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Gap Year Instructor Course

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi, I am currently looking to find a ski instructor training course in Europe for this coming season to complete whilst on my gap year. I don't have much experience skiing, however will be having lessons and practicing near me before the course begins, allowing me to reach the level that most courses require.

I have had a look online at a few different courses, however was wondering if anyone had any experience and knew of any courses or companies in particular that they would recommend.

I am currently based in Switzerland but would be open to any European courses!

Thank you for the help!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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https://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/shop/9-week-instructor-training-verbier-iasi-l1-l2-ski-instructor-course/
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https://www.altitude-futures.com/courses/basi-gap-courses/
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No point in gaining a BASI qualification though.
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Just how little experience skiing do you have?
Why do you want to become an instructor?
Where do you plan to live long term after your gap year?
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I haven't skied much over recent years so am planning to do an intensive course near the beginning of the season to bring my skills up to a suitable level. Courses later in the season are therefore probably what I am looking for right now.

Part of the reason I want to become a ski instructor is to take advantage of the fact that I currently have the opportunity to live in Switzerland. I used to love skiing and so really want to improve my skills in that area whilst I can be based in a country with such amazing facilities. The reason I want to become an instructor in particular is to learn and be productive on my year off. As I will have more freedom over the next year than in years after, I would like to be able to gain experience and qualifications this coming year that I can bring with me in the future, and instructing is something that I believe I would very much enjoy.

I am uncertain where I will be after my gap year as that depends on university, but currently have bases in the UK and Switzerland. I am likely to be in Europe though so a European qualification would be ideal.
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Thank you for the suggestions so far!
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Quote:

The reason I want to become an instructor in particular is to learn and be productive on my year off. As I will have more freedom over the next year than in years after, I would like to be able to gain experience and qualifications this coming year that I can bring with me in the future, and instructing is something that I believe I would very much enjoy


I ask because I've seen a lot of people blindly go into a ski instructor course because it's the "done thing" as part of a gap year and they feel it gives them a qualification to justify their time, but massively regret it. Firstly they were more interested in becoming better skiers than actually teaching (which is fine, but if so this is the wrong course for you). They also quickly realised their idea of what their idea of being a ski instructor was didn't match up to the reality. So my advice would be to spend some serious time shadowing instructors and seeing if this is what you really want to do. For example some weeks you might be babysitting some 6 year olds on the magic carpet who are more interested in playing in the snow than skiing.

The other thing to consider is if long term ski instructor is really a serious career path for you. Pay is not great and what work will you do in summers? I'm not saying it can't be done (I quit a "proper" career to live a more seasonal low paid life in the mountains). However, a lot of people don't really want the ski bum life long term, they want a career, money, settle down etc. The idea of wanting to go to university after getting the qualification doesn't make sense, if your goal is to be a ski instructor you are "wasting" 3+ years of time and money going to university when you could be gaining experience/qualifications for your instructor career. The opposite is also true.

If you just want to learn a skill and gain experience there are plenty of other snow related options. For example you could do an off-piste course and some backcountry/ski touring/avalanche kind of stuff. Getting that knowledge is a wonderful way to open up a huge array of future options for you.

Of course getting a qualification you won't use isn't the end of the world. Even the financial costs are probably not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. The big thing is time. Most people are lucky to get one full season in the mountains in their lifetimes. It's very possible you go to uni and then end up in a career allowing you only a week or 2 skiing per year. Do you want to spend this opportunity learning how to teach snow plows and in a job that directly takes away from your free skiing time or do you want to maximise the time doing (imo) much more enjoyable things.

It's something I would really think about rather than walking into blindly.
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spyderjon wrote:
No point in gaining a BASI qualification though.


Why not? (Genuine question), their qualifications seem to be accepted here in CH.
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boarder2020 is absolutely right...you have to think carefully...do you want a career as instructor? or only for this Gap year?
i have done the 1st Level (in Germany) with the thought to work in Holidays etc.
But althouth sounds great to work as an instructor, i decided that is better to spend the holidays on the pistes (or outside of them) compare to trying to teach the first steps from snoboarding to children or adults etc
I suppose you cannot do all the courses in a GAP year. Maybe your skills are adequate but you dont have enough time. Meaning : you will teach complete novices...

