 Poster: A snowHead
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Wear The Fox Hat, is that the thread about a guy who got a job as a social skier but couldn't actually ski 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Spikyhedgehog, I put in the wrong name first time round, it's "dynamite".
boredsurfin, close, he got a job as a guide.
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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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| NAKEDZOOKEEPER wrote: |
| It may mean working a bit more tha originally planned but thats how I spent my seaon and the only regret I have is not puling myself out of bed earlier on my days off. |
I thought the idea of a gap year was to ski, not working your tail off at a ski resort. No?
Think about how many days/hours you can work and still have energy to ski "on your day off", and how many "day off" you actually ended up having to actually ski.
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Exactly, that's another reason I'm kinda rearing towards just earning the money before I go and then just enjoying my time there.
I mean, if things go as planned this is the only time I'll be able to do a season before I retire!
I'd quite like to make the most of it.
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Maybe you could work very hard and earn a lot of money. Work in the City and save your money for skiing holidays. Alternatavely you could get a guiding job with a TO, get accomodation, lift pass, insurance and a small salary and have a ball.
The city awaits after college!!! Go for it!
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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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Hehe, the plan also involves retiring at 30. Or not.. 
I have no aspirations to become a city banker either, am doing mechanical engineering at uni and will go on to become a chartered engineer. Then we'll see what happens after than.
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| Quote: |
And to be honest, I think it would be very difficult for me to find a ski related (read, responsibility) job at my age/experience?
Or am I wrong.
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No, you're entirely right. I suspect that a lot of the old farts dishing out advice on here have forgotten what it's like being 18. (WTFH certainly has.  ) Your most likely TO options are KP/NP, hotel staff, chalet assistant or possibly bar if you get yourself a bit of experience (my barman last season was the same age as you). All of these options would give you at least 5/6 days a week on the hill.
Don't turn up in resort in November unless you're going to Chamonix or catching the Mondial in 2Alpes - you'll get run down by the tumbleweeds.
You could always apply for a few jobs and see if you like what you're offered before making a decision.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Spikyhedgehog wrote: |
Hey all, new here. Nice to see such a collection of ski adicts.
Basically, I'm 18 and am looking to do a Season in my gap year between finishing A levels and going to Uni (2007/08 season). I don't know anyone else who skis to the same level as me and is interested in doing a season, so I'll probably look at going on my own.
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Don't take a gapyear before uni.
Take it after.
You will be older and wiser and will appreciate it more.
Despite the hype, taking a year off pre-uni has many downsides.
In that year, you will forget most of your A-Level knowledge. Your study skills will deteriorate. You will lose momentum. You will be playing catchup right from the start.
And when you return, you will be practically an old duffer among younger kids.
Wait and be patient. Go during the 2011 / 2012 season, when you have your qualis in the bag. That degree will help you get a better job (e.g. temporary hotel accountant) and leave more time for riding.
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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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I was originally going to do this, but my degree requires me to go straight into work after I've finished in order to gain chartered engineering status.
I have things organised for summer 2008 so that isn't really an option. I have a fairly decent drive anyway and if I really want something I'll work for it.
I'd also rather pay off my debts as soon as humanly possible after uni, and not go spending alot more on skiing trips, and hey, I'll probably want to take a year out after uni as well I'll be so addicted to skiing! 
I'm not in a small minority taking a gap year so I can't see how I'll be older than everyone else.
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Spikyhedgehog,
I did the research on this a couple of years ago for a relative - Here's a few points from him and his mates - Apologies if they have been covered already.
Don't forget to plan and budget for insurance, if it is not being covered by your employer. If you race, it will be harder to find.
If you have no required skills, work permits for Canada seem to be non-existent, except through the BUNAC scheme. You have to be a student for that. Not sure if a gappy qualifies. Accommodation is difficult and expensive in the resorts, but lots of (badly-paid) work is available.
