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Gordon Burns - Eskdale, The Lake District, 1970
During the summer of 1970, as 'technical apprentice of the year', I was given the opportunity to undergo a month's training at the Outward Bound Mountain School, Eskdale Green.
The leadership and self-awareness qualities that I learned during my four weeks there did little for me in my then employment, as an engineering apprentice. However, it did make its mark on me... I felt that I had to take another course in my life. With this conflict in my life, within two years I found that I had severely tired of a 8-5 clock-on, clock-off life, so in 1972 I decided to leave the engineering industry to take up the office of Police Constable.
It was only as a police officer that my Outward Bound developed leadership skills really started to benefit both me and the community I served. Although I was never one for seeking high rank, I found great satisfaction in being a Section Sergeant, in charge of 14 Constables, and the teamwork that the role demanded. I was so content with my rank and position that I declined to take further promotion, which would have meant that I would have had far less contact with the public, and less involvement with my 'team'.
The leadership and self-awareness qualities that I learned during my four weeks there did little for me in my then employment, as an engineering apprentice. However, it did make its mark on me... I felt that I had to take another course in my life. With this conflict in my life, within two years I found that I had severely tired of a 8-5 clock-on, clock-off life, so in 1972 I decided to leave the engineering industry to take up the office of Police Constable.
It was only as a police officer that my Outward Bound developed leadership skills really started to benefit both me and the community I served. Although I was never one for seeking high rank, I found great satisfaction in being a Section Sergeant, in charge of 14 Constables, and the teamwork that the role demanded. I was so content with my rank and position that I declined to take further promotion, which would have meant that I would have had far less contact with the public, and less involvement with my 'team'.