Famous ski instructor Warren Smith, who among his many achievements runs the Warren Smith Ski Academy, says would be ski instructors could save thousands on a ski instructor course by learning to teach on a nine week course in the Alps in summer.
“A lot of people don’t realise that it is possible to complete a Ski Instructor course over the summer months in Europe. Many travel on big budgets to the southern hemisphere but the Zermatt glacier offers guaranteed skiing all summer long in winter like conditions, plus staying on the Cervinia side literally cuts the costs in half – a coffee on the mountain is €1 and a pizza in town from €5!” says Warren, adding, “it’s cheaper travel, an excellent Swiss glacier and a cost effective Italian resort.”
Warren Smith, and his Academy run one of the most critically acclaimed GAP Year Ski Instructor programs on the market and they’ve been doing so since 2003. They have a teaching formula which repeatedly gets 100% pass rate results on many courses.
Warren lists other benefits of the course as including employment opportunities after the course with a variety of ski schools; transparent pricing on accommodation and lift pass costs and feeling part of the Academy family and making ski industry connections to help with employment.
The summer course covers a huge range of skills including Personal Development for Performance Carving, Moguls, Steeps, Freeride, Powder and Freestyle; preparation for the IASI Level 1 Ski Instructor Course; core skier development stages (teaching fundamentals from complete beginner to parallel skier), IASI Level 1 Instructor Course – 6 days, off piste mountain security training; emergency first aid course – 2 days; ski servicing and maintenance training; sport psychology and science; ski biomechanics and its importance with instruction; professional video filming and analysis training; core and ski specific physical training and the six day IASI Level 2 Ski Instructor Assessment Course.
The 9 week course costs £6599, which includes all of the aspects of the course listed above and bed and breakfast accommodation in a three star hotel close to the main lift station.