NZ and Australia allow British youngsters working-holiday permits with few strings. There seem to be a fair few jobs around in NZ, especially if you can fix accommodation in the local town e.g. Wanaka or Queenstown. Accommodation and living costs are cheap. Pay rates lowish. Resort accommodation is limited and pricey. They seem short of people with ski-related skills esp. instructors. In Oz, they always seem to need instructors, but I don't know about other work.
Split-shift work gives you the most time on the slopes in relation to working hours, if you don't have to travel. Instructing, and other day-time work gets in the way of decent ski-ing.
In Norway and Sweden, quite a lot of employers will not be too worried if you don't speak the local language. Most people speak good English and you can get by. Wage rates are high, as are living expenses. No work permit required for British Citizens.
A bit of total immersion does wonders for language skills.
I know quite a few people who have done live-in hotel work. They applied directly to the hotels in a likely-looking resort.
Above all - do it and have some fun. Oh and send lots of emails and piccys home.
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You know it makes sense.
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After a bit more research I found that canadian visas are very hard to come by and I think i've missed the boat anyway. So I'm kinda discounting that thought.
NZ and Oz are a bit out of the question as the season is the complete wrong time, and I've got stuff planned for the summer. (volunteering in Africa).
What do you mean by split-shift work? Morning then evening, or two evening shifts? I guess as a chalet rep or similar if would be the former.
I never considered Norway and Sweden. Food for thought. 
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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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| Spikyhedgehog wrote: |
I was originally going to do this, but my degree requires me to go straight into work after I've finished in order to gain chartered engineering status.
I have things organised for summer 2008 so that isn't really an option. I have a fairly decent drive anyway and if I really want something I'll work for it.
I'd also rather pay off my debts as soon as humanly possible after uni, and not go spending alot more on skiing trips, and hey, I'll probably want to take a year out after uni as well I'll be so addicted to skiing!
I'm not in a small minority taking a gap year so I can't see how I'll be older than everyone else. |
About 80 - 90% of UK students do not take a pre-uni gapyear. You will be in the minority when you return.
Uni is an investment, not a debt.
Some institutions encourage their engineering geeks to take a year off before uni, in order to become more rounded individuals. While others recommend that students on quantitative courses, like engineering, go straight from highschool to uni, so their math skills do not degrade.
You should rethink carefully before deciding to go pre- or post-uni.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Fair enough. Must just be in my school then.
True it is an investment, but I'll still be in debt when I come out. Nothing will change that fact.
Alas, my decision is set in stone now because, as I said I have plans for the summer and am going with someone I cannot just say no to.
I have had no pressure put on my by the institutions against taking a gap year, and have had straight offers from all of them.
I'll just have to work that little bit harder I suppose.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Alright. Good luck.
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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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Whitegold,
I think it depends on the individual when best to do it. There's nothing like scrubbing hotel kitchens for a winter to send you back to education with a new enthusiasm, that can be lost in 13 years of schooling. The life skills and self-management skills gained during a gap-year can be invaluable in adapting to uni. Also at 19, you won't be old at uni these days. If you are a bloke, it is a definite advantage to be a year more mature.
Most youngsters seem to be able to lose their 'A' level knowledge and study skills in a summer, let alone a gap year. The answer of course, is to read around the subject in your spare time, and perhaps to learn something new, e.g. a language? It's always worth thinking about your CV. Being able to show that you have used the year productively, is good. Bumming around vaguely doesn't really impress anyone, and it will be hard to get back to work after that.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Spikyhedgehog, I'd disagree with Whitegold, and say that a gap year before uni can have more benefits than disadvantages. The main one is that you will return with a far more mature approach to your studies than those that go straight from school.
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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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I disagree with Whitegold, about doing the gap year AFTER uni, especially when it comes to subject skills. If one loss a bit of your A-level math skill during the gap year, there're 3 years to make it up. But a gap year post-uni will garantee you loss some of you engineering subject skill, which you may have at best 3 WEEKS to make up in your first job! Or you're likely to be shown the door.
The most valueable "momentum" needing preserving is the subject knowledge of the uni degree.
I agree with Elizabeth B and nordicfan, doing a gap year pre-uni has as many, if not more advantages than post-uni.
