 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
My son is 16, in his first year of A levels and skis well for his level of experience. He has just joined the race team at MK, and has a week with Gravity booked out in Schladming in Feb this year doing race training.
He is considering doing a Skiing qualification, with no specific plan, but - it may increase his options for working in an environment he enjoys (ie Snozone MK), it gets a formal qualification on his CV for Uni and future job applications, it helps with life skills, leadership and teaching skills, and may go on to spending more time out in the mountains in future (although his languages other than English are not great).
The options seem to be:
* BASI Level 1 - a 5 day course for £430, plus Safeguarding £25, + 2 day Firstaid (£100) + 35 hours supervised
* UK Snow Sports (SSE) Level 1 - a 2 day course for £175, + 3 hour First aid + 20 hours supervised + 1 day assessment (£45)
Whilst BASI is the one everyone seems to have heard of, the SSE one seems significantly cheaper, in fact he could probably get his SSE L1 and L2 for the price of the BASI L1?
What am I missing? Thoughts, comments, info welcomed.
Cheers
Kev
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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?
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Thanks @kitenski, I got rather lost searching and reading BASI posts on here!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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He might want to consider IASI too, you can do that over a few weekends, and IASI L2 is a week compared to BASI 2 weeks
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@KevWal, Ask Glenn G. at Gravity for his thoughts, If your son in considering teaching in the Mountains BASI/IASI may be a better choice...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@KevWal, just a point on IASI v BASI - bear in mind that BASI run far, far, FAR more courses that IASI so if he wants to go further than a L1 (which inevitably he will!) BASI actually run L2 training and assements regularly and in a good choice of locations. BASI don't accept conversion of IASI courses so you can't move sideways.
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@KevWal, The answer could be both, SEE to start then BASI or IASI if the mood takes him. The SSE should give him options at MK.
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I am qualified through both (and continue to take courses through both) and find them good for different things. I agree with all the other points already made, especially that it doesn't have to be either/or. If he's looking for a low cost and low commitment way to get into teaching and coaching then SSE is an excellent idea. If he is only interested in instructing abroad and wants to make it a career doing seasons then BASI would (eventually) be a better fit.
For SSE you need the support of a club to mentor you between the initial training and the assessment. This can be as simple as somewhere to get shadowing experience watching other instructors, but if they can also help you work on those things identified by the trainer during the 2-day course then you'll be in a much stronger position come the assessment.
BASI have in the past also done some L1 courses split over a series of weekends. I did mine that way, but it was some years ago.
I would recommend doing the SSE L1 first as it is the easiest way to dip his toe in the water, and if he likes it consider then what his ultimate aim is and decide whether to continue with SSE or branch out into BASI as well. The SSE L1, and some teaching experience, would make the BASI L1 a much less stressful course. The gap between the 2 day course and the assessment gives time to learn to ski again from scratch which is often required to get rid of bad habits (or at least it was in my case).
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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.
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Has he been racing long? There's also the UKCP with SSE
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I would recommend doing the SSE L1 first as it is the easiest way to dip his toe in the water, and if he likes it consider then what his ultimate aim is and decide whether to continue with SSE or branch out into BASI as well. The SSE L1, and some teaching experience, would make the BASI L1 a much less stressful course. The gap between the 2 day course and the assessment gives time to learn to ski again from scratch which is often required to get rid of bad habits (or at least it was in my case).
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This 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks all, some great comments and advice.
@kieranm, great points about the SSE L1 being a 'dip his toe in', especially if he can use that to start a mentoring relationship with Snozone.
@moseyp, no not racing long at all, he only started this summer. He was used to thinking he was a pretty good skier until he joined the race team, now he is at the bottom working his way up - but he is making good improvements.
Cheers
Kevin
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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.
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@KevWal, keep it mind anyway, the coaching course is great and if he gets into racing it's a natural progression and will probably have friends from the club doing it too
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Fri 20-10-17 15:18; edited 1 time in total
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@kieranm, great points about the SSE L1 being a 'dip his toe in', especially if he can use that to start a mentoring relationship with Snozone.
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It would be worth checking that with snozone before hand if that is a key reason. Most likely they will be happy to have him shadowing, and may even have a mentoring programme, and also probably employ instructors with that qualification, but always wise to check.
Which slope were you hoping to do the qualification at? The SSE qualifications are very much aimed at someone working within a club or local ski school, with support, mentoring, and training from that club. I would get in touch with your local club and find out what they can offer. There are sometimes SSE courses that are run by a club that aren't advertised more widely.
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You know it makes sense.
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From what I can make out from Facebook posts and other things I've heard the Nike Leisure group of dryslopes (Swadlincote and Llandudno, not sure which others) offer a free training scheme (SSE) which I presume you just pay for your assessment/exam before finishing off shadowing with them.
Definitely worth contacting the closest dryslopes and see if they have anything on offer. Act quick though the season is almost upon us!
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