If you can afford a GAP Year without working do some other courses (Backcountry off piste etc) and enjoy this time.
If not then maybe give it a try.
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@switzerlandstudent, SIA Austrian Qualifications taught in English and Season employment. https://www.siaaustria.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwpMOIBhBAEiwAy5M6YHHhpQv5rHt080OKnHbZIVO1_1Aslp_fJODpdQWwyWS-qqIBGhBJWhoCVmsQAvD_BwE
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Quote:

But althouth sounds great to work as an instructor, i decided that is better to spend the holidays on the pistes (or outside of them) compare to trying to teach the first steps from snoboarding to children or adults etc


Yep this was the experience of most people I know. They got frustrated that all their time was being spent teaching beginners or basically just babysitting kids. Of course some people enjoy this, it's just not what they wanted or had in mind which is why I say do lots of shadowing of instructors (especially the newly qualified ones!) before making the decision.

Quote:

If you can afford a GAP Year without working do some other courses (Backcountry off piste etc) and enjoy this time.


If money is an issue ski instructor course might not even make sense. I actually looked into doing one in Canada a long time ago (would have been a huge mistake but I didn't know any better at the time) and for the cost of the course package I could do 2 full seasons without work - which is really what stopped me doing it.

The basi gap course only (no accomodation food etc.) posted above is £4900. Google seems to think starting salary is around £20 per hour for Swiss ski instructor. Bearing in mind the earliest course doesn't finish until Feb 12th and hours are not guaranteed, you are probably looking at breaking even rather than making a profit.

If you need to work getting a regular job on minimum wage (£15 per hour), is going to be much more financially profitable over the season as no huge outlay for a course or weeks spent training when you could be earning. Even better get an evening job (bar/restaurant/hotel) to free up all day for skiing.

Pretty much all the ski bums I know quit instructing and earn similar money with evening jobs meaning they get way more free skiing time. The ones that still instruct do it because they love instructing itself and are willing to sacrifice finance and free ski time for that.

Much harder process to qualify but guide seems like a much better and more enjoyable career at least imo.
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boarder2020 wrote:


Much harder process to qualify but guide seems like a much better and more enjoyable career at least imo.


I think it is like ski instructing. It depends what you are doing but I know a number of guides who dislike it for a number of reasons.
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Don't a lot of youngsters go to uni to study something they thought they like but end up not using it anyway?

The OP said he's not that good at skiing. What other courses offers structured approach to bring a relatively inexperienced skier to be proficiency and with good foundation for future improvement?

Disclaimer, I didn't do any gap year course. But I did some instructor training and taught a bit. Learning to teach is a very good way of learning.
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my instructor training course made me really a better border....there is not doubt...an instructor course makes you better...the question is if it is worth it to to do it and work in the Gap year, or do it (or not doing it) and enjoy the GAP year as a saison off with lot of skiing etc

however if the money is not a biiig problem someone can arrange working only the high season or weekends and school holidays and the rest day enjoy skiing....all the ski schools are looking for extra teachers during the high season....
you dont need to work full time....but only if you can afford it
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Subzero Coaching based in Zermatt...
https://www.subzerocoaching.com/
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abc wrote:
What other courses offers structured approach to bring a relatively inexperienced skier to be proficiency and with good foundation for future improvement?


Something like this does... https://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/shop/masters-seasonal-training-course/
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A shout out for the SIA Anwärter course from me. More than 90% of the time on the piste is focussed on personal improvement and less than 10% on instructing. Evenings are focussed on instruction and German language improvement. No previous German language experience necessary, but a basic proficiency will give you a head start.
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Quote:

Don't a lot of youngsters go to uni to study something they thought they like but end up not using it anyway?


Just because a lot of people do it doesn't mean it's a great idea! I'm sure plenty regret all that debt they racked up for a degree they don't even use. As someone that used to teach in a university I'd be the first to say a lot of students are wasting their time and money. To be fair I was equally naive at their age, picked a course with pretty poor prospects, but got lucky.

