 Poster: A snowHead
|
Swiss papers are reporting a severe shortage of ski instructors in Switzerland at the moment and the superb conditions are stretching ski school resources to their limits in the face of the highest level of demand for years. One reason is that the universities have brought forward the start of their summer semester to 18 Feb, which means the ski schools will be losing the students they normally rely on just at the busiest time of the season... The Swiss Ski School in Zermatt is still looking for 15-20 instructors, Engelberg will be short by a massive 120 instructors for the February school holidays. Apparently many German instructors would like to fill the gap but the German instructing qualifications are often not recognised.
http://www.20min.ch/news/kreuz_und_quer/story/26968143
http://www.20min.ch/news/luzern/story/18803211
(both in German only I'm afraid)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
They should recognise those qualifications. Most ski teaching - in fact, the vast bulk - is very straightforward.
There's no point in over-qualifying people or applying silly restrictions, when most of the time instructors are just teaching people up to plough turn or parallel. It's not rocket science.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
David Goldsmith, well said
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
On a similar theme (importing foreign resources)
| Quote: |
LONDON (AFP) - British police dog handlers are learning to give orders to their animals in German after bosses decided to import Alsatians because of a shortage of suitable animals here, media reports said Friday.
A trial of the German dogs by Derbyshire Police in east central England has been deemed a success, prompting 16 other forces to recruit the canines at 2,000 pounds (2,600 euros, 3,900 dollars) each.
But the imports cannot understand commands in English, the Daily Telegraph said. "If you say, 'let go' in English, they just look at you like you are crazy," one dog handler told the newspaper.
Handlers have had to learn a series of orders in German, including "sitz" (sit), "platz" (down), "aus" (let go), "holen" (fetch) and "bissen" (bite).
A Derbyshire Police spokeswoman told the Press Association news agency said they were attempting to get the dogs to respond to English.
"We are repeating the German commands in English so they are becoming bilingual," she added.
Police have opted for German Alsatians as they are deemed to be more efficient and obedient than those bred in Britain because of a strict breeding regime.
|
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080111/tod-britain-germany-police-animals-langu-6058bda_1.html
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
A very simple solution would be to pay a living wage, they might attract a few more instructors who want to eat as well as ski.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
jbob, unfortunately that's a pretty good point. Very few people are really able to instruct for any more than three (maybe four) years before they realise that they can't actually live their life on that kind of money (fairly similar to a shelf stacker I believe). Some people are lucky in as much as their profession is one where well paid contractual work is available, so can pretty much survive on their 6 or 7 months of summer work to see them through the season.
David Goldsmith, I've always found it odd how someone can be seen as qualified (and often experienced) to teach a beginner to ski in one country, but for some reason s/he is totally inadequate in another country - surely the Swiss aren't that much harder to teach than the Germans... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I heard from our Swiss friends they were booking in the children for ski school and reported that spaces had been very tight already - it must be murder in the larger resorts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| jbob wrote: |
| A very simple solution would be to pay a living wage, they might attract a few more instructors who want to eat as well as ski. |
Absolutely right. My current lifestyle doesn't allow me to teach full time, I'd love to, but I simply couldn't afford to. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Well someone is making serious money, an instructor or a guide is in the region of 250 - 300 euros. I would have thought that at least half this went to the person who is doing the instruction and that would be enough to live on. Or am I wrong !!.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kel, I'm not sure about guides, but you're seriously wrong about instructors. Somewhere between $9 and $20 (£5-10) per hour in Canada...
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| skisimon wrote: |
| Kel, I'm not sure about guides, but you're seriously wrong about instructors. Somewhere between $9 and $20 (£5-10) per hour in Canada... |
No I'm not, try France
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Kel, France is the exception and pay decent wages.
In a top resort in Switzerland last year, basic level instructors were picking up £5-£8 an hour, thats £30 for a typical 6 hour day, and nothing if there was no client.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
does anyone know what ESF pay their instructors for a season?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Is the instruction in Switzerland as expensive as it is in France !!.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Just a thought, would a BASI qualified ski instructor get a job with the ESF. As far as I can see this is pretty much a closed shop, exclusively for Local people, or again I could be wrong.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Sat 12-01-08 21:07; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
I very much doubt a foriegner could get a job especially with ESF. Judging by the rest of Frances prefrencial treatment to French people and the fact its a very French organisation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Kel, The cost in Switzerland is similar to France, a suitably BASI qualified person can and do get a jobs with ESF.
Christopher, I am not sure but its around £20k, yes ESF is very French, as is most of France which is why I like it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| jbob wrote: |
| Christopher, I am not sure but its around £20k, yes ESF is very French, as is most of France which is why I like it. |
Thats a very good wage for just a season.
Same, i like the country a lot. Thats another reason why i have never skied in any of the big usine du ski.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| jbob wrote: |
Kel, The cost in Switzerland is similar to France, a suitably BASI qualified person can and do get a jobs with ESF.
Christopher, I am not sure but its around £20k, yes ESF is very French, as is most of France which is why I like it. |
jbob, I have never even heard of a British instructor working for ESF and as for 20k its seasonal most of them go back to there regular job after Easter and don't return till Xmas. No way will 4 Months pay £20k they do it for the lifestyle and good luck to them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lucky You.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
As EU citizens we have the right to work in another EU country, but each country can set its own standards. In Scotland we have set standards for school teachers trained in other countries (minimum of appropriate degree plus training for secondary teachers) . Similarly countries will set their ski-teaching standards. As I understand it, and stand to be corrected if I've got it wrong, the requirement to instruct long-term in France is set high at Diploma level (old BASI 1) including the Eurotest, but you can teach for up to 3 years as a Ski Teacher (old BASI 2) and can be taken on as a "stagière" as a Ski Instructor (old BASI 3). In the latter two instances, I think you are expected to be training towards the next step up. Andorra, on the other hand, requires you to be an Alpine Ski Instructor plus an additional number of hours training.
Of course, having the right to work in a country doesn't mean anyone is obliged to give you a job.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
And of course Switzerland is outside the EU and so can determine its own policies (though it can and does adopt some EU directives and regulations). Lucky them. I don't think Switzerland is obliged to employ non-Swiss, even if the latter are appropriately qualified, in EU terms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I think that rather misses the point. The Swiss may not be "obliged to employ non-Swiss", but they're somewhat obliged to offer ski instruction if they want to sustain a successful tourist industry.
Imagine turning up at a ski resort as a beginner and being told by the ski school "Sorry, we can't offer you anything. You'll have to slide around by yourself."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Ronald wrote: |
| ....your skiing equipment (which does suffer from even 'simple' snowplowing in front of a childrens class) |
It's not the equipment that gets me, its the effect on my hips 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
ccl, Be a better instructor, less plowing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
