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The Austrian Anwaerter (Anwärter) Sk Instructor Course - (a blog) - 11 year update!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
-----DAY 10-----

So today was the day of the practical technical tests.
It was decided (rather stupidly IMO) that we would all wait at the top and then do the 3 tests in a row, starting with snowplough turns, then carving grundstuffe, then short turns.

Being a T in the surname alphabet has always plagued me through my life with long waits... well this one was over an hour stewing at the top wearing bib number 115 out of 126.

The tests were marked by 3 instructors from 1 to 10 (1 being the best, 10 the worse and 4 the pass mark) and then an average taken for each of the three tests.

Once completed we had lunch and then got back to the lecture theatre for the results.

These were read out (alphabetically once again.... grrrr....)

The good news... I passed the teaching and (quite amazingly) the German) and all of the written tests. However (the bad news) I did flunk the snowplough and carving grundstuffe (and we needed 2 of the 3)with a pair of 5's.

Where does this leave me.....
Well weirdly enough I have achieved my goals. I am allowed to teach for the pre-elected ski school next season up to carving on piste and am insurable...
I can't progress to the next level of instruction (which I have no intention of doing) without passing the technical practical tests but there is a re-test arranged for either the Summer or Autumn (or both) anyway.

So... I have a certificate, I am allowed to teach.... so I guess I did it?..... answers on a postcard please! Laughing Razz Laughing
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Well done, have a beer on me.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
well done!! I am still never going off piste with you again though wink
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flangesax, well done. snowHead Sounds like it was pretty hard work.
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Well done!

Sounds like you only missed by a whisker so well worth trying again, IMHO.
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good work Happy
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Many congrats, interesting blog to read as well..

Hope you pass the retest (I know you don't need to, but would be nice to say you did)
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
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flangesax, Well done on getting the qualification Ben

As for the practicals - do some intensive 1:1 lessons with your mate in the ski school (the Austrian one not Nigel) and then go for the re-test on the practical - you'll fly through it next time no problemo!

Smile
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Nice one Ben, brilliant post, bet your'e glad you finally did it.

Valleyboy
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I'm confused, you missed out on the skiing, but you still passed?
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jimmer, so am I!...

I'll work out the fine print when I have time to see someone in the know.... but as I said, I am allowed to teach.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Everybody gets a certificate, and the certificate is enough to be taken on for teaching etcetera. flangesax's certificate will say something like Unbefriedigend - not satisfactory.

It does't mean everybody passed, for that you need at least a 4 on all modules.
I had to do 4 skied runs for the Vienna based WSSV, and needed 3 of them to be a 4 or better (Kurven im pflug, Carven Grundstufe, Paralleles skisteuern im kurzen Radien, and Carven lange radien --- Snowplough, half parallels, short turns and carving long turns).
I passed on the first 3, by the skin of the teeth to be honest. I passed 3 out of 4 runs, only managed 4.6 on carving with a massive fall...

flangesax, I'm puzzled by the statement that you'd be allowed to teach up until carving, the teaching methodology on my course didn't go past Carven grundstufe, any higher levels would be at the discretion of the skischool.
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Ronald, Carven Grundstuffe.... so intro to carving.

My cert has all the bits listed (all of the seperate theory exam topics) then the 2 practical elements - teaching and practical technical test.
All of my cert says I passed (and at what level) except for next to the technical practical where it says 'not-passed'.

Ther cetificate issued is exactly the same as all of the other peeps who had passed all of the elements.

So I guess it is more of a course to present a cert to your ski school saying (a) that you attended it and (b)what your strengths and weaknesses are/were.

Again, I guess that one can't progress within the system unless all parts are passed.

But this is one of my 'beefs' about the whole course. These things should be made very clear... even (dare I say it) in English.... I don't think it is particularly good form to leave a student a little confused over what has been achieved and where you stand within the system.
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flangesax, Well done on passing(?) and what a surprisingly absorbing read your blog has been! Sounds like a fairly involved course, particularly in your second language. How does this qualification impact on your penchant for hooning around off piste with unsuspecting visitors ? I still have fantastic memories of that day in Zauchensee skiing the trees (and everywhere else) Shocked ! Well done!

