I think the level of training/instruction you receive is very dependent on what type of Survival Training you are looking for? Survival Instruction is very different depending on the philosophy, training, and curriculum of the instructor and the school. Modern Wilderness Survival training will be different than a Primitive Survival Training.

As a community we cannot agree on what constitutes 'Survival Training' and/or "Survival Instruction'. There are no governing bodies or legislation in either US or Canada that over see the industry. It is also unlikely that a governing Body can come into existence that is not simply a small group of instructors getting together and certifying themselves as instructor training they way it is done in the SCUBA Business. In Canada their is a group just like that which has been operating for a few years and it has not raised standards, it has simply gotten a few instructors some work.

Anyone can put up a shingle, start teaching, and only word of mouth can really tell you how good they really are. All certification based on the quality and professionalism of the organization. Even the credit course I took at the and the University of Alberta in survival training really were simply training not true accreditation. We live (US/Can) in democracies that value the open market and internet can make your school look very professional. Even 'Participant Comments' which I put up at BWI(boreal.net) could be faked.

You need to ask all instructors/schools what training you will actually receive? What skills will you actually learn? That is what is important, not who they have trained or trained with.

A few years ago I wrote an article about Becoming a Professional Survival Instructor which may be of some interest when you begin to compare the many and varied Survival Schools in North America. I also have a resource page on our Wilderness Instructor Development that might be interesting as well. Cody Lundin also wrote an article that may be of some interest; Choosing a Credible Survival Instructor. Personally I think that he emphasizes book publishing a little to much. Even with my survival book only a few months away, I still believe it emphasizes the senior instructors over the junior ones who may provide good value for the money. Also i have know some very talented instructors who had no interest in book publishing, but were very good instructors.

Remember we are all on a journey and we may be anywhere on that journey when we start instructing or receiving instruction in Wilderness Survival. If we want to learn real skills we need to ask, question, and research before we leap.