Dream job no place for Jimmy Choos

Unlike a lot of women Sophie Ballagh doesn’t wear high-heels and make-up to work. Instead, as Otago Polytechnic’s newest Sport and Adventure tutorial assistant she runs out the door in sneakers to share her passion in outdoor pursuits.

“My work mates would never let me live it down if I turned up in boots and a skirt. They’d flip! I’d never hear the end of it!” She laughs.

Raised in an ‘out-doorsey’ family Sophie has always dreamt of working in the outdoors for a living.  Graduating with a Diploma in Outdoor Leadership and Management in 2005 has been a step in the right direction.

“It has always been my goal to work in an institute like Otago Polytechnic tutoring a group of students…say perhaps in five to 10 years. Never had I imagined that it would happen in just two years, it simply blew me away. When I got the job offer it was everything and more that I could have hoped for.”

Sophie’s dream job means spending more nights in a tent than her own flat. The warmer months often see her accompanying students away on kayaking and rock-climbing fieldtrips from Monday through to Thursday.  In the winter Sophie’s time is divided between the office, maintenance of equipment and lectures.

“The thing that I love about my job is that you get to see students progress through multiple pursuits.  It’s so cool to see them change, grow and succeed."
 
The future will see Sophie donning more pairs of sneakers, climbing-shoes and tramping boots as she gains hands-on experience in the hope of one day becoming a fully-fledged lecturer.

“I’m pretty young when it comes to the industry but I’m doing extremely well for myself. It’s a cool feeling giving something back to the Polytechnic rather than just taking from it”.