Nice people, poorly organized, the pay is atrocious, disappointed. - Instructor Putney Student Travel Employee Review

Taking care of 18+ students in a foreign country is hard work and while there can be rewarding moments with students, there are definitely times when this is 100% babysitting pretentious/privileged teenagers. The company seems to think that paying leaders something like $50 per DAY is fair compensation. They say “our pay is in line with industry standards.” Starting pay at similar organizations is now closer to $100 per day, so I would say that, at best, they are near the back of that line. Ultimately the low pay/benefits weren’t convincing to me and a business model that I couldn’t get behind. It seems to incentivize a) young/ amateur 20-somethings who are willing to work for very little, b) returning leaders who enjoy the yearly all-expenses-paid vacations, or c) those who want the privilege of writing that they work for National Geographic on their resume. No matter the brand (Putney, Smithsonian, Nat Geo) it is still the same people getting similarly underpaid across the board. The leader orientation I attended was hectic and disorganized (and I will admit a lot of fun mingling with such a diverse group of people). But, there were glaring inconsistencies between management on everything from bike riding to mental health, and for a company with such a carbon footprint, there was only a token acknowledgment of that impact along with a measly $20 or so per student going towards any attempt at offsetting this massive impact. People talked about them being really great, and I really wish that was the case, but they, unfortunately, seem to be behind the times, with little desire to take any meaningful steps to address the issues of today.