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Working for a ski school 15/16

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
So I've done a bit of searching around on here and on the Google and I can't find the answers I need, so I'm hoping some of you friendly Snowheads can help Smile

How do I get a job with a ski school? I've worked for them before on a cash in hand basis when they've been busy but that was a few years ago and if I want a permanent position I know that I need quals, but which ones and how do I get them?

I've looked at BASI courses, and the Level 1 course only allows you to work on artificial slopes in the UK, but there is something mentioned there about aquiring hours with an alpine ski school for Level 2 so can I get a job with a ski school with just BASI 1?

I've seen plenty of companies offering to put me through a week long instructor course in return for €5000 and then give me a job for the season, which I am assuming (due to the nature of Capitalism and my own skeptisism) that the job will never come close to paying off the money I spend on the course and will probably come with lots of conditions allowing the ski school to generally do me up the wrong'un and stop me from seeking work elsewhere.

Is there a way of doing the Anwaerter course without going through one of these companies? If there is, I can't find it. And what about other governing bodies, can I just book onto a training/assessment in Italy or Andorra without having to go through a third party?

If anyone can point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated Smile

huw
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I think there are quite a few posts here on basi qualifications.

in terms of anwaerter try (these may be out of date as they were from when my daughter was looking - she did BASI 2 in the end instead):

- sbssv.at

- peakleaders

- International Academy

- www.ski-instructor-academy.com

Also some of the resorts have online applications e.g. rote-teufel.at

Note that you need to be able to speak German to the requisite level.
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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?
You will need some German to do the Anwärter - you don't have to be anywhere near fluent, but you do need some (though they give you a book with useful translations of phrases you might use teaching).

You can do it yourself without going through a gap company. It was around €500 just for the course. I think in Salzburg you need a ski school to 'sponsor' you for it and say they'll employ you after, whereas in Tirol you can - or at least could - just do it. I can recommend Fuerstauer in Saalbach as a cool ski school to work for, who would very likely be interested in sponsoring and employing you.

I did the Peak Leaders couse in St Anton, with the Anwärter, and worked there afterwards. That was 08/09 when the recession hit, so I had very little work, but lots of time to ski (and still got a €300 monthly retainer - €90 for accommodation). However, when you do get a full months work you get paid €1300 (again -90 for accommodation, though that might be more by now). So it is possible that you could make more back than you paid, but tbh you'll spend it all on beer and jäger so...

NOTE: the school that employs you is NOT the company running the course. You won't get screwed by the school - you get a normal contract like any local working for them. You can leave and look for another school whenever you want.

OTOH I though the course was great and definitely good value (mind it was £3250 when I did it) - good food and accommodation for a month, and training wiht mountain gudies everyday totally transformed my skiing (and we got a poo-poo tonne of powder).

St Anton is an incedible resort to live and ski in, but I don't like the school much - with 400 instructors in peak weeks it feels like a factory. The one I mentioned in Saalbach is 20-30 instructors, most of whom return for several weeks each year, and is still directly run by the family and feels like a family. Highly recomended.

Links:

Salzburg Skilehrerverband - you can book your Anwärter direct here: http://www.sbssv.at/de/ausbildung/anwaerter/

Tirol Skilehrerverband (ditto) - http://www.snowsporttirol.at/ausbildung/termine/

Both have job sections and can for sure help you in english if you email/call.

Fürstauer Ski School: http://www.skischule-saalbach.at/en/

Other than that just email the schools direct - most are STOKED to have more Brits. I worked at Fürstauer 'cos they were the first to reply to me, but I got plenty of responses (I failed the German written test and had to retake it, so lost a month of work in St Anton and wanted to fill it. I got the replies and offers before I did the retake, there's plenty of demand). However most of them will probably be on summer holdiays right now.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
clarky999 wrote:
You will need some German to do the Anwärter - you don't have to be anywhere near fluent, but you do need some (though they give you a book with useful translations of phrases you might use teaching).

You can do it yourself without going through a gap company. It was around €500 just for the course. I think in Salzburg you need a ski school to 'sponsor' you for it and say they'll employ you after, whereas in Tirol you can - or at least could - just do it. I can recommend Fuerstauer in Saalbach as a cool ski school to work for, who would very likely be interested in sponsoring and employing you.

