Taking a career break

If redundancy is looming on the horizon and the credit crunch is catching up with you, perhaps it's time you thought about using the redundancy pay off for more than just an extended holiday. By undertaking a Peak Leaders course, you'll have the best of both worlds. You'll be able to spend about 4-12 weeks in one of the top resorts of the world and come away with CV enhancing qualifications too. Our instructor training programs are designed to get you qualified as a ski or snowboard instructor, so you could ride out the credit storm as an instructor and return when the job market has improved...or maybe you'll not want to come back! Here's a flavour of our courses on offer.

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.

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

Whistler – Short Course

For those taking a shorter career break, what about the 4 week course in Whistler? 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 trainees 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 career break 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. The course is for 11 weeks and you’ll be based in central Verbier in large apartments. There’s the option of upgrading to our partner hotel. During the course, you’ll train to become a BASI Ski or Snowboard Instructor specifically with a view to gaining work experience with European Snowsport.

Verbier is known as an off piste mecca attracting many of the world’s top riders. The town is as famous for its vibrant and chic nightlife and excellent restaurants.

Switzerland – Saas Fee

Leave the grey autumn in the city and escape to the Alps! This is an 8 week course designed to get you qualified in time for the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Saas Fee is known as ‘the pearl of the Alps’ and for good reason. It’s a traditional alpine looking village, car free and has a good variety of shops and bars. There’s plenty to do in Saas Fee in the autumn as it’s a year round resort. The hotel we stay in is really comfortable, the hosts are incredibly welcoming and it’s in a great location.

During the course, you’ll train to become a BASI Ski or Snowboard Instructor. This could be ideal for you if you’re hoping to work in Europe or N.America following the course.

India – Gulmarg.

Combine the extraordinary setting of Kashmir, with guaranteed powder in unspoilt wilderness and you’ve got our unique 2 week powder experience in the Himilayas.

Perfect if you are a strong skier or boarder and want to experience something totally different. There’s the opportunity to take advantage of some fantastic activities, from having a round of golf at the highest golf-course in the world to trying to spot the elusive snow leopard.

We stay in a comfortable hotel with en-suite bathrooms. The hotel has a cosy bar and restaurant serving both Kashmiri and European food. This trip will be a truly memorable experience.