Quote:

my instructor training course made me really a better border....there is not doubt...an instructor course makes you better


I have no doubt that most people end up better skiers/boarders after completing an instructor course. However, if your only goal is to maximise your ski potential I suspect there are much better options. For example, spending the equivalent amount of money on private coaching or performance based courses will likely improve your skiing more than an instructor course imo. If that was the case maybe we'd see the Olympic hopefuls ditching their coaches to go and do instructor training wink
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boarder2020 wrote:

I have no doubt that most people end up better skiers/boarders after completing an instructor course. However, if your only goal is to maximise your ski potential I suspect there are much better options. For example, spending the equivalent amount of money on private coaching or performance based courses will likely improve your skiing more than an instructor course imo. If that was the case maybe we'd see the Olympic hopefuls ditching their coaches to go and do instructor training wink

Private coaching of course, if you know a good one. But I suspect most of the good ones are already employed by race teams of "Olympic hopefuls". Majority of freelance instructors are operating on 1 week course with customer they don't see till next season.

Outside of youth racing teams, how often do you find any training program that is structured to take a relatively inexperienced skier to an advanced level by laying out a good foundation? There're preciously few such training programs for adults. Instructor training course is one such.

As an instructor, I've often seen skiers with fundamental flaws in their technique they had to spend a lot of time and money to get rid of (myself included). Those fundamental flaws often prevents them from progressing to the next level.

Quote:

To be fair I was equally naive at their age, picked a course with pretty poor prospects, but got lucky.

As a counter example, I picked a subject that was supposed to be of quite good prospect. But I end up not using my "qualification" for the majority of my career. However, the rigorous training I got in my unused qualification education is the foundation of much of my current career.

At the age of the OP, it's important he achieve something during his gap year. Whether that achieved qualification will be useful or not remains to be seen. If there're better courses than instructor training, by all means. But it's equally important the training needs to be rigorous enough to be beneficial. A collection of random instructions is unlikely to have as good a result.
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Quote:

Outside of youth racing teams, how often do you find any training program that is structured to take a relatively inexperienced skier to an advanced level by laying out a good foundation? There're preciously few such training programs for adults. Instructor training course is one such.


I have plenty of ski bum friends who would be considered advanced skiers. Pretty much none of them did an instructor course or even followed any long term structured plan. Most started off with group lessons in the beginner stages, then combination of private lessons and specific courses (off-piste, avalanche training, bumps etc.). Although their time under tuition is honestly pretty low, for most of them less than 30 days formal tuition over their entire lives. Many are doing less formal things like asking friends for tips, watching instructional videos online etc. I suspect they probably do have technical flaws, but they can ski everything with decent style and control and their goals don't involve becoming pro so their abilities are more than enough.

Their are definitely structured programs out there for people on gap years looking to improve. The non-stop ones in Canada are pretty famous. Personally I wouldn't want to lock myself into something like that though. I'd rather find a good private instructor and stay flexible. As a beginner you may realise skiing is actually not for you after a few weeks. You may decide piste skiing is boring and you really want to get into off-piste and ski mountaineering. There is probably something for doing a few different 1 week courses and seeing what clicks in terms of tuition style.

Quote:

At the age of the OP, it's important he achieve something during his gap year


Agree and disagree. If he spent a year sitting on a beach in Thailand getting drunk every night it's probably a waste. Although, I don't buy for a gap year it is important to gain a formal qualification or even skill. I've seen all sorts of fantastic gap years that didn't involve a formal qualification or any kind of skill training - of course that's not to say they didn't learn a lot. I do think gap years should be fun and enjoyable, you have the rest of your life to be bored working a 9-5.

Honestly there is nothing wrong with doing an instructor course. I have just seen too many people walk into it blindly with wildly unrealistic expectations and massively regret it. If somebody's goal is to work as a ski instructor and they have properly looked into it and spent time shadowing instructors etc. I would say totally go for it. If your goals are to make money, maximise free ski time, become a great skier there are probably better routes to go down.
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@boarder2020, There are different ways of learning. Think maybe of face to face instruction as "book learning" and freeskiing with mates as "learning by doing". Lots of ski bums will get to a relatively high standard through the latter just by following peers who are better around and by skiing every day in all conditions. That doesn't mean "book learning" for others who want or need a good base, or lack the lots of time to do lots of mileage, is not a good idea.