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Well that's made me feel a little better about my decision.
Phew!
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JFDI.
Incidently, did you work exclusively in ski-hire at Tamworth, or did you get a chance to move around other departments?
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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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Poor you. I suspected as much, most work experience bods end up in ski hire for the duration.... 
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It was ok.
I manged to perfect my 180 off the bottom ridge part where it flattens out for a bit.
The boss was quite nice as well, he let me off early most days.
I think they are a bit too governed by health and safetly/lawsuits etc. I wasn't allowed to adjust peoples ski bindings in case I did it wrong, which I guess is fair enough, but it isn't exactly difficult.. especially when you've got a very clear chart telling you exactly what to do.
Ah well, better than a week down the local tescos!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I did work experience at a ski centre and not only got to do ski hire for the majority of the time but also spent a really absorbing afternoon in the pi**ing rain picking rubbish out from between the Dendex diamonds!!
I'm sure they were all laughing at me!!
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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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Spikyhedgehog, I guarantee that the experience you gain in your Gap Year will make you a lot more successful with the ladies when you get to Uni. Hopefully this will outweigh the handicap of doing Engineering. (If this sounds bizarre you'll know exactly what i mean on both counts in 18 months time)
Re. how it looks on your CV - I do graduate interviewing for a large firm, and a Gap Year of 6 months work, 6 months holiday/travel/ski season would be viewed very positively. Also the average age of our graduates is 24 (though this includes MSc.s and PhDs) so you won't be behind.
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You know it makes sense.
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Spikyhedgehog, I should warn you that Whitegold is talking utter tosh as usual, and you would be unwise to listen to a word he has to say. (Resort accountant a 'better job' indeed. Berk. )
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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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Spikyhedgehog, PS: that sort of Tamworth experience would go some way towards netting you a TO ski tech job if you're up for it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
With the 20:1 male/female ratio you mean
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Spikyhedgehog, go bi. Increases your chances of pulling
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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veeeight, only by 10% though. Ask yourself if it's worth it.
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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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Lizzard, actually by 200%. In 21 eng students you'd have 1 hetero lass (if we ignore the 10% of her that's gay - that's about an arm ), 18 hetero guys and 2 gay guys. So going bi increases his chance from 1/20 to 3/20 (assuming he's not trying to pull himself), i.e. a 200% increase (unless we have to assume the bi is counted in the gay quota, then it's only a 100% increase). Still probably a better bet taking a trip to the nurses home, or media studies centre, though.
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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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Well this is certainly odd.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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GrahamN, unfortunately I understood not a bean of that, as I am rubbish with numbers. I shall ask Mr Lizzard to explain.
I don't think it's likely to persuade the Hedgehog that he fancies boys though.
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Lizzard,
Nor to persuade her that she fancies girls either. I thought that was the point you were making?
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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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| Spikyhedgehog wrote: |
I was originally going to do this, but my degree requires me to go straight into work after I've finished in order to gain chartered engineering status.
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Not quite sure about this as the rules have changed somewhat since I became a CEng, and I'm not sure what rules the IMechE have, but I wouldn't have thought that taking a year of after uni would matter at all. The key thing is you have to show commitment and a number of years of training/broad responsible experience - in fact thinking about it, I did my CEng interview 2 days after arriving back from a ski season!!
I did however delay my (whole!) seasonal skiing habit for a while after uni, primarily because I had no money and a string of job offers which would have been harder to get out of the milk round that happens at uni. In some ways I wished I hadn't put off doing it so long (I was 29 when I did the first one), but one the other hand I'd made some money from share options so could afford to live in a nice place, ski every day, not work, and not worry about the outrageous amount of cash I was spending on beer!
If I'd done a year out after school (I had slightly more money then as I hadn't wasted it all on beer and curry yet- a bit of a theme developing here!!), I reckon I'd have really been struggling, particularly with the maths side - degree level engineering maths is a bit of a leap form A-level maths!
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| Spikyhedgehog wrote: |
With the 20:1 male/female ratio you mean. |
sounds like Chamonix
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FAQ
