This nationally recognized program is designed to help develop and then certify leaders in outdoor education with a career specialty of teaching in the mountain environment. The curriculum and the certification covers both soft and hard skills for both non-technical and technical terrain. The program is created from the combination of the Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership program of the American Alpine Institute (AAI) with the National Standards Program (NSP) of the Wilderness Education Association (WEA). The NSP is a 30-day program geared for participants with a beginner to intermediate level of backpacking experience.