# Complete noob, thinking of taking an intensive instructors course



## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

JoeIOC said:


> what's would be the best alternative job to take?
> Thanks!


Receiver


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## tony10 (Jun 15, 2013)

you dont start a race at the finish line... maybe you start off with taking a few lessons instead of assuming you can teach them.


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## koi (May 16, 2013)

you have never been snowboarding or skiing before and you want to teach...honestly, would you want to take lessons from you?

other jobs for you to look at:

Lifeguard-swimming not needed
Nascar driver-Amish welcome
Priest-faith optional
School Counselor-GED optional 

please tell me this is a troll, i would feel better that way. if it isn't a troll you're an idiot. i'm not trying to be mean, just simple truth.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

of course it is hence my male prostitute job position for the OP'er :eusa_clap:

I think we need a mod who's only job it is to delete trolls, I know I can ignore them but sometimes it's fun watching the train wreck of posts even though the OP'er rarely ever post more than 1-2 posts


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## JoeIOC (Jul 27, 2013)

Firstly, no I'm not a troll. Secondly no I'm not an idiot.

Did any of you read and understand my post?
I'm not saying "ooo snowboarding looks fun, I'll teach it without any experience"

I'm considering doing an intensive 9 week course to train to the level of an instructor and become one. I will be out in the snow 5 hours a day 5 days a week if not more if at all possible. It will cost me £5000 which is all the money I currently have, so I'm not thinking about doing this lightly.

I've just finished a 2 year water sports course, although the course was largely theory based we did 4 weeks of practical in the first year, and 3 weeks in the second.

The 4 weeks was enough to become a kayak and canoe instructor and the three weeks was enough for me to become a sailing instructor (sailing is actually harder to pass than Kayaking and canoe)

Also the reply about applying for a lifeguard without being able to swim was a good one


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

OK, I took a sailing course, and there's no comparison with snowboarding. No comment on the other items. Do you think you could become a basketball star with a 9-week intensive course? Sorry for sarcasm, but the point is that snowboarding is one of those sports that involves learning a lot of techniques and developing a lot of muscle memory, plus there's a lot to snowboarding that involves experience gained from riding in different conditions and on different terrain. While there's no question that getting more days in in a short time will make you better faster, there is a very large question about whether or not you'll learn enough to be considered an experienced snowboarder, let alone a competent instructor.

Having said that, I'd _love_ to take a course like that, but I've been snowboarding for 5 years so I have some context.

And then there's the real problem -- you REALLY DON'T KNOW if you'll be any good at it, or even like it. Being athletic is no guarantee. Everyone knows someone who is a long-time black-diamond-level skier who tried snowboarding and couldn't pick it up.

But hey, you might succeed. It's not impossible, it's not even really long odds. But it's like a teenager not bothering to learn academics because he's going to be a rock star so he won't need all that shit. Great if it works out, but huge downside if you turn out to be wrong.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

JoeIOC said:


> Firstly, no I'm not a troll. Secondly no I'm not an idiot.
> 
> Did any of you read and understand my post?
> I'm not saying "ooo snowboarding looks fun, I'll teach it without any experience"
> ...


9 weeks, 5 days a week! 45 days total riding experience.

If you read my signature, I have more days than that this *last* season,.. and YES! The majority of those days were at least 4-5 hours, half were 8-10 hours a day! I've been riding for 2.5 seasons for at least 85-90 days total! I'm a freakin' "_Low Intermediate Rider!_" (   Newly conferred title I might add!!!! :cheeky4: GD!!! ) :laugh:

I would be a disaster trying to teach snowboarding! If that's ALL the money you have in the world? Think twice,.. and then think ten more times!

Search the forum for threads on instructor jobs/resort jobs, etc.. You Aint gonna get rich working for the resort! :dunno:




Donutz said:


> But hey, you might succeed. It's not impossible, it's not even really long odds. But it's like a teenager not bothering to learn academics because he's going to be a rock star so he won't need all that shit.... _huge_ downside if you turn out to be _wrong_.


Hey!!! You read my Auto Biography!!!!! :laugh: :thumbsup:


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

You're sure that there isn't a prerequisite for this course to already be a decent rider and the intensiv training would have the aim to make an instructor out of this already good rider? i.e. to learn teaching techniques and polish your own technique in riding various terrain and tricks and jumps ant whatever an instructor has to know.
45days ar by far (!) not enough to get from noob to this level.


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

£5000 for a 9 week course...???

Guessing that means you are UK based, and i have looked at the courses available, mostly done in Canada or NZ, don't forget you have flights on top of this, and equipment and spending money...

Personally, i would suggest you look for a real snow indoor slope like Hemel, or Milton Keynes in the south or similar in the north and at least do a few lessons there...

Maybe you are a quick learner, maybe you aren't i don't know you, but think you are stretching it without any experience at all, and for what, to instruct where...??? If you think you are going to earn a living in Europe doing this, then i think you are sadly misinformed or mistaken, your best opportunity is seasonal work, and France won't employ you so that is one country out before you even start, most of the guys on here, BA etc will tell you how hard it is to get work at a resort in the US let alone as an instructor...

That leaves you with indoor slopes in the UK, and i think you will find they are very well catered to by staff who have years experience, so you would fall short...

Go and learn, look long and hard before you waste your money, have a couple of holidays over the winter and enjoy snowboarding, and then look at it again...!!!


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## JoeIOC (Jul 27, 2013)

Thanks for your replies, I see the general feeling is not to do it.
Just to clear up, I'm not expecting to be a highly qualified instructor, but a beginners level instructor (kids and stuff).

In water sports you can teach people up to the level you are, I was assuming it would be no different in snowboarding.

