 Poster: A snowHead
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As some of you may have read on some threads, i'm starting on my ski instructor qualifications this weekend, so thought I might keep a thread/diary of how it was for me, and it may or may not be of interest to anyone. It might prove helpful for anyone thinking about doing some instructor qualifications that stumble across the thread in the future when i've got through it a bit.
About me
I'm 30 and work as an Accountant and for years and years have said I want to be a ski instructor. I had planned to move to Canada once I got my ACCA qualification, but the girlfriend came along, and plans changed.
The Qualification
I'm going to be doing the Irish qualification (IASI). There's two reasons I picked this:
1. I was concerned about BASI as a qualification in Europe going forward post Brexit. (That's looking like a sound decision)
2. IASI run courses on weekends, so I can get my level 1 qualification done only needing 1 days Annual Leave where as BASI required 5 days Annual Leave, which I'd prefer to use on the slopes in the winter!
I'm doing my Level 1 at Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre with Ski Definition.
Some links if anyone wants a browse
https://iasisnowsports.ie/
https://www.skidefinition.com/
My Skiing experience
I first skied at 13, on a school trip to Winter Park, CO. My parents weren't skiers, but we did also go on a family ski holiday 2 weeks after the school trip (back in the days when taking your kids out of school for a holiday didn't result in the death penalty).
Since then i've had 1 week away pretty much every season. Some years i've only managed a long weekend break, others i've done 1 1/2 week trips or 2 separate week trips, but all in, i've probably done around 15-20 weeks of skiing. I've also been to the dry slopes and snow domes a number of times.
It's difficult to say what standard I am, as everyone's judging criteria is different, but if I used the Inside Out Skiing levels, i'd say i'd definitely tick the boxes for all of level 9, and could probably tick most boxes of the level 10.
What I have very little to zero experience in though, is teaching. The closest i've got was skiing with the girlfriend last season (19/20) on our holiday. It was only her 2nd week skiing. I tried not to teach her at all, and she went to ski school, but what I did make sure to find out, was what she'd been taught and worked on every day, so that I could try and help her continue working on it in the afternoons. She did say I was very patient with her, so that bodes well hopefully.
My Ambitions
The dream is that i'll be able to live in the Alps all year round, but, summer work would be an issue, and I can't imagine winter instructing would pay enough to not work 7 months of the year. So I'm thinking i'll end up picking up short term accountancy roles in the UK when not instructing.
The huge caveat is of course whether or not i'll actually be able to work in Europe. I'm a Brit, with no chance of getting an EU passport, so as it stands i'm screwed, and this whole thread will become a very short one!
The plan/timetable
All things being well, i'll pass the Level 1 exam over the next two weekends. I then need to get my shadowing hours in, and a first aid course. So i'm hoping by roughly September time i'll have done everything I need to do.
Depending on timings and funds, i'd quite like to get out in November/December to get the Level 2 course done.
Beyond Level 2, I then need to start doing seasons, and this is the part where it gets tricky now (Cheers Brexit). As it stands I won't be able to teach in Europe, so I'd have to think about Canada, but that's more difficult with home life, because we have a dog plus now i'm turning 31 this year, I won't qualify for working holiday visas. So as it stands i'm hoping something happens with visas in Europe. I can probably take sabbaticals through work and save up and do a few months away, and get some training in for Level 3 and maybe some exams, but the teaching side will be the struggle. Wait and see on that aspect.
Anyway, hopefully I haven't bored everyone to death, and i'll check back in and update over time.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| swskier wrote: |
About me
I'm 30 and work as an Accountant and for years and years have said I want to be a ski instructor.. |
Have you considered Lion Taming?
Good luck with the start of a new potential career. The Irish qualifs are a good idea as that eliminates 1 point of friction.
Any chance you can get an accountancy job with a firm in Europe going forward?
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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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Have you considered buying a motorbike; getting a substantial piece of body-art; or replacing more than half your wardrobe with lycra?
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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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| swskier wrote: |
.
Anyway, hopefully I haven't bored everyone to death, and i'll check back in and update over time. |
No way is that boring. Well maybe the accountancy bit  I admire you for going for it, especially in the current situation(s).
Good luck and keep posting
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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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Good luck! I did my IASI L1 at Hemel with Ski Definition a couple of years ago. Great instruction, had a fantastic time and met some great people. Did wonders for my skiing too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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[quote="davidof"]
| swskier wrote: |
Any chance you can get an accountancy job with a firm in Europe going forward? |
Yes I have considered it, and I do apply for roles that might work, generally in Switzerland. I'll continue to do so as well, it's just difficult to get anywhere, as soon as I say I have no rights to work in the country, it's a thanks but no thanks.
