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Taking a Gap Year

Published: Sep 16 '08

Gap year benefits

Taking a gap year used to be perceived as all about backpacking and getting a suntan on a beach in Thailand.

Myles, teaching in Zermatt after qualifying in Argentina with Peak Leaders says ‘More recently students, parents and the wider business and academic communities are recognising the benefits of taking a more constructive approach to organising a gap year – particularly if there are internationally recognised qualifications like BASI for snowsports and PADI for scuba diving along the way.’

Not only is the possibility of gaining more qualifications highly attractive, but during a structured course you’ll develop maturity, self-reliance and should improve their financial management. Enhanced people, social and leadership skills also follow from joining a crew of new people in a different culture. Most importantly you’ll have the time of your life!

A constructive gap year is recognized as an immense asset both in the competitive jobs’ market and by many universities who prefer their students to arrive in university life equipped with a degree of proven independence and maturity.

Jessica Kiddle of the Scotsman writes: “Taking a gap year offers much needed post exam respite before launching into the next stage of your life, but back in the real world, it is not enough simply to take a gap year. Your position will be much stronger if your C.V. demonstrates you’ve had a constructive time.”

Gap year ideas

Tom on his gap year in Canada. ‘Peak Leaders’ Ski and Snowboard courses ensure you will be doing anything but ‘bumming around’ in your gap year.’ Whilst experiencing life in another culture such as in Canada, New Zealand, South America, or Switzerland you will be improving technical skills, gaining snowsports’ qualifications, increasing your understanding of mountain environments, safety and team leading. You will also be learning about yourself. This is in tandem with a lot of fun along the way with people who’ll become friends for life.

Even if you aren’t planning a full gap year and want a 9 week summer break before University starts in September / October, Peak Leaders’ southern hemisphere courses, with the emphasis on travel and adventure as well as learning life skills, could be perfect.

Gap year courses

Peak Leaders have planned their courses to give you the option of qualifying either in summer ( New Zealand or Argentina or Switzerland) or winter ( Canada, Austria or Switzerland) This flexibility means you can fit in a course or have your gap experience in the summer holidays from July – October, before or during your time at university or qualify during the northern hemisphere winter season January – March.

For example, when your school / uni exams are out of the way in June / July you could head south to Argentina or New Zealand. Returning to the UK as a qualified instructor in October, you are either in time for the new academic year or home just to fling your gear into the washing machine before jetting off to a job in November in Canada or Europe.

On the other hand, should you have other plans for the summer of your gap year, then a winter course from December or January in Canada, Switzerland or France learning to be a ski or snowboard instructor is the better option. You could be qualified by the end of February and finish the season working as an instructor ( Call Peak Leaders for further info ). You could also opt to travel to the southern hemisphere in June to chase the snow and fit in some work experience as a ski or snowboard instructor before going to university in the autumn

Gap courses with Peak Leaders

Argentina

In the spectacular Andes of South America, you can become a BASI ski or snowboard instructor. Peak Leaders work with a team of dedicated Argentine ski and snowboard instructors from the Alpine Club Bariloche.

You can learn spoken Spanish but it is not all work- you go to vibrant Buenos Aires, visit Evita’s house, watch and learn to tango, travel across Patagonia to the picturesque city of Esquel; ride out with gauchos and see the Andes on horseback and swim in natural thermal pools.

With the qualifications from the course added to your C.V. you will be ready to apply with confidence for a job as ski or snowboard instructor the following winter in North America or Europe.

New Zealand

You can train to be a NZSIA qualified ski or a snowboard instructor at Coronet Peak, Queenstown. Queenstown is renowned as the adventure capital of the world and home of the famous Shotover River jet, bungee jumping and white water rafting.

Technical training is at Coronet Peak 5 days a week with back country and advanced training at The Remarkables. You take a Certificate in Snowsport Instruction followed by the NZSIA Stage 1 Instructor Course.

When the snowsports’ training is over, you can opt to join the popular 2 week trip to Australia to snorkel off the Great Barrier Reef, hot air balloon, trek the Australian outback, learn about the ecology of the Coral Sea and conservation of the oldest tropical rainforest in the world.

The NZSIA qualification is internationally recognised and many of the successful Peak Leaders from the NZ course get jobs in Sunshine Village Canada the following season

Canada – Whistler

Whistler gives you the opportunity to experience some of the finest powder on 2 huge mountains in Canada’s #1 resort and party town.

Top Canadian professional coaches prepare you for the Level 1 and 2 examinations. You have the flexibility to gain experience with the ski school, do freestyle, adaptive ski, and race coach modules or switch disciplines so that you are an instructor in both skiing and snowboarding.

Weekends are for eating out in downtown Whistler with all your new mates. Unlike other courses in Whistler, flights & weekday evening meals are also included. Optional trips are almost too numerous to list – firm favourites are heli skiing, cat-skiing, snowmobiling and the trip to Vancouver to see the Ice Hockey.