I share your scepticism about the value of packaged instructor courses for many, but if it wraps it up nicely for future employers or sound impressive in bar bragging/chatting up potential sexual partners then maybe it's worth it for some. Not forgetting of course that as well as those that do turn instruction into a full time career, many make contacts through it and get a variety of other life/work experiences.
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@boarder2020, whilst I agree with you on your overall idea of not doing it just because it's what most other gap year'ers do. You yourself also realize at the OP's age, he (she?) doesn't have enough life experience to know what he/she like or dislike as a career. (a while back, we had a thread from a research scientist chucking up her science career to become an instructor!)

Quote:

Their are definitely structured programs out there for people on gap years looking to improve. The non-stop ones in Canada are pretty famous. Personally I wouldn't want to lock myself into something like that though. I'd rather find a good private instructor and stay flexible. As a beginner you may realise skiing is actually not for you after a few weeks. You may decide piste skiing is boring and you really want to get into off-piste and ski mountaineering. There is probably something for doing a few different 1 week courses and seeing what clicks in terms of tuition style.

You will also have to compare the cost of those other instruction paths to the instructor's course. The difference might not be all that big, whilst the instructor's course will lead to a qualification.

Are any of these courses really "lock" you into it for the entire season? Aren't they all in "stages"? You may only have to commit to a few weeks a time?

The biggest negative I've heard from those who felt the instructor course weren't worth it is the time spent learning to teach. But that's where I disagree most strongly. I've taken many lessons at random for some years. I've got to the point of being able to make my way down the mountain regardless of terrain and condition, albeit not always enjoy the journey. It wasn't until I decided to become an instructor and took up instructor training that I finally made the leap from an "athletic hack" to an efficient skier who use proper technique to utilize the equipment and terrain to my advantage! That, was learned during the instructor training on how to teach to the best effect. wink

Seeing the positive result, I have every intention to pick back up on my instructor path after retirement. It's not just for the skill improvements though, I do enjoy helping others to enjoy the sport more. snowHead
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Quote:

It wasn't until I decided to become an instructor and took up instructor training that I finally made the leap from an "athletic hack" to an efficient skier who use proper technique to utilize the equipment and terrain to my advantage! That, was learned during the instructor training on how to teach to the best effect.


The thing is I would expect any performance based training to achieve the same thing - i.e. improve my technique and make me more efficient. In fact if any coaching isn't doing that I would question what they are even doing?!

While it's true teaching can improve your own understanding of a subject, it's generally not regarded as the optimum way to improve or master a subject. If your goal is to get a physics Nobel prize you don't train as a physics teacher. If it's to drive F1 cars you don't train as a driving instructor. Out of the best 1000 skiers in the world I bet less than 1% have done an instructor course. In places I've lived the kids free ski team are all way better than the ski instructors, and the ski bums are better than 90% of the instructors. While there is of course some overlap; teaching and doing are different, and the way you train for them reflects this.

Probably doesn't help that becoming a ski instructor is such a quick process, realistically how much can you learn in just 2-3 months? Good luck finding any other career with such a quick training time.

While an interesting discussion it's perhaps not really relevant as op didn't suggest become a great skier was their goal anyway.
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boarder2020 wrote:
If your goal is to get a physics Nobel prize you don't train as a physics teacher. If it's to drive F1 cars you don't train as a driving instructor. Out of the best 1000 skiers in the world I bet less than 1% have done an instructor course.

I don't know about F1 drivers. But the training for physics teacher (on this side of the pond) is the same as training for physicists who later got Nobel prize! Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy (teaching is a required module for my Ph.D. Laughing )

Quote:
In places I've lived the kids free ski team are all way better than the ski instructors

But that's true even for coaches of Olympians. Perhaps those Olympians should just free ski? Why bother with coaches?
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[quote="abc"](a while back, we had a thread from a research scientist chucking up her science career to become an instructor!)[quote]

I'm in a similar boat to this having trained as and working as an accountant. In a way though, i'm glad i didn't take that path/leap of faith as an 18 year old pre uni or 21 year old after finishing uni, as I don't think i'd realise how much I want to do it, or appreciate not being in the office.

I'm a long way off being able to do it as a career yet, have only done my Level 1, but some of my favourite aspects of the training was watching the others on the course, picking out faults and helping them improve, which is what we were all encouraged to do, and that for me was enough to think that I like the idea of instructing. When the reality comes to doing it properly is when i'll truly find out if I enjoy it or not.

