 Poster: A snowHead
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Child number 3 is looking at a season on the slopes. She doesn’t want to do exactly what her 2 older siblings did (E3 Training and then job in Kitzbuhel) so was initially thinking of chalet hosting but is now veering back to instructing but not with E3.
Could anyone with experience (or possibly more likely experience through their offspring!) put up recommendations for courses and subsequent jobs- both ski instructing and chalet hosting?
For info, the E3 route involving several weeks training in Hintertux then 10 days (I think) testing at Kaprun for Anwarter and a guaranteed job at Kitzbuhel with E3, cost €5500 last year, and was enjoyed hugely by my eldest 2, with pretty much everything being faultless from start to finish. They have made great and possibly life long friendships and have gone back in Uni holidays to do more teaching (and meet their friends again more likely!) since. I can’t recommend it highly enough- but next in line wants to plough her own furrow!
It’s not a career option for them but having a qualification that travels would help.
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mrs t_m used Nonstop ski in Canada. I think it was an 11 week course. She enjoyed it immensely, and now works for one of our local ski schools here in Switzerland.
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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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Kind of related to this, just cuirous: What is the average income to work as ski instructor ?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| AndreSilva wrote: |
| Kind of related to this, just cuirous: What is the average income to work as ski instructor ? |
It depends entirely where you work. Here it's well paid - CHF20-25 per hour, but that reflects the cost of living. In other European countries I think it’s a lot less, but have no direct experience.
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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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@Doccam, my stepson got his BASI L2 and went to Hakuba in Japan to work for this lot http://www.evergreen-hakuba.com/evergreen-employment/
The pay wasn't great, but he was housed and fed, which took the hassle out of the first ski job for an 18yo. The cultural experience is another side to it. and of course...there's the powder... . He was of an age where he qualified for a "working holiday"visa-which was fine as long as he didn't declare he had a full time job arrange before arrival.
Obvs his dad (Mr P ) and I had to visit and had a great time. The cost of skiing once there was far lower than in Europe or north America and I think that would still apply now even with a worse exchange rate.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Perty we’ve had a look but can’t see much detail. Could I ask how much was the course?
@telford_mike thanks and same question?!
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Also I’ve checked with son number one who is back from Uni for lockdown and he said he’d do E3 again in a heart beat. Bit of a pain I’m having to help find somewhere else!
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@Doccam, the issue is if the child has only a British passport. Basically they would have to move to Austria before the end of the year and register as a resident. After then it's the murky world of work permits although given that there is often a shortage of ski instructors it might not be too problematic. I just can't help thinking that ski schools will prioritise Brits with residency or other EU-nationals over people who have to get a work permit.
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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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If your no. 3 is under 19 and thinks Canada is a good idea, make sure to pick a state where drinking at 18 is permitted - Alberta. My son went with Non-Stop to Banff pre - university, and absolutely loved it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Irish passport so all good- but that hasn’t been raised as an issue (yet)
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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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@noggy She has looked at non-stop but tells me expensive.
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I did a "gap year" course with New Generation in France around ten years ago, it was about £7000 all in, now seems to have increased to £8550. Ended up passing BASI L2 at the end of ten weeks training.
I'd recommend it, but there wasn't much in the way of an easy route to earning money afterwards (things may have changed since then though).
We went to work for Interski in Aosta, Italy for a few weeks at the end of the season. They paid £200/week at the time although it's now only £150. A real-terms pay cut of around 45%...! 
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You know it makes sense.
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My son registered for a 1 week snowboard group in 4 Vallées, and since no one else turned up, the instructor did what was the first week of a 10-week Swiss Instructor qualification. He considered doing the remining 9 weeks the next season. The UK and CH are supposed to have already agreed to extend the current EU:CH reciprocal arrangements, but how far this applies to work permits and extended stays I'm not certain. But if it is comprehensive, then the situation may be clearer in CH, at least during the Transition. It might be worth contacting a few ski schools in the bigger Swiss resorts to see if they have any programmes.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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So no-one has mentioned chalet hosting yet, which both my kids did and thoroughly enjoyed. Eldest started out wanting to do the instructing bit - he'd got BASI 1 in a fridge, done 2 winters' dry slope teaching, then went to Hintertux in August to do a 2 week BASI 2 course. Unfortunately he failed, so plan B was chalet hosting.
As an 18/19 year old if you want to actually host a chalet, you generally need some sort of proof you can cook - both kids did chalet hosting specific cookery courses in the UK.
It seems to be only the bigger operators that are really prepared to take youngsters on - smaller companies with only a handful of chalets usually want people who can already show some experience. Son worked for Inghams, daughter for Crystal; a friend's daughter did Crystal as well, and then did a second season with Ski Beat because her manager from Crystal had gone to Ski Beat and kind of head hunted her because she had the experience.