I was supposed to have had a meeting/chat/beer with a British run holiday business in Morzine last winter about a role, but Covid shut the resort down the week before I was supposed to be there. I might pursue that again though.
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@narbs, Glad to hear it was a good course, i'm really looking forward to it. I was supposed to have been doing it last November, but it got cancelled as we went back in to lockdown.
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Good luck: I did BASI 1/2 in my thirties and it was fine. Much better than some young skiers, much worse than others. Unless you're a complete blob you'll be fine.
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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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stick to plan 1 & canada
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[quote="swskier"]
| davidof wrote: |
| swskier wrote: |
Any chance you can get an accountancy job with a firm in Europe going forward? |
Yes I have considered it, and I do apply for roles that might work, generally in Switzerland. I'll continue to do so as well, it's just difficult to get anywhere, as soon as I say I have no rights to work in the country, it's a thanks but no thanks. |
Okay, I guess that highlights how hard things will be for all jobs going forward.
It is actually worse than before the UK was in the EU from that viewpoint as you are now up against 27 countries that have an automatic right to work.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@swskier, Good luck, I hope you enjoy the course. If you really want to get to L4, then starting at 30 means the clock is ticking...It's definitely do-able, but best get a move on... Once you have passed L1, working at you local slope (plastic on snow) will get those teaching skills honed nicely 
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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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@ski, L4 is my intention, whether it's possible, we shall see, but with the right amount of work, I hope it is.
Plan is to get some hours in at the local dry slope, and i'll do that in addition to my day job, evenings or some hours on a weekend. I'll be in touch with them once i'm in a position to start the shadowing and then working.
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@swskier you say
| Quote: |
| I'm a Brit, with no chance of getting an EU passport |
So... wondering how you will qualify as a full L4 under IASI?
I'm guessing you would need to take CTT to complete your L4 which I understand is not open to UK citizens. But, not completely familiar with IASI so if anyone knows different, do holler!
But if this is the case, then it may end up being more viable keeping an eye on whether BASI establish mutual recognition in various EU countries for their re-vamped L4 with an ISIA speed test and switching to that.
You also mention
| Quote: |
| Beyond Level 2, I then need to start doing seasons, and this is the part where it gets tricky now (Cheers Brexit). As it stands I won't be able to teach in Europe |
Indeed, I think that unless you have an amazing talent, beyond L2 you need to be doing seasons. Until recently Interski (the schools skiing company) had been a great resource for getting teaching experience whether you are based in the UK or in the Alps. With the Aosta valley being an autonomous region of Italy, their instructors' association had struck agreements with Interski to allow L2s and higher to teach but the bigger issue now will be whether they have sufficient autonomy to allow UK passport-holders to teach. Waiting to see what the company reports back from their investigations and negotiations.
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You know it makes sense.
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@bobski62, IASI as far as I understand it allows you to get to L4, but as you saying, not being EU citizen will hamper me with the CTT. At least by doing the IASI qualification it ticks half the boxes, and EU recognised qualification, but the citizenship aspect is my downfall and will be something i'm hoping changes in order for me to do it.
Interski was the option I was hoping to go down in Feb 22 once i'd got my L2, but at the moment not sure how that'll go. There's also Ski2 in Champoluc who i understand do a similar thing as Interski.
There's a lot up in the air at the moment, but I feel like if I wait to see if it all sorts itself out, it'll be too late for me to then start. I could be investing a lot of money for no career, but it's a risk i'm taking at the moment. If worse comes to worse, I hope it'll improve my own skiing.
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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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BASI have already done a deal with the French so you can do a speedtest which is not the CTT but the same pass level and get a Carte Pro.
So the issue is right to work not recognition of qualifications if your end goal is to work in France.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| snowrider wrote: |
| BASI have already done a deal with the French |
Wow, is that hot off the press? Last I looked they were still nogotiating.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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"BASI have a new agreement with the DDCS & PNMESA which will allow the BASI Alpine L4 ISTD qualification to be formally recognised in France and provide a pathway to a Carte Pro – provided that an additional test is passed.
If a BASI member enters and passes a Speed Test (exact name to be confirmed but using the same standard as the CTT) on French soil, it would be viewed as a “Bolt On” to the L4 qualification and would meet the requirements for equivalence. A successful pass of this test would effectively replace the ISIA speed test for that member. It is important to note that this is NOT a CTT event and therefore none of the legal entitlements for working across the EU would come with it – it would only apply to France. We will communicate more details on the France speed test itself in due course.
BASI are waiting on formal confirmation that our EMS assessment course will be accepted by the French."