If I was the OP i'd be inclined to do a season with some instruction, but not necessarily an instructor course, and just decide whether or not I loved skiing enough to want to do it pretty full time every winter (something i've not actually found out myself yet having only ever holidayed), if I decided I liked it enough, it would be easy enough to do instructor qualifications alongside university, courses are run in the summer, or the odd week here or there.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
boarder2020 wrote:
Quote:

It wasn't until I decided to become an instructor and took up instructor training that I finally made the leap from an "athletic hack" to an efficient skier who use proper technique to utilize the equipment and terrain to my advantage! That, was learned during the instructor training on how to teach to the best effect.


The thing is I would expect any performance based training to achieve the same thing - i.e. improve my technique and make me more efficient. In fact if any coaching isn't doing that I would question what they are even doing?!

While it's true teaching can improve your own understanding of a subject, it's generally not regarded as the optimum way to improve or master a subject. If your goal is to get a physics Nobel prize you don't train as a physics teacher. If it's to drive F1 cars you don't train as a driving instructor. Out of the best 1000 skiers in the world I bet less than 1% have done an instructor course. In places I've lived the kids free ski team are all way better than the ski instructors, and the ski bums are better than 90% of the instructors. While there is of course some overlap; teaching and doing are different, and the way you train for them reflects this.

Probably doesn't help that becoming a ski instructor is such a quick process, realistically how much can you learn in just 2-3 months? Good luck finding any other career with such a quick training time.

While an interesting discussion it's perhaps not really relevant as op didn't suggest become a great skier was their goal anyway.


If your goal is to be in the top 1000 skiers in the world, and you're not currently a teenager growing up near a ski resort, then you've already blown it. If you want to improve your skiing and have a fun winter, becoming a ski instructor is a great option for some people.

Personally I did a gap year style instructor course when I had only done a few weeks of skiing previously, 30 winters of instructing later I am nowhere near the top 1000 in the world, but I am a good all round skier and still enjoy it, which is surely the point?
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@swskier instructing is not the only option though. I also quit a "proper" career to live full time in the mountains. I've deliberately chosen to never worked a job that interferes with ski time. Of course if instruction is something you enjoy and want to do full time to for it.

Quote:

If you want to improve your skiing and have a fun winter, becoming a ski instructor is a great option for some people.


The idea of being stuck on an instructor course learning how to teach snow ploughs when I could be skiing exactly what I want isn't my idea of fun. Of course some people enjoy that and those are the kind of people that should become instructors. My advice isn't don't become an instructor, it's simply spend a bit of time researching it and decide if it's what you really want to do before blindly jumping in. Perhaps just my experience but seen plenty of people regret it as they didn't know what they were getting into, so try to make sure others don't make the same mistake.

Quote:

30 winters of instructing later I am nowhere near the top 1000 in the world, but I am a good all round skier and still enjoy it, which is surely the point?


I suspect you could have got just as good without doing an instructor course. If you enjoy the teaching yes it's definitely something you should do. I'm all for people doing the things they enjoy, for me that's snowboarding so I will choose a job that doesn't eat into my snowboarding time.
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boarder2020 wrote:
@swskier instructing is not the only option though. I also quit a "proper" career to live full time in the mountains. I've deliberately chosen to never worked a job that interferes with ski time. Of course if instruction is something you enjoy and want to do full time to for it.

Quote:

If you want to improve your skiing and have a fun winter, becoming a ski instructor is a great option for some people.


The idea of being stuck on an instructor course learning how to teach snow ploughs when I could be skiing exactly what I want isn't my idea of fun. Of course some people enjoy that and those are the kind of people that should become instructors. My advice isn't don't become an instructor, it's simply spend a bit of time researching it and decide if it's what you really want to do before blindly jumping in. Perhaps just my experience but seen plenty of people regret it as they didn't know what they were getting into, so try to make sure others don't make the same mistake.

Quote:

30 winters of instructing later I am nowhere near the top 1000 in the world, but I am a good all round skier and still enjoy it, which is surely the point?


I suspect you could have got just as good without doing an instructor course. If you enjoy the teaching yes it's definitely something you should do. I'm all for people doing the things they enjoy, for me that's snowboarding so I will choose a job that doesn't eat into my snowboarding time.