Hosting was hard work, and the pay wasn't great, but they all managed to basically live off their tips so all their pay was saved. I think if you are a good host you can do pretty well on the tips - my son was hosting with his girlfriend, she is a stickler for detail and a good cook, and he is very good with people socially. It's little things, like having learnt all 16 guests names by dinner on the first night and making people feel like you care about them. One of their guests actually called my son up in the summer and offered him a job!
And the all important question - how much skiing did they do? Well they all skied every day that they wanted too (which was most...), except for changeover day. As they got better at the job, they got quicker at it, so there was more of the middle of the day left to go skiing in.
I'm sure lots of other people will be along with their views too...
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Doccam, I had a couple of weeks with NonStop in Fernie, just for a tune-up and an attempt to break some bad habits (fail )(my fault) . . . In a subjective opinion of observing and listening to the participants; Tuition,feedback and craic were top notch and Fernie mountains can throw anything from powder ecstasy to . . . -25 crystal clear corduroy . . . to rained on porridge . . . All in 24 hours. It is a true test of personal perseverance to develop a proper mixed skill set.
Pricey, but I would still say value for money (caveat . . . This was 3 seasons ago, look for more current references)
Still thinking about an instructor course with them the season after next for myself.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The prices mentioned in this thread are pretty crazy imo. I go out to Canada for 3 months each winter for about £3k all in (flights, accomodation, food, lift pass etc.). Unless you plan to make a career out of I can't see the point of dropping thousands on an instructor course (which is likely to be less fun than just being a ski bum with no commitments anyway).
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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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Gap year Canada in Banff. They provide accommodation, visa, jobs.
Been out with them twice but only used there accommodation, did my snowboard instructor off my own back. Much cheaper.
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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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All this sentimental twiddle stowdle is simply the bubble blowing delusions of the mentally impaired.
Brexitsmears have jackbooted Europe in the nuts as an option, it is true you can melt the planet and fly halfway around the world to do what you used to do on your door step for a qualification that can only be used on the other side of the world.
Sure buy a ticket but don’t expect to use it in any meaningful way.
Time to recalibrate.
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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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@Super Steezy, what a stunningly irrelevant contribution
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I did 2 weeks with Nonstop in Fernie, BC, Canada this year - absolutely amazing time and if I worked in a job where I could take 3 months off then I wouldn't hesitate to do their L2 CASI instructor camp for 11 weeks (though after week 4 once you do L1, I wouldn't actually do L2 training, I'd do the alternative option which is just to improve your all mountain riding, rather than focus on the teaching other people how to ride better aspect of L2). I plan to go back to Fernie most years for 2 or 3 weeks, with 1 week in the alps (assuming that amount of time off is possible for me).
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I'm considering this for my son. How good do you need to be? He's naturally quite talented (imo) but hasn't done that many weeks on snow and is a bit 'floaty' - stylewise and mentally.
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| Riccardo wrote: |
| I'm considering this for my son. How good do you need to be? He's naturally quite talented (imo) but hasn't done that many weeks on snow and is a bit 'floaty' - stylewise and mentally. |
You don’t need to be that good technically, but mentally you need to be strong. Snowflakes need not apply.
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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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@Doccam, @Riccardo,
Contact Lee at Snoworks. Gap course incl basi L1 and 2. Course runs in autumn with guaranteed job in Japan for the winter on successfully passing L2.
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@Doccam, re my post about working in Japan...stepson didn’t do his instructor course there, he did it in NZ at Treble cone in the summer after his A levels. Japan was his first job.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@stewart woodward, @telford_mike, cheers.
Long story but Autumn courses won't work.
The issue is A levels and how this cohort was told it's all on the exams, mocks and coursework count for nothing; then on entering lockdown were told that the opposite was true. Then they were told that if they weren't happy with the grades their teachers had awarded them, they could sit exams in September and enrol at uni in November 2020. That turned out to be untrue too and the latest is that exams would be in October and results won't come out in time to start at uni before September 2021. But it's still uncertain.
So if he decides to sit his A level exams, he will probably be at a loose end between December and August and we're looking at options.
I might drop Snoworks a line and see if they're aware of this particular cohort and have got a course that might suit them.
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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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Sorry all I’ve been off line for a bit.
Thanks very much for contributions and much to mull over.
@Riccard as I said at the start my recommendation for anyone else looking for instructor training and then gap season job would be E3 and Kitzbuhel- they basically teach you to ski all over again so starting standard not so crucial. Obviously A-level resits are the fly in the ointment- my daughter has already started revising “just in case” so we’ll have to see!
Japan and Canada have been discarded as too far for her- quite relieved as less easy long weekend prospects to visit her! She has though decided against chalet hosting as she has spoken to friends and cousins who did and the consensus was fun (
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Sorry all I’ve been off line for a bit.
Thanks very much for contributions and much to mull over.
@Riccard as I said at the start my recommendation for anyone else looking for instructor training and then gap season job would be E3 and Kitzbuhel- they basically teach you to ski all over again so starting standard not so crucial. Obviously A-level resits are the fly in the ointment- my daughter has already started revising “just in case” so we’ll have to see!
