Courses – Types of Trainees
WHO GOES ON A COURSE?
People take a Peak Leaders course for a lot of reasons and, of course, everyone’s different. Some people want to retrain, others want a break, some want a challenge, and plenty of people do it just because they love skiing and they had an opportunity to spend a winter getting better at it.
Naturally there are a greater number of trainees who are younger, but whilst that is the main trend each course can vary hugely from year to year.
We have seen a big shift in the past few seasons with a very equal gender balance becoming regular – even the odd course with more female trainees than male. Generally speaking about 50% – 60% of participants are male and 40%-50% female.
But we find that generally speaking trainees (male or female) fall into four categories…
A GAP COURSE
THE PERFECT BREAK BEFORE UNIVERSITY (OR AFTER)
Taking a gap year should be more than a break from studying. We create once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to give you unforgettable experiences.
As an added bonus on all of our courses you’ll be able to fill your CV with transferable skills gained on your gap year that can put you ‘top of the pile’ when applying for your first job.
Getting qualified as a ski instructor requires a lot of commitment to learning and training. You’ll learn new skills and be able to prove that you’ve got what it takes to challenge yourself, you’ve got the patience to teach and when you need to you can lead as well – all skills employers often look for.
Peak Leaders has designed every instructor training programme so you get the most out of your time with us, boosting your future career opportunities. And our courses can lead to real jobs in the industry. Even living in another country and culture makes you stand out from the crowd.
And if you’re interested in adding a language course – just ask us about that, too.
Oli, Ski Instructor Course, Verbier
“It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had! I got to ski in awesome conditions and pushed my skills to the max – and I got my qualification and made friends for life.”
A CAREER BREAK
GET AN OFFICE WITH A VIEW
Sometimes the best thing for your career is to get away from it. Take a pause and get some much needed time to look at everything objectively. And a ski instructor course can be the perfect way to take stock and plan for the future while you do something you love.
Sabbaticals are becoming more and more regular reasons for people to join a course, achieving something in a completely different field can really help you recognise skills you never realised you had. It’ll certainly give you a chance to take a step back and see things from a different perspective.
And if you’re taking six months or a year out, then working as an instructor gives you the opportunity to teach in some of the most beautiful locations in the world, meet some amazing people and get paid to think about what happens next…
Liz, Ski Instructor Course, Verbier
“The feeling of waking up every morning and seeing the mountains stretched out in front of you was just incredible.”
A NEW CAREER
CARVING OUT A NEW CAREER PATH…
Getting to grips with every single detail of technique, teaching and reading the mountain (as well as reading people) are essential if your training for a new career. A Peak Leaders course is the perfect way to make that leap and start training for your dream job.
The fact that you’ll be trained and coached by career ski instructors means you will always have experts on hand to ask about the industry, help you plan your next steps and crucially advise you on applying for ski instructor jobs.
There’s a lot to think about and choosing your first resort and first employer after getting your Level 2 can be a vital and tricky choice. So we can get you on the radar of ski school directors looking to hire.
In fact we expect all trainees to go on to work as instructors, that’s why we’ve designed courses that are professional and focussed on going all the way and achieving your goals in the industry.
Our partners, Element Ski School, also run a Level 3 training programme in Verbier. So if you’re planning on making a career from ski instructing we recommend continuing and advancing your training by aiming to complete the BASI Level 3 ISIA.
The Concept training package has been designed to fit around the BASI Level 3 calendar of exams and gives you the chance to work while you train for your next level in the ski instructing.
It’s a the perfect way to take your skiing forward, developing the skills and technique that you’ve been working on during your Peak Leaders course.
Adam, Ski Instructor Course, Bariloche
“I knew getting onto the right instructor training programme would make all the difference to the start of my career. The Peak Leaders course completely met all my expectations and I feel 100% ready to go out and teach.”
LEAVING THE FORCES
SWAP TAKING ORDERS FOR TEACHING LESSONS
It can be a big jump leaving the forces and looking at heading back into civilian life, but ski teaching is an increasingly popular option. In fact, after years of working with people coming from military backgrounds we’ve found the ex-forces trainees can make some of the best instructors.
Naturally, life as a ski instructor couldn’t be more different from military life, but it’s amazing how transferable a lot of the skills are. Ski teaching can take those skills learnt in the military – especially the focus and commitment that comes with experience of training – and transfer them into a new career.
Naturally having more life experience and a few more years under your belt is a massive benefit too, and means you’re also a more attractive employment proposition for ski school directors too.
Please note: We cannot currently use ELCAS funding as we are reapplying. Get in touch to find out more.
Greg, Ski Instructor Course, Verbier
“The training was leagues ahead of what I expected – I was looking forward to the gap course but the attention to detail from the very first day has been excellent.”
Answers to loads of your Frequently Asked Questions
What do past trainees say about the courses?
Find out what makes our courses different
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