Source: blog post from 17th May.
https://blog.basi.org.uk/international-recognition-of-qualifications-update/
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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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First weekend done, and really enjoyed it. A real mix of us from 17 years old that competes internationally in freestyle up to late 30's/40ish dad of 4 that wants to get in to freestyle and race coaching.
Must say after a couple of hours in a snowdome, i'm pretty done with it, but actually working on the skiing properly, really means the time flies by.
We've done a mixture of personal ski development, looking at our long and short turns, and have also worked our way through the Core Skier Development, which under IASI looks as below:
Straight running
Ploughing
Plough turning
Plough Parallel
Basic Parallel
Parallel with poles
Week off before next weekend, and we've all been set our first teach, and for me i'll be doing a lesson on Plough Parallel to students that are at a level that they can Plough Turn competently.
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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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@swskier, great to hear it's going well. Do you think all of the students have the required ski standard?
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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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@pieman666, of the 5 of us on the course, after the first 2 days, I think 3 of us are either at, or will get to the required standard needed to pass. 2 require quite a bit of work to get to where they need to be, but, with some practise between now and next weekend, could get there, but it will require a lot more work than the other 3.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@swskier, sounds like similar % to my level 1 course. I think there were 10 of us on the course and 3/4 had issues with their skiing that needed work to get to the standard. They all succeeded in the end but for 1 or 2 it was touch or go. This was in the mountains where we could get a lot of runs/practise in I think it will be harder in a dome to get the practise in. But fingers crossed for them.
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@pieman666, yeah, we've all been encouraged to get skiing this week, whether that's at an indoor place or a dry slope, but like you say, much more opportunity if we were away for the week abroad in the mountains.
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@swskier, good luck with the journey will be following with interest! I checked out at BASI L2 standard, reckoning to get to L3 I'd need to be living in the alps and instructing to get the necessary skills/experience etc!
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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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@kitenski, thanks. As I've said, would love to get to L4, but EU passport issues need to be sorted. I will have to start doing seasons beyond L2 also I think. Fortunately with my current accountancy career there can be some pretty lucrative short term work contracts where I can earn a similar yearly wage over 3-6 months freeing up the winter for the necessary training and teaching!
Thinking ahead I'm looking at training courses like Subzero in Zermatt or Warren Smith in Verbier which involve around 6 weeks training and allow you time to teach at Christmas/New Year and February holidays. Again, visa depending.
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[quote="davidof"]
| swskier wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
| swskier wrote: |
Any chance you can get an accountancy job with a firm in Europe going forward? |
Yes I have considered it, and I do apply for roles that might work, generally in Switzerland. I'll continue to do so as well, it's just difficult to get anywhere, as soon as I say I have no rights to work in the country, it's a thanks but no thanks. |
Okay, I guess that highlights how hard things will be for all jobs going forward.
It is actually worse than before the UK was in the EU from that viewpoint as you are now up against 27 countries that have an automatic right to work. |
Jumping in on the job prospects part of the discussion... I’ve noticed job adverts in my field where they specifically asks for a native English speaker. Obviously, this doesn’t guarantee that the job will go to a Brit, but it does increase the chances. That said, I’m a teacher, and there probably isn’t as much of a need in business/industry for someone to be a native English speaker. It is a possible workaround though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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What about the Austrian progression?
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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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@hammerite, will keep my eyes on that, as far as I've seen for finance roles, it usually just says fluent, or business proficient.
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@swskier, If you are keen on getting to L4 standard and are UK based I would suggest joining a local race club and training 2 -4 hours a week year round in a dome or dry slope. If you can't get your performance skiing to ISIA/CTT test standard your longs won't be good enough to pass the Tech. Race clubs offer good, low cost, regular training and if you are skiing to L1/L2 std now it will take a few years to get to L4 let alone L3 std... good luck with it... 
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You know it makes sense.
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@skimottaret, thanks for the advice, and you're actually on the lines of my thoughts. My plan is to get up to Gloucester dry slope for race training on Sunday evenings, and was actually discussing this on the weekend with the guys on my course. It's something i've wanted to do for a while anyway as i've never done any racing and have always fancied it.
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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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@swskier, good luck. I've heard good things about Verbier, I had some friends who came to visit when I was in Zermatt. Altitude are terrible and to be avoided: apparently there is a new owner and last season a lot of things on the course were promised including work which didn't materialise in the end. Element and New Generation were very popular however especially the L3/4 training for the latter.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@boobleblooble, i've never skied Verbier or Zermatt, but they're both on the hit list.