I agree as well, instructing isn't for everyone, but for me it's been a good career. As an instructor I could (pre brexit) pick just about any ski country to work in, what other job allows you that flexibility?

Without an instructor course I doubt I would have had the opportunity to ski as much as I have. I am sure it's possible, but for people who haven't grown up skiing it's a good way to get into the industry, and get a solid technical base.
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@jimmer, you and @boarder2020 are just talking past each other.

@boarder2020 doesn't appear to have taken any instructor training. But he's adamantly against it based on the stories he heard from some gap year youth regrets. No amount of positive experience is going to change his mind.

The few who ended up taking ski instruction as a career like @jimmer, I suspect are the minority. Many more finishers of the gap year instructor training never teach, or only do so part time (post retirement?).

But that's the point of gap year. Try something new and see for oneself without actually committing to a degree study. How many people enjoy teaching but never know about it until they have their own kids? How many people spend half their adult life pursuing a career they're indifferent of? While a gap year instructor course isn't for everyone. It may suit many of that age group well enough. They finish the course as a decent skier and a qualification to teach. If you just ski a lot, you can become a good, or even better skier. But you won't be allowed to teach. It's limiting in the opposite direction.

boarder2020 wrote:
If you enjoy the teaching yes it's definitely something you should do.

I'll put it the other way round. If you know you do not enjoy teaching, get your ski training by other venues.


Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Thu 12-08-21 1:31; edited 1 time in total
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 Poster: A snowHead
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I did the Anwarter 30 years ago on the same basis (year off, although i'd actually left uni) with a company that was run by the head of the Thredbo ski school, to provide instructors there. Having your skiing taken apart and rebuilt to pass a test is an excellent way of improving, and, as others have pointed out, will remove your bad habits (especially those that stop you advancing at a more advanced level). I did some more training with SIA, and they are pretty good, and they will try to find you a job.
Having read a little more of the thread, I would point out that Glenn Plake has moved into instrution. I'd love to have a lesson from him.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
abc wrote:
Outside of youth racing teams, how often do you find any training program that is structured to take a relatively inexperienced skier to an advanced level by laying out a good foundation? There're preciously few such training programs for adults.


We at Inside Out Skiing have been doing this for about 12 years now Toofy Grin
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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?
Jeez! @switzerlandstudent asks for some course recommendations and @boarder2020 goes into over-rant! What are you, @switzerlandstudent's disapproving (and rather overbearing) parent?

I mean, a quick comment to flag up a potentially unseen problem is great, helpful, considerate but no need to swamp the thread with negativity like Great Uncle Buzzkill.

You present like it's a binary choice: that unless you are dedicated to the long and arduous path of becoming a mountain child-herder, there's no point doing instructor training and that's simply not true.

My son did a low level instructor course, has never worked a paid instructor session since and there is not a hint of regret. The transferable skills, experience and insight he gained from learning to instruct, made it one of his most worthwhile experiences. His skiing also happened to improve greatly but with hindsight, that was one of the least important benefits.

It's a young dude looking to have fun with his gap year experience: allow it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
i think what boarder trying to point is not the instructor course, but the option to work as an inscructor in a Gap Year
If someone wants to make an instructor career then you have to go through this.
But is someone wants only to learn how he can better skiing, but probalby is not interested for a instructor career, is not the best option to loose the time of the GAP year teaching children everyday.

Of course if you dont know exactly if you like teaching or not, then the only solution is "go for it"....

Or i am missing something?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
One thing often overlooked is that employers value people who can demonstrate enabling initially nervous clients across a wide age/ability/niceness range to improve and even start enjoying themselves. If these skills are learned during a gap year doing something that you enjoy, then you are going to be ahead of the majority of your peers.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Hi all, thank you very much for all the information. It’s been very useful!

To clarify a few things:

- I am female, not doing this in order to gain bragging rights and not currently looking to make this my main career.

- Instead, I am looking to do an instructor course in particular given the wide range of lessons I would learn and skill sets I could acquire as I prepare to move forward in life. I am not a complete beginner but have not yet reached the level that many courses require. Despite this, I do have enough experience to know that skiing is something that I enjoy and would love to be able to share that with others.

- From past experience I know that I enjoy teaching those with a variety of skill levels, including beginners, in subjects that I am passionate about.