Canada – Whistler Improver Camp

For those taking a gap year who can’t make the 12 week course, Peak Leaders are running a 4 week course in Whistler, leading to Canadian level 1 qualifications. It is all about lifestyle and taking advantage of some of Canada’s top performance coaches. You will be trained to ride on piste, steeps, gullies and your coaches will prepare you for Level 1 examinations. This course is competitively priced but retains the Peak Leaders quality approach to running training courses.

Canada – Banff

This course gives your C.V. the maximum boost especially if you want to move into the snowsports’ industry. You are taught by top Canadian pros based at Sunshine Village – more than 20 hours per week with video sessions and ski school experience.

Your coach focuses on developing your personal skill level and makes sure you are fully prepared for the instructor exams.

Unique to Peak Leaders are certificates in team leading (ILM Level 3), resort guiding and an introduction to ski patrolling. Also available is a certificate in first aid and an avalanche awareness course.

Banff is a great place to be based with Canadian ‘wild west’ culture at its best. There are still some ‘old style pioneers’ kicking around town. Optional trips include – retail therapy and ice hockey trip to Calgary, snowmobiling and trip to Kicking Horse.

Switzerland – Zermatt

The world famous Matterhorn towers above the village where you live for 10 weeks.

Training is carried out by the official Swiss Snowsports School in Zermatt (founded 1929). Top Swiss professionals train you to take BASI examinations.

In week 3 you sit your Trainee instructor course with BASI and the Instructor Training Course is run at the end of your programme. Most successful students will be offered jobs in Swiss resorts the following season.

You stay in comfortable modern apartments near the après action and a short distance from the Sonnenblick where we meet and eat together.

What makes this course unusual is that it is endorsed by BASI and the Federation of Swiss Snowsport Instructors with the aim of providing a pool of BASI-qualified instructors for employment in Switzerland with English speaking clients.

Switzerland – Verbier

If you’re thinking of spending your gap year qualifying as a ski or snowboard instructor and are wanting a ski job in Switzerland read on…

Peak Leaders working with European Snowsport Verbier will train you to be a BASI instructor and help you find a job in Switzerland.

The course is for 11 weeks and you’ll be based in the town of Verbier. During the course, you’ll train to become a BASI Ski Instructor specifically with a view to gaining work experience with European Snowsport. Along the way, you’ll have time to party with people in Verbier who’ll become friends for life.

This course is for a small number of dedicated skiers only who wish to excel in their chosen sport.

Switzerland – Saas Fee

Our 9 week course in Saas Fee is great for those Gap year people who are wanting to get their qualifications in time for the following European winter… read on for details,

The course is perfect for completing BASI Level 2 in time to teach for the whole winter season. We hope to secure job opportunities with European Snowsport in Zermatt or Verbier on passing Level 2. You can also do an introduction to Freestyle – and take advantage of Saas Fee’s awesome park and pipe.Breakfast & dinner included along with 3 star hotel accommodation.

Austria – St Anton

The austria course is 4 weeks long and designed for those who want to get to work in a ski school after only 4 weeks.

The mountains of the Austrian Tyrol have some of the finest skiing and snowboarding in the world. Peak Leaders have teamed up with the Arlberg Ski School in St Anton to deliver a 4 week, pre-Christmas course taking you to Austrian Ski Instructor level 1.

There is a guaranteed work scheme offering employment in St Anton plus free accommodation, if you want to stay on for the season as an Austrian Ski Instructor. Although the course is mainly in English, you will need to have a working knowledge of German or take part in our German lessons during the course.

Gap year instructor training

The New Zealand and Argentina courses both include 20 hours per week coaching, instructor qualifications, mountain safety, certificate in first aid, avalanche awareness, team leading training, park and pipe skills, risk assessment, ski patrol introduction and a ski/board maintenance clinic plus cultural, fun trips out.

Gap year Instructor courses in Europe and Canada with Peak Leaders usually include 20 hours per week coaching, mountain safety, a certificate in first aid, avalanche awareness, team leading, an introduction to park and pipe, risk assessment, ski patrol and a ski/board tuning clinic.
Gap year jobs and beyond

Helen & Rob working as instructors after the gap year course. With a good cv and advance planning, you could spend part of your gap year in a ski school working as a ski or snowboard instructor. ( See in particular our Verbier course details – above.) Peak Leaders will offer advice about how best to apply for jobs and where to find good employment opportunities.

For many trainees who go onto university, full time work as a ski instructor or a snowboard instructor is not their career choice. That doesn’t mean, however, that the qualifications are redundant when your gap year is over.

