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ski instructor courses

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi
My daughter is thinking about doing a ski instructor course this season - suddenly deciding that the thing she wants to do in her gap year is ski. (but isn't keen on the idea of chalet maid ing or doing child care etc) I don't think at the moment it is a long term plan as a career - but who knows.
Does any one have experience, knowledge or advice on these?
she has so far looked at details of a couple of BASI (1 & 2) courses in the alps.

regards
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Get ready to open up your wallet....big time. My son is a qualified and working ski instructor, my daughter didn't want to qualify to instruct but worked in resort as a chalet host. the choice is your daughters but theres a huge difference between doing a season for fun to seriously undertaking an instructors course.
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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?
Went through the various options for gap year winter season with my son. He already had BASI 1, but we weren't prepared to pay for the BASI gap type courses, and he wasn't prepared to work like crazy in the UK to earn the money to fund it, and BASI one isn't much use on it's own in the Alps. He was adamant he wanted to be a ski instructor, but couldn't see how to make it work in Europe. He'd worked out how to do it in Canada, but wasn't 18 early enough in the year to get one of the visas. So he ended up doing a season as chalet staff, working REALLY hard, getting paid peanuts, skiing loads, having a really good time and growing up massively. Oh, and he also came back with money in the bank, but that might have something to do with the fact that he doesn't much like alcohol...
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Is she looking at doing a course over the whole season, or looking at qualifying early season to teach afterwards? I've done the whole chalet thing (4 and a bit winters and 2 summers) and got fed up and am about to head off to Kaprun to do an instructors course. I'm doing it through the Austrian system as they offer a dual qualification for skiing and boarding, and it does involve German (could look good on a CV?). Course finishes just before Christmas and I already have a job lined up for the season upon successful completion of the course.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Hi
thanks guys - already seen the 'wallet shock'. she's been working through the summer so has some cash but it looks like bank of M&D (and grand parents) may be called on to top up. - to be negotiated.
we thought that she might "doing a season as chalet staff, working REALLY hard, getting paid peanuts, skiing loads, having a really good time and growing up massively" but she has decided that she wants to 'get something out of it' - as if having a great time isn't enough. I suspect that being a ski instructor has a certain amount of kudos.

Sitter - (I hope your course goes well and you have a great season) she has looked at courses that run for 11-15 weeks to BASI 2 - that include some 'paid' work at the end and suggests further opportunities to the end of the season, a further few weeks work.
Didn't know there were short courses early season. What is the comparison between the Austrian system and that ,say, of the BASI?

any advantages / disadvantages of the different countries (European, I don't think Canada is in her sights)?

regards
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
There are plenty of early season Anwärter courses that offer jobs at the end.

I'm thinking about doing the course, but have put it on hold at the moment due to other offers/commitments.

This link might be useful:

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=76074
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Snoworks run a 'gap' course which starts in October and aims to complete the BASI L2 by the middle of December, at which point they will offer assistance in getting teaching opportunities for the rest of the season. I know a few people who have done it and they did go on to get some teaching work during the rest of the season, although not sure how many hours paid work they actually got as a newly qualified L2 instructor is usually towards the bottom of the pecking order in terms of allocated hours.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
If she is only going to do one season, then I would seriously consider saving the 8k and just doing the season and having some fun. Use the savings to pay for the accommodation for the season and then pick up some work behind a bar and spend as much time out on the slopes as possible.

It may be different in other areas, but where I am a newly qual instructor is not going to get much in terms of guaranteed hours and the pay rate offered is not reflective of the what you have had to invest to get qualified etc. If you work in a bar or a restaurant you get paid a decent rate, get free food and also regular tips. In my view that is a much better way to do a season.

If however she thinks she may want to work multiple seasons then it starts to look a better investment and the more experience she gains the better her terms and conditions will become. Don't get me wrong, doing one of those gap year courses would be a great experience and excellent for technique etc, just not in my opinion the best way to spend a single season.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
JonA, the Anwärter is like BASI 2, at the end of it you can teach beginners and early intermediates on the mountain. Quite a few places that offer it and will help with sorting work at the end. On the other hand, if it's just for one season then it would be very tempting to use the money to bum a season, get somewhere to live, buy a lift pass and away you go. Plenty of options to pick up bits of work here and there for drinking money once you get to know people around resort, eg helping with a bit of cleaning on transfer day for cash and food, stuff like that.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:

If she is only going to do one season, then I would seriously consider saving the 8k and just doing the season and having some fun.

Definitely agree with this. Why spend that much money gaining a qualification if you're not going to take it any further? Unless she wants to do the training to improve her own skiing as well. If you stop at Level 2 the opportunities for teaching in the Alps seem quite limited.
Quote:

she has decided that she wants to 'get something out of it'

I have to say that my son did get an awful lot out of his season, albeit not a qualification he can wave under someone's nose. He and his girlfriend went from essentially being looked after at home, to looking after not only themselves but also a chalet of up to 16 guests. They cooked, cleaned, socialized with all manner of different people, and learnt about getting on with the job whether you want to do it or not. One of the things my son really improved on was social skills (which has to be a plus for a teenage boy!), how you come across to other people, and how the way you act influences how other people feel towards you. His special trick which really impressed the guests (including his Dad), was to have learnt the names of all 16 guests by the time they sat down for dinner on the very first evening!
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