Clem
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clem156, The same as before..... you can follow me if you are foolish enough!
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flangesax, Well done for getting this far Smile

If I were you I'd definetly try and pass the 2 failed parts. A fully passed anwarter cert is worth a bit more then the partial Wink
I have every intention of trying for Landeslehrer. If only for cheap high quality tuition Wink (950 euro for 10 days half board incl skipass and fullday tuition through the dutch company(linked with WSSV) I did anwarter with)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Ronald,

Some chaps were ripped off by a Dutch company claiming they did specific packages. The guys paid €1200 for exactly the same as we got for €750. And the company also failed to pay for both the course and the accommodation!

Mind you, that price sounds about right!... good luck!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
hey everyone Smile sorry to drag up an old post, but I found it really interesting and very informative!

I was wondering, Flangesax, or anyone else who has done this course, just how good technically do you have to be to be able to succeed at the course? I would love to do something like this and I've read a lot about it - I'm a good, competent skier though couldn't comment on how good I actually am (if that makes sense?! I have a habit of not making any sense, I do apologise!)

Also, in total, how much did it cost?!

Many thanks in advance for your help, and for such an informative post!!

Smile
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Not that good, really - although snowploughing properly is much harder than you'd think! If you can ski most pistes well you should be perfectly fine. I think it's around €500 + accomm and lift pass.
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heben84, you will have trouble doing this if you do not speak German and in some areas you have to be sponsored by a ski school.

Try attending a pre-BASI L1 assessment course at one of the Snowdome fridge thingys in the UK and maybe go down that route if you are UK based.
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Your skiing doesn't have to be "professional standard", though you do have to have the proper basic position. A "good, competent skier" should be fine, if you're stable and happy on reds and don't mind occasional blacks. For the practical skiing I just scraped a pass mark, although I hope I fall at least under that description (my mark may have been affected by not understanding one of the tests properly - there is a thread where I describe the course in a little more detail here).

The course I did in Kirchberg in December cost €583 (+ what accommodation and food you need) + €110 for the lift pass (reduced this time to €80 because of the few lifts running).

Some understanding of German is pretty essential unless you can manage to learn material off by heart. Two friends on the course (who had just passed BASI 2) failed part of the theoretical exam and will have to resit that (however, both are now working in ski schools out here without having the full qualification yet).
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^^ I failed the written test first time too, through bad German. Second time, one of the examiners helped me translate some stuff though.
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espri, Curious... Wouldn't the ski schools take your friends on their Basi 2?

I would think Basi 2 would make the better teacher when comparing to an Anwarter (about a zillion more attention to actual teaching in Basi)
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Depending where you are in Austria depends on whether they would accept a BASI 2 straight up, or whether they try to ignore any and all outside qualifications, as in most parts of Tyrol.
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SkiRider wrote:
Depending where you are in Austria depends on whether they would accept a BASI 2 straight up, or whether they try to ignore any and all outside qualifications, as in most parts of Tyrol.


You can get 'equivalence' of BASI 2 > Anwaerter by sitting the German test, I think. But it seems they want proof of at least some knowledge of German.

For the first time this season I met two guys teaching without the Anwaerter, over in Saalbach. Both were BASI 2. One guy was teaching with the Danish system too actually, apparently 90% of their courses (he was fairly high level, going for Eurotest) are about personal skiing, with little emphasis on teaching.
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clarky999 wrote:
SkiRider wrote:
Depending where you are in Austria depends on whether they would accept a BASI 2 straight up, or whether they try to ignore any and all outside qualifications, as in most parts of Tyrol.


You can get 'equivalence' of BASI 2 > Anwaerter by sitting the German test, I think. But it seems they want proof of at least some knowledge of German.

For the first time this season I met two guys teaching without the Anwaerter, over in Saalbach. Both were BASI 2. One guy was teaching with the Danish system too actually, apparently 90% of their courses (he was fairly high level, going for Eurotest) are about personal skiing, with little emphasis on teaching.


Again not sure that's the same everywhere, bear in mind the Austrian instructing association is divided by region, so different rules will apply depending where exactly in the country you are. I know someone with just the eurotest remaining from being full cert, and so was given the option of only doing half the anwaerter course. Similarly applying for ISIA-Landes equivalence last year I was essentially told not to bother. Outside of Tirol I know a more than a handful of people that work on BASI and other qualifications alone, so it just goes to show.
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Ronald wrote:
espri, Curious... Wouldn't the ski schools take your friends on their Basi 2?