The course guarantees a job at the end of it and its in Austria, I've applied for a job working in chalets in the alpes so hopefully ill get some experience that way.

Here's a link to the course if any of you are interested yourselves Ski Instructor Course incl. 100% Job Guarantee with Ski Instructor Academy


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## Deacon (Mar 2, 2013)

JoeIOC said:


> Thanks for your replies, I see the general feeling is not to do it.
> Just to clear up, I'm not expecting to be a highly qualified instructor, but a beginners level instructor (kids and stuff).
> 
> In water sports you can teach people up to the level you are, I was assuming it would be no different in snowboarding.
> ...


I think that sounds like a much better plan. The consensus is not to "not do it" but rather "don't do it YET". Investing your life savings in a venture that you've never even tried seems foolish, to most people here, and most of the people here are old enough to know what they're talking about. I respect that fact that you weathered the initial flaming and came back with a cogent response. Hopefully you will take advantage of the advice and knowledge available on this forum, take small steps with a great end goal in mind, try snowboarding, fall in love, and embrace the lifestyle. 
:thumbsup:


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## koi (May 16, 2013)

The Deacon said:


> I think that sounds like a much better plan. The consensus is not to "not do it" but rather "don't do it YET". Investing your life savings in a venture that you've never even tried seems foolish, to most people here, and most of the people here are old enough to know what they're talking about. I respect that fact that you weathered the initial flaming and came back with a cogent response. Hopefully you will take advantage of the advice and knowledge available on this forum, take small steps with a great end goal in mind, try snowboarding, fall in love, and embrace the lifestyle.
> :thumbsup:


Well said. 

Dude, if you try it and dislike it or only mildly like it, you're going to hate yourself for dropping £5000 on this industry.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

JoeIOC said:


> Here's a link to the course if any of you are interested yourselves Ski Instructor Course incl. 100% Job Guarantee with Ski Instructor Academy


Sounds a bit like rip off to me... could well be that the operator is serious but the "100% Job guarantee" statement sounds ambiguous/offers room for interpretation to me (not sure, if it's a language problem I have though)
To which noun does the 100% belong? Is the job a 100% (=full time) job or is the guarantee 100% (=they guarantee that you get a job but maybe only some minor hours a week, but then the 100% is a pleonasm cause a guarantee is a guarantee and to mention 100% is an intented misleading)? If it's the first, then shouldn't it correctly say "100% job guaranteed"? Am I overinterpreting? Anyway... unclear statements like that would make me suspicious :dunno:


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## JoeIOC (Jul 27, 2013)

koi said:


> Well said.
> 
> Dude, if you try it and dislike it or only mildly like it, you're going to hate yourself for dropping £5000 on this industry.


Yeah that's true and this way I'll get paid whilst learning so it's a win win. Has anyone got any links to resorts/towns they'd recommend for working in? Or a link to a thread with those in? I'm trying to apply to as many as possible to increase my chances. Country doesn't bother me, as long as there's snow :thumbsup:


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## JoeIOC (Jul 27, 2013)

neni said:


> Sounds a bit like rip off to me... could well be that the operator is serious but the "100% Job guarantee" statement sounds ambiguous/offers room for interpretation to me (not sure, if it's a language problem I have though)
> To which noun does the 100% belong? Is the job a 100% (=full time) job or is the guarantee 100% (=they guarantee that you get a job but maybe only some minor hours a week, but then the 100% is a pleonasm cause a guarantee is a guarantee and to mention 100% is an intented misleading)? If it's the first, then shouldn't it correctly say "100% job guaranteed"? Am I overinterpreting? Anyway... unclear statements like that would make me suspicious :dunno:


Pretty sure it means their company will employ you in one of their resorts as an instructor, not sure what the hours would be but I'm sure you could enquire if need be


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

koi said:


> you have never been snowboarding or skiing before and you want to teach...honestly, would you want to take lessons from you?
> 
> other jobs for you to look at:
> 
> ...


:eusa_clap::eusa_clap::eusa_clap:


/thread


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

JoeIOC said:


> Yeah that's true and this way I'll get paid whilst learning so it's a win win. Has anyone got any links to resorts/towns they'd recommend for working in? Or a link to a thread with those in? I'm trying to apply to as many as possible to increase my chances. Country doesn't bother me, as long as there's snow :thumbsup:


I'm sorry this is getting more ridiculous as it continues. Have you ever been to this vast knowledge base called the internet, it has a tool called







I'm sure you must have used it to find us, sadly.

Your taking this class for approximately $7000 dollars and then your going to move to any country in the world to teach to just take a simple instructors job. This is what your telling us :huh:


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

You can get non certified instructor jobs at vail resorts, those guys can barely strap in sometimes. Or just get any job in a resort town and ride when you want to see if you like it. Put that $7000 to getting a few lessons, rent and beer


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

yup...don't need certification to be an instructor... but need to be able to snowboard to an intermediate proficient level. More importantly you need the disposition and ability to teach or at least tolerate the screamers, the criers, the entitled, the spoilt brats, the timid, the cougars, the fairies, the bus load of school kids and etc.

you will be better off dirt bagging on your $ for a season


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

wrathfuldeity said:


> yup...don't need certification to be an instructor... but need to be able to snowboard to an intermediate proficient level. More importantly you need the disposition and ability to teach or at least tolerate the screamers, the criers, the entitled, the spoilt brats, the timid, the cougars, the fairies, the bus load of school kids and etc.
> 
> you will be better off dirt bagging on your $ for a season


Don't forget baby sitter, for the parents that don't want to be with their kids so they can ride and book a 2 hour private lesson for their 5 yr old so they can get some slope time.


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

I say go for it and to hell with the haters! We need some pics of breeches!


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