Earn Certifications from Ski Instructor Courses
You need certifications to teach skiing as a career and you earn these by going through ski instructor courses at recognized training camps. The growing popularity of skiing has increased the demand for professional ski instructors in ski resorts around the world. This, in turn, has made it necessary to qualify instructors and the main tool is the issuance of certifications by regulatory bodies in the different countries where skiing is a major industry.
Individual countries have national organizations that set the standards and requirements for ski instructors. These organizations issue certifications to individuals who have completed the required training in authorized and accredited ski schools. This gives resorts and individual students the assurance that the instructors they hire are competent and qualified to teach skiing at various levels.
In 1971, the International Ski Instructors Association (ISIA) was organized to serve as the world regulatory body for ski instructors. Composed of the national associations of member nations, the ISIA lists 38 member nations and issues rules on areas like methodology in ski instruction, ski technique, safety and the professional standards to be maintained. Member nations include English-speaking associations such as the Australian Professional Snowsport Instructors Inc., Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance, Irish Association of Snowsports Instructors Ltd., New Zealand Snowsport Instructors Alliance, British Association of Snowsport Instructors, Professional Ski Instructors of America and many from non-English speaking countries.
The different national associations have their own requirements and set the different levels of expertise required of would-be instructors. The Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA), for instance, starts with the basics upon registration all the way to a Level 3 certification where only 10 – 20% of candidates qualify on their first attempt. The French ski instructor system is reputed to be one of the most demanding and rigorous, requiring a student to be an expert skier even before enrolling in a ski school. The certifications issued by some of the bigger countries like the British Association of Snowsport Instructors are honoured and recognized by other organizations in Europe, Canada and the United States.
Skiing activities are varied so ski instruction focuses on different areas. Ski instructors may specialize in alpine, Nordic, adaptive, freestyle, racing or children skiing courses. Naturally, the wider an instructor’s area of expertise, the greater his or her options for employment are.
The certification that one earns from these courses can be the key to a good-paying career as a ski instructor in the world’s most famous ski resorts. The higher the certification, the better the pay, and compensation includes tips, accommodations, insurance and career opportunities in the hospitality industry itself. Especially for young people, earning money by doing what ordinary individuals would pay to do can be very attractive.
As is the case with any teaching profession, the starting point to a job as a ski instructor is to get a “diploma” – in this case a certification by a national skiing body. Acquiring this certification entails going through the appropriate <a href=”http://www.nonstopsnow.com/ski-instructor-courses”>ski instructor courses</a> in training camps or institutes which are authorized to issue the certifications.
Processing your request, Please wait....