During the long university holidays, students can work in the Alps or in summer head south to New Zealand and Australia. Whilst enjoying either the Alps or Antipodean life, they can fund their time through instructing / working in a resort. ( Please note, instructing jobs in New Zealand are in high demand and limited in number. Contact Peak Leaders for advice. )

Back at uni during term time, many students get part time jobs such as bar work which is likely to pay only minimum wage. If, however, your Uni is near a dry ski slope / dome, you could get a job teaching and be paid much better. Andy, from Peak Leaders Canada 04 ski instructor course, got a job at his local dry ski slope and managed to buy himself a car with the proceeds.

Beyond University, if you have had these kinds of jobs, your C.V. will read very positively to prospective employers. Not only are the qualifications impressive anyway but the added value of evidence of having used your initiative to gain work experience and earn in the real world, will put your streets ahead of less experienced competition.

The mature gapper

A growing number of older students or people on a career break are looking longingly at gap market providers for ideas and encouragement. Peak Leaders welcomes the older gapper and there are a range of options open. The new Career break zone is dedicated to ideas and advice for the mature gapper.

Gap Year Leader

All courses have a qualified leader on site throughout. The job of the leader is to act as mentor to ensure you get the most from your course.

By the end of your course your skiing or riding should have improved beyond expectation and you’ll have many new skills gained with folks who become friends for life.

Gap Year Accreditation

ILM Governed by the Year Out Group, working with the FCO, International Snowsport bodies, accredited by the Institute of Leadership & Management and Snowsport Scotland. ATOL flight cover is provided.

Why choose a gap course with Peak Leaders?

Peak Leaders courses are designed to create balance between the hard work necessary to gain maximum qualifications and having fun on a life enhancing experience full of good memories. Peak Leaders trainees benefit hugely from the company Chad, Stef & James on the New Zealand gap year coursedirectors developing the programmes from first hand experience of years of leading mountain expeditions and teaching. During the course itself, you’ll gain the all round knowledge essential for working a winter season with help after to find a job. You’ll get more hours coaching on and off the hill per week than other courses and whether you go on to work in the snowsports’ industry or not, your technique will improve beyond recognition. You’ll get excellent accommodation and food (no bunk beds nor shopping in expensive supermarkets and trailing home with plastic bags to cook after a knackering day on the hill!). You’ll also get the option of those trips out to experience the local culture. Return flights from the UK (Argentina & Canada) and transfers are included.

Peak Leaders courses focus on personal development and the acquisition of skills for both immediate employment and for life. Trainees can develop their own plans around the Peak Leaders’ core programme and ethos with the assistance of the course leader. Individual goals and requirements are regularly assessed and met.

We have gathered together teams of top ski and snowboard professionals. You get job advice and are put in touch with prospective employers round the world. Peak Leaders courses deliver an excellent range of vocational and transferable skills providing a strong basis for gaining employment in similar or complementary fields. Whether you go on to lead groups of skiers or board meetings, you will have gained a powerful insight into yourself and will understand your strengths and weaknesses.

What are Peak Leaders Gap Courses really like?

If you want the inside track it on a Peak Leaders course straight from the horses’ mouths, check out the course diaries.

Travel – Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s top ten tips for Gappers:

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office offer useful advice for young travellers. Here are their top ten tips for what you should bear in mind when planning your gap year:

Insurance: It can happen to you, so take out insurance. Make sure it’s comprehensive and covers you for medical and repatriation costs as well as any dangerous sports or activities.

  1. Local Knowledge: Read up on local laws and customs to avoid offending people or breaking local laws, however unwittingly. Check out the FCO Travel Advice. Tel: 0845 850 2829
  2. Check Visas: Ensure you have the correct visas. If you plan to work outside of the EU, obtain a valid work permit before you go.
  3. Gap year placements: Many organisations charge money to arrange gap year placements. Make sure that you have adequately researched the organisation(s) involved.
  4. Health Aware: Check out what jabs and health care you need with your GP at least six weeks before you set off.
  5. Drugs: When it comes to drugs, be aware of the consequences. Using drugs abroad can carry heavy penalties, including the death sentence; and being a British citizen won’t get you out of jail.
  6. Alcohol: If you are going to drink alcohol, know your limit. Accidents are more likely after using alcohol or drugs and as well as the pain and embarrassment, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.
  7. Be Vigilant: Keep an eye on your belongings and lock valuables away. Be careful when you’re out and about – the beach and crowded streets are favourite places to catch you unawares. Make copies of your tickets, passport, insurance policy (plus 24-hour emergency number), itinerary and contact details and leave one at home – just in case. Stay aware of what is going on around you and keep away from situations with which you do not feel comfortable.
  8. Take Enough Money: British consular staff can’t send you home for free if you run out, so ensure you have a return ticket, or enough funds to buy one.
  9. Keep in Touch: Consider taking a roam-enabled mobile phone with you and use e-mail to keep in touch. Leave details of your travel itinerary with your family and friends; tell them of any change of plan.

Peak Leaders UK Ltd is a member of the ‘Year Out Group’ and encourages all young travelers to check out the FCO’s (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) ‘ Know Before You Go Campaign.’

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