I did the Peak Leaders couse in St Anton, with the Anwärter, and worked there afterwards. That was 08/09 when the recession hit, so I had very little work, but lots of time to ski (and still got a €300 monthly retainer - €90 for accommodation). However, when you do get a full months work you get paid €1300 (again -90 for accommodation, though that might be more by now). So it is possible that you could make more back than you paid, but tbh you'll spend it all on beer and jäger so...

NOTE: the school that employs you is NOT the company running the course. You won't get screwed by the school - you get a normal contract like any local working for them. You can leave and look for another school whenever you want.

OTOH I though the course was great and definitely good value (mind it was £3250 when I did it) - good food and accommodation for a month, and training wiht mountain gudies everyday totally transformed my skiing (and we got a poo-poo tonne of powder).

St Anton is an incedible resort to live and ski in, but I don't like the school much - with 400 instructors in peak weeks it feels like a factory. The one I mentioned in Saalbach is 20-30 instructors, most of whom return for several weeks each year, and is still directly run by the family and feels like a family. Highly recomended.

Links:

Salzburg Skilehrerverband - you can book your Anwärter direct here: http://www.sbssv.at/de/ausbildung/anwaerter/

Tirol Skilehrerverband (ditto) - http://www.snowsporttirol.at/ausbildung/termine/

Both have job sections and can for sure help you in english if you email/call.

Fürstauer Ski School: http://www.skischule-saalbach.at/en/

Other than that just email the schools direct - most are STOKED to have more Brits. I worked at Fürstauer 'cos they were the first to reply to me, but I got plenty of responses (I failed the German written test and had to retake it, so lost a month of work in St Anton and wanted to fill it. I got the replies and offers before I did the retake, there's plenty of demand). However most of them will probably be on summer holdiays right now.


That's exactly what I needed to know, really helpful! I've found courses running in Tirol at the very start of the season which would be perfect (even one running on Hintertux in August, but I've got ML and a couple of other courses in the summer, don't want to overdo it). I'm wondering now if I should get in touch with ski schools in Tirol before I book a course, or just book straight onto one?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Get in touch with them now, no harm in it.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
If you complete your CSIA level 1 and 2 it is fairly likely that you can get a job with Canadian ski schools. I know for a fact that whistler were hiring level 1's, only to teach minis/kids however. You can do this off your own back or go through a company like Alltracks and Yes improvement courses who run an 'internship' program where upon completing CSIA level 1 you're guaranteed a job with the snow school
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Sitter wrote:
Get in touch with them now, no harm in it.


+1
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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!
@huw_jenks, there are various options down the BASI route, depending on how much training you need and how much support you want. GAP courses will arrange everything for you, but you'll pay for that convenience. It's not hard to arrange your own thing, especially if you're already a strong skier.

You won't get a mountain job legally until you've passed your L2 exam.

BASI L1 qualifies you to teach at a snow dome or dry slope (after you have done 35 hours of shadowing, which is easy to arrange at the snow dome or dry slope). You can do the L1 exam in a snow dome. That works well if you live nearby, but I'm guessing you don't if your location is Wales. You could go and stay near a snow dome for the week (some people did that when I did mine). If you're keen to get qualified to work this winter, you could take this route and get your L1 done soon (exam and shadowing).

BASI L2 exam is done in the mountain. You can take the course once you've done another 35 hours (shadowing and/or teaching at the dome or dry slope) - so 70 hours total between passing L1 and doing the L2.

I am looking at L2 at the moment. This course doesn't meet my needs but it might work for you:
http://www.instructorcourses.skinewgen.com/ski-instructor-courses/basi-1-2/fasttrack/
That's two weeks training and shadowing (you will be able to do your second 35 hours then), followed by the two week exam.

L2 is a lot harder than L1. You will get feedback from L1 about what areas you might need to work on. You may find you'll need to adjust your plans to do more training. If so there are courses run in e.g. Tignes in the autumn that might be helpful.

As far as opportunities to teach are concerned, you will meet people through doing your courses who can make introductions and recommendations. When I did my L1 exam the trainer said to get in touch when I finished my L2 and I could get a job at his school.
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