As I understand it, the ski schools wanted them to have the Anwärter qualification (maybe that requirement is specific to Tyrol? Oops - one is actually teaching in Salzburger Land). But perhaps having the BASI 2 explains why they can teach until they do the resit (they only have to resit the individual sections where they failed).

A number of people (there were >150 on the course) did also fail the practical skiing part of the Anwärter exam, so a certain standard is required (not unreasonably!).
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I've got my practical re-test on 17th March...
The hardest thing for me was to basically re-learn snow-plough and demo it correctly. I only spent about a morning snow ploughing when I first learnt so had no real idea how to do it decently.
Th epractical is split into snow-plough turning, carving grundstuffe and fast short turns. So 2 teaching techniques and one general ski ability test. I passed the shorts but not the ploughs!
Got some shorter, lighter skis now (which I have been using to teach with) which make the whole thing a lot easier!
The Anwaerter is like the English CBT 50cc certificate.
You can't really 'fail' it. It is a course to show you have been introduced into teaching and that you are employable due to this.
When you pass all options you are then allowed 'in the club' and can join the regional areas teaching federation and get an ID card. With this you can progress through the system.
BASI L2 is an 'insurable' and acceptable qualification but the main concern is German as there is no test.
Why should a school in Austria employ you if you cannot teach anyone but English.. it is potentially a waste of cash!


Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Sat 10-03-12 21:22; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
Thank you fór sharing your experience here. It's been a really interesting read and all the best as well.
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Old Skool, thanks dude!

I had a quick ski with my boss yesterday... now I'm not at all worried about the retest on Saturday!
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---------------UPDATE---------------

Yesterday (17/03) was the re-test day for all Anwarerter and Landeslehrer students.
We met at the Areitbahn in Zell am See at 8am.

As usual (and as I have come to expect) the organisiation was terrible.
After waiting for over 140 people to arrive the guys set out a check-in desk at about 8:30. Then everyone had to pay and get a numbered bib and ski pass if needed.

At 10:10 I was finially on the mountain and in a group of about 20 skiers with one instructor.

We then did a single run with the instructor, practicing the three excercises (snow plough turns, carving grundstuffe and short turns).

Then it was back up the lift.
For some strange reason the instructors felt it was a good idea to do the test all at the same time (like last April).
So being number 121 I had to wait over an hour for my turn.
(It had been mentioned that they have split the group up before which seems like a much better idea to me)

So... once the three drills were tested we then waited in the restaurant until 13:30 for the results (I finished at 12... so another 1 and 1/2 hours waiting).

But I guess good things come to those who wait (a total of four and a half hours)... I passed!

What now?....
Now I am an offical member of the SBSSV and have a fancy ID card. This entitles me to a discounted cinema ticket on a Tuesday night (which is my main aim of this whole thing!).

It also allows me to progress to the next level of instructors course (the Landeslehrer) which I may do this time next year... watch this space!
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flangesax, well done Toofy Grin
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I just stumbled across this thread as I am considering taking the Anwaerter later this year, but in Kaprun. Really interesting to read and I guess I should really brush up on some German before! I actually (weirdly) saw many of the re-testers yesterday in their bibs as I made my last few runs in Zell- couldn't work out what they were doing, but now I know!! Congratulations on passing and good luck with the next level!
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hi, originality, and welcome to Snowheads!

Yep that was us cluttering up the pistes!... I expect it was quite an odd thing to see for onlookers!
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flangesax, Well done fella
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congratulations flangesax Very Happy
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flangesax, Congratulations snowHead
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Congratulations!

When I did the test in Tyrol, there was only one tester (as opposed to the instructors/trainers) for each of the three tests, so we also did the tests one by one - I was ahead of you, no. 111 Laughing.

Hope you enjoy the films - and the skiing Very Happy
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flangesax, good stuff!
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Nice one flangesax!

Quick question, what sort of stuff is it they ask you with regards to the German language part of the course? I'm looking at doing a snowboard Anwaerter and already speak and understand a reasonable level of German and am pretty good at remembering stuff I've heard/seen before so I think I might be alright without language tuition?
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