Japan and Canada have been discarded as too far for her- quite relieved as less easy long weekend prospects to visit her! She has though decided against chalet hosting as she has spoken to friends and cousins who did and the consensus was fun (
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You know it makes sense.
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Sorry all I’ve been off line for a bit.
Thanks very much for contributions and much to mull over.
@Riccard as I said at the start my recommendation for anyone else looking for instructor training and then gap season job would be E3 and Kitzbuhel- they basically teach you to ski all over again so starting standard not so crucial. Obviously A-level resits are the fly in the ointment- my daughter has already started revising “just in case” so we’ll have to see!
Japan and Canada have been discarded as too far for her- quite relieved as less easy long weekend prospects to visit her! She has though decided against chalet hosting as she has spoken to friends and cousins who did and the consensus was fun (
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Is there a word limit?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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One more try!
Consensus was fun but hard work and she has had enough of hard work having fruit picked for the last two months as part of Boris’s land army and has had enough!
She has not completely discounted E3 but is now looking at other options including those above.
Thanks again to all who have kindly responded- and I will keep an eye on anything else coming through to pass on to her.
(Don’t know why original post got truncated)
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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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Ok was using iPad emoji’s which was the problem 
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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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| Riccardo wrote: |
| I'm considering this for my son. How good do you need to be? He's naturally quite talented (imo) but hasn't done that many weeks on snow and is a bit 'floaty' - stylewise and mentally. |
If this was directed at my post, then I would say you don't need to be amazing. I think if you've had a few weeks on snow, can cruise blues then all other style issues will be ironed out by the instruction. They're really friendly and their instructors have been given a brief to be as friendly and inclusive as possible (Nonstop is basically the biggest player in Fernie and all instructors apply to be part of the Nonstop setup as it's the most cushy job they have there, and the most guaranteed instructor hours therefore more stable pay. So the best ones apply for Nonstop rather than purely just stick with the RCR instruction).
They have 4 days a week instruction (Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri) for 5 hours each day. The rest of the days are yours to do whatever you want. If one person in a group is truly struggling, they will discuss it with them and if they agree, they will happily take them out of the group and do 1 on 1 lessons for 2.5 hours each day (instead of 5 hours group) until they feel confident enough to go back to the group. If they don't want to do 1 on 1 then they will try as hard as possible to accommodate them in the group, and if that means having an extra instructor in the group to help them out at the back, then they'll do it. All included with no extra cost.
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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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Ok she’s planning on SIA. Thanks to all for their input.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I went with SIA for the August Argentina course. 6 weeks total to get my level 2, and then I went back to UK before flying out for a salaried ski job in Japan in November (SIA helped my application and guaranteed a job in Japan). Wholeheartedly recommend the company and locations!
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| orioriori89 wrote: |
| I went with SIA for the August Argentina course. 6 weeks total to get my level 2, and then I went back to UK before flying out for a salaried ski job in Japan in November (SIA helped my application and guaranteed a job in Japan). Wholeheartedly recommend the company and locations! |
Thanks she’s looking forward to it- and the power of Facebook shows her she will have several “friends of friends” on the course as well.
I’ve just been reading your comments on the other thread. Not that you need me to say it but all power to you for changing horses when you felt you had to- too many people don’t and end up mulling over missed opportunities for a lifetime.
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What exactly is E3? My youngest just took himself off to Kirchberg, and did his pre planned Anwarter. There was a job waiting for him at the end of the course. He was put up in the ski instructors house in town. He got paid over 1000 euros a month. That was after the cost of accommodation was deducted. He got paid whether he was instructing or not( I believe the Red Devils in Kitz only pay for days worked, conversly, only deduct cost of accommodation at the same scale) He even had to take time off, holiday, in the middle. Again the same pay. And then got a small bonus at the end of the season for remaining all year. Admittedly, back in 13, the bars also gave instructors free drinks till 9 which they don`t do now.
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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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How are SIA for instruction? Did people find the instructors to be good? Did they focus well on the very technical aspects of riding?
In the 6 week course in Argentina, how much time was devoted to improving your riding vs improving your teaching ability? What would you say was the average skill level/experience of people BEFORE they started the course? And was it mostly young teenagers/early 20s people or were there plenty of older people too?
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| Mountain Surfer wrote: |
How are SIA for instruction? Did people find the instructors to be good? Did they focus well on the very technical aspects of riding?
In the 6 week course in Argentina, how much time was devoted to improving your riding vs improving your teaching ability? What would you say was the average skill level/experience of people BEFORE they started the course? And was it mostly young teenagers/early 20s people or were there plenty of older people too? |
Hey
Long reply time I know haha, I've actually done a full write up of my time in Argentina with SIA here : https://skiinstructordiaries.com/articles/our-review-of-our-sia-austria-ski-instructor-course let me know if you have any more questions about how I found it
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FAQ
