ron deserved justice, and he deserved to live. We couldn’t get justice in the criminal trial, so this is the best we can do.”

Solar eclipse glasses are needed for safety, but they sure are confusing. What to know.

Editor's note: An updated cloud forecast for the April 2024 total solar eclipse is in. Read the latest eclipse forecast and news as of Wednesday, April 3 .

You can't control the weather or the traffic , but one thing you can do right now ahead of the total solar eclipse is to get yourself a pair of special eclipse glasses , so you can safely view the cosmic spectacle.

The total eclipse will cross over a dozen states as it traverses from Texas to Maine on the afternoon of April 8.  Millions of people are expected to travel  to see it.

Astronomers and other experts say that eclipse watchers should wear  specialized eyewear  crafted to  protect your sensitive retinas  from permanent damage. And that means eclipse glasses .

Fortunately, solar eclipse glasses are still readily available  from plenty of vendors across the internet. Unfortunately, there's fears of fake glasses , and sometimes testing your glasses at home is the best way to know if they're safe.

Here's  what to know  about eclipse glasses and where you can get a pair of your own.

Where to find solar eclipse glasses

As the eclipse approaches, many places like local libraries, astronomical observatories, schools and other public agencies are providing proper eyewear, often for free.

Or you can just order them on the internet: Many eclipse websites like GreatAmericanEclipse.com and NationalEclipse.com sell a variety of eyewear products, along with plenty of other gadgets one may need to see the eclipse.

Of course,  Amazon  and plenty of other online retailers are also selling solar eclipse glasses in bulk, meaning you'll have plenty to share with your friends and family. American Paper Optics, the nation's largest supplier of eclipse glasses, even offers  express shipping  across the country.

More: You'll need eye protection for the solar eclipse. Here's what to know about safety glasses

Watch out for fake glasses

With online platforms like Amazon listing thousands of eclipse viewers, fears of fake or counterfeit glasses have grown.

"We do see glasses coming from China that have printing on them that say they're made in the U.S. or that they are made by one of the American manufacturers," Rick Fienberg, the project manager of the American Astronomical Society's solar eclipse task force, told USA TODAY.

When in doubt, buyers should refer back to the list of  official sellers and manufacturers maintained by the AAS , which communicates directly with sellers and manufacturers and checks test reports.

The list includes well-known North American manufacturers like American Paper Optics, as well as several large grocery and retail chains in the U.S. like Walmart, Lowe's and Kroger.

More: How to safely watch the total solar eclipse: You will need glasses

Real, but rare, examples of eye damage

Doctors and a rare set of eclipse watchers have warned  about watching the eclipse without adequate eclipse glasses or with the naked eye that has resulted in rare cases of eye damage. The damage occurs because people's natural response to squint when looking at direct sunlight does not get triggered when a partial eclipse happens.

Such was the case with one Staten Island woman who  watched the 2017 eclipse using faulty glasses that caused severe retinal damage. Doctors from Mount Sinai's New York Eye and Ear Infirmary chronicled this luckily rare case in  JAMA Ophthalmology , a medical journal. The woman told doctors that she had  gazed at the moon passing in front of the sun  through what she  thought were protective glasses . The damage on her left retina, the area at the back of the eye where the brain receives images, looked like the shape of a partial  eclipse .

"It's a very focused beam of high-energy light from the sun itself,” Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, an ophthalmologist at the Mount Sinai infirmary who treated the woman, told USA TODAY. “It can actually destroy parts of the retina, and certainly destroy it in the shape of an eclipse.”

How can you test eclipse glasses?

NASA shared an easy method to check eclipse glasses at home.

Buyers should put on their glasses and look at a bright light, like a flashlight. If the light is "extremely dim," or doesn't appear at all, the glasses are safe, Susannah Darling, of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said in an instructional video. Viewers should be able to see the filament of the lightbulb, not the glow surrounding the bulb.

Get free glasses

With safety in mind, there are ways to get free solar eclipse glasses .

The online eye retailer Warby Parker is offering members of the public a pair of ISO-certified glasses starting Monday. Warby Parker retail locations nationwide, find one  here.

But there are plenty of other retailers giving out free glasses that range from Smoothie King to the protein bar Perfect Snacks, which will give out glasses alongside a chocolate brownie flavor.