Our trainer for the L1, Dan, works for Warren Smith, so i'll have a good chat to him about it all.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| hammerite wrote: |
Jumping in on the job prospects part of the discussion... I’ve noticed job adverts in my field where they specifically asks for a native English speaker. Obviously, this doesn’t guarantee that the job will go to a Brit, but it does increase the chances. That said, I’m a teacher, and there probably isn’t as much of a need in business/industry for someone to be a native English speaker. It is a possible workaround though. |
Without derailing the thread and lets hope we see some pics of the course next week 
I mentioned work outside of skiing as it would be a route to getting residency (and eventually a passport) in an alpine country. I work in the telecoms sector and we regularly hire none EU/EEA/EFTA people on French talent visas. It is not an easy process but not totally off putting for the right candidates. The only thing I would say is you really need to speak conversational French, say B2 standard. I spend hours a day in online meetings, often with people from Africa who don't always have the clearest French... or even worse: Swiss.
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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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| davidof wrote: |
| hammerite wrote: |
Jumping in on the job prospects part of the discussion... I’ve noticed job adverts in my field where they specifically asks for a native English speaker. Obviously, this doesn’t guarantee that the job will go to a Brit, but it does increase the chances. That said, I’m a teacher, and there probably isn’t as much of a need in business/industry for someone to be a native English speaker. It is a possible workaround though. |
Without derailing the thread and lets hope we see some pics of the course next week
I mentioned work outside of skiing as it would be a route to getting residency (and eventually a passport) in an alpine country. I work in the telecoms sector and we regularly hire none EU/EEA/EFTA people on French talent visas. It is not an easy process but not totally off putting for the right candidates. The only thing I would say is you really need to speak conversational French, say B2 standard. I spend hours a day in online meetings, often with people from Africa who don't always have the clearest French... or even worse: Swiss. |
I have some very low quality videos I can screen grab and get some pictures for you!
I also work in the telecoms sector, perhaps you can hook me up  I am trying to improve my French, currently on a 179 day streak on Duolingo, so as long as we talk about the weather, a supermarket or a restaurant, then i'm pretty much there!
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@swskier, Instructor snowplough is always a killer . Yes don't the tips have to be a regulation 6 inches apart, ahhh no it's 15cm for the Irish ? Still looking good for an L1.
Our accounting office is in Grenoble - but I wouldn't wish the work on anyone as they seem to spend 10 hours per day doing working on the accounts, sometimes I drive past at the end of the month to see the lights still on late in the evening.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@swskier, WS in Verbier all train to the IASI system I think. Very expensive for the amount of hours they offer but do have a 'modular' system where you can pay by a week at a time.
I did some formal BASI training and I would say that the main things are: hours on the hill (make sure you get this exactly as some will refer to gym sessions etc as 'training'), group size (>8 is too much time when lapping) and instructor quals (ought to be L4 for the money). All the other stuff is flim-flam except perhaps the lift pass price which they can usually arrange to reduce somehow.
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@davidof, no I’ll try not to derail the thread, both streams of conversation are interesting to me though. I’m actually moving to Andorra in August for a teaching job. Andorra isn’t EU, but I think gaining residency can be tricky.
My stepson did his BASI L1 at the end of 2019, but for obvious reasons has taken some time to get enough shadowing hours in to be signed off. He finally managed it at the weekend. He’ll probably do an L2, BASI or another at some point, but is unsure whether he wants to try and do a season at the moment.
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@hammerite, I haven't looked in to Andorra as a possible route for working, but might be a possibility for some teaching!? Will have to check out their government sites.
IASI shadowing hours I believe are less than BASI, just 20 hours for L1, so i'm hoping 3 or 4 Sundays at Gloucester will cover this. There's a First Aid course running in Gloucester with BASP on 18/19 September and i'll do that, at which point i'm hoping that is me checked off to become L1 certified. (assuming I pass the course next weekend)
The good thing about Gloucester is they offer shadowing hours during the day on Sundays, and then race training takes place that evening, so I can tie it all in.
@boobleblooble, Yes, WS run IASI courses for L1 and 2, but they say their L3 and 4 training is aimed at all qualifications, so not IASI specifically, but given that they train it for L1 and 2 they'll certainly be very useful.
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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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| swskier wrote: |
IASI shadowing hours I believe are less than BASI, just 20 hours for L1, so i'm hoping 3 or 4 Sundays at Gloucester will cover this. There's a First Aid course running in Gloucester with BASP on 18/19 September and i'll do that, at which point i'm hoping that is me checked off to become L1 certified. (assuming I pass the course next weekend)
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Do you need criminal records checks and that stuff? I know BASI dropped it.
I believe that IASI also needs Child Protection Training.
20 hours, if you do actual shadowing, is a lot. 35 hours is a lot more !
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@davidof, no criminal check needed. I think I read that BASI dropped it as it was essentially on the ski school's head rather than BASI if I remember correctly.
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FAQ