- I do enjoy working with children, which it seems is a good thing, and am very happy to repeat the basics as much as necessary in order both to improve and to help me help others improve.

- My parents relocated to Switzerland unexpectedly as covid hit, meaning that I have been presented with an unforeseen opportunity in my year between school and university to take advantage of living closer to the alps than I ever thought I would.

- I have always intended to do some form of voluntary work or similar on my gap year. As life has brought me to the mountains and to partake in a sport I have always enjoyed, I would like to take full advantage of that opportunity whilst also improving my skill set should I ever wish to make use of my qualifications in the future.

I have already been in touch with a couple of the schools mentioned and am very grateful for all the suggestions and advice. As you say, not a decision to be made lightly and you have helped me to fully appreciate the pros and cons of taking such a course.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:

i think what boarder trying to point is not the instructor course, but the option to work as an inscructor in a Gap Year
If someone wants to make an instructor career then you have to go through this.
But is someone wants only to learn how he can better skiing, but probalby is not interested for a instructor career, is not the best option to loose the time of the GAP year teaching children everyday


Yep. Can't believe it's such a controversial opinion. If someone wants to teach go for it, although I'd still recommend shadowing a few lessons to make sure it's what you really want to do before committing. If you just want to maximise time on snow, or even improve your own skiing there are imo better alternatives - which isn't the same as saying an instructor course is completely useless or won't help your own skiing.

Quote:

My son did a low level instructor course, has never worked a paid instructor session since and there is not a hint of regret. The transferable skills, experience and insight he gained from learning to instruct, made it one of his most worthwhile experiences. His skiing also happened to improve greatly but with hindsight, that was one of the least important benefits.


Like you say it's not a binary choice. For example I know someone that went out to do a winter season and got a job in a restaurant as a line cook. They didn't have to shell out for an expensive course, in fact they earned money. They gained a lot of experience and transferable skills (in fact now work as a chef). Their skiing also improved greatly. I could probably say something similar for 90% of people that go and do a winter season and work any job. (The 10% are the ones that skiing doesn't improve because they do a job like nanny where ski time is minimum).

Quote:

It's a young dude looking to have fun with his gap year experience: allow it.


Get a bar job. No course fees, free drinks, extremely sociable, days are free to ski (if you're not too hungover). That's a fun way to spend a gap year. Laughing
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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!
Actually, the “boring” part of instructor’s day can turn out to be the best part of the job.

People take lessons, in which instructors show you some new skills. The expectation is you go practice the new skills on your own. Some of those skills are itself boring, like pivot slips Sad How many punters actually go back and do the drill on their own “as expected” by the instructor? And they wonder why they haven’t improved in leaps and bounces. wink

Working as an instructor would have you demonstrating those very basic skills to your students over and over and over... Guess what? You just DID the amount of practice as your coach expect you to do!

I didn’t become an instructor to improve my own skiing. I did it because I quite like working with children and enjoy teaching. I skied reasonably well prior to that. But a couple seasons later, my own skiing improved quite a bit! snowHead I suspect it could be because I did a lot of the basic drills and practice which I would never have bothered to do while free skiing.
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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.
@switzerlandstudent, Do it. Your mindset and situation is perfect for it. The only doubt would be whether you're a good enough skier to pass the course if it's early in the season but even if you're not you'll improve tremendously.

You haven't said what the timings are but if it's possible I would spend most of the season getting comfortable on a pair of skis in all conditions with the odd bit of instruction and then do the course as late as possible. Most people fail instructor courses either on bumps or carving so if you spend 10 weeks or so working on those you'll be fine.

The people i've seen fail gap year courses are usually the ones who attended because they wanted something "cool" to put on their CV rather than because they love skiing. I don't think that applies to you.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
boarder2020 wrote:
and the ski bums are better than 90% of the instructors.

You need to qualify what level of instructor, Correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to recall from other threads that you've spent most of your ski career in Canada. In Ca you can teach on the mountain with a CSIA 1 (and a large proportion of instructors are that level because they're on a gap course with guaranteed employment) so of course the ski bums are better than them.

I have full respect for long term ski bums ('cause they're better than me) but in Europe there's a much higher proportion of higher qualified instructors and you'd most likely need to have 10+ seasons under your belt to be better than a Full Cert (CSIA 4 equivalent) instructor.
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