Snowsports Academy Slovakia

Snow-Sports.co.uk

Vacancy: Snowsports Academy Slovakia
Company: Snow-Sports.co.uk
Category: Ski season courses (Ski instructor, Specialist freestyle, Snowboard Instructor)
Dates: 9th January - 31st March 2009
Cost: From £2,250 - £4,999 & Includes Return Flights
Support In Place: Full 24/7 Support - Trainers and a mentor will be on hand throughout the course.
Age limit: All participants must be over 18 years old.

From everyone here at snow-sports.co.uk, we would like to welcome you to our unique GAP course offering, Snowsports Academy Slovakia, provided through our Slovakian partner (Snowsports, s. r.o.).

• Disciplines: Ski & snowboard instructor courses, plus the opportunity to obtain a duel sport licence or freestyle experience.
• Location: Slovakia – With work experience in Italy and Austria.
• Course Cost: From £2,250-£4,999 (Subject to change)
• Includes: Courses From Up to 3-10 Weeks / ISIA Certified Training / Flights / Exam Fees & Memberships / Half-Board Accommodation / Lift Passes / Transfers / Work Experience / Manuals / Video Analysis / A Choice of 3 Excursions (e.g. Ice Hockey, Snowshoeing or Ice Caves)
• What's Not Included: Insurance / Spending Money / Equipment (Although we'll be on hand to help you find some cheap deals)

Minimum Entry Requirement:   

• Students must be 18 or over by the start of the Snowsports Academy GAP Course.
• Students should be able to ski parallel/ride confidently on red slopes.
• Ideally students should have completed at least 10 weeks on snow experience.
• 5-7 participants per course.

Snow-Sports.co.uk on behalf of Snowsports, s. r.o. (Our Slovakian partner) are bringing you an amazing new ski and snowboard instructor training program. The program will be held in Slovakia and is operated by a team of ISIA (http://www.isiaski.org/) qualified trainers, aimed at achieving SAPUL (Slovak Association of Professional Snowsport Instructors) qualification. Snowsports unique partnership with SAPUL has allowed us to develop this one off package, produced with you the British skier/boarder in mind. Their trainers are all active members of SAPUL. This privileged position means that their course is the only one in Slovakia offering access to English speaking tutors, mentors and examiners, as well as texts that have been specifically developed for their course.

This said I bet you're still wondering whether this is the course for you and what Snowsports Academy Slovakia can offer you and your future career as a ski instructor. Well read on and you’ll find out if this is in fact the right choice for you.

Have you recently finished your studies and are looking to take some time off before starting college, university or your chosen career?

Are you fed up with your current job and looking for a career break to rekindle your aspirations?

Or are you just a ski or snowboard enthusiast and you want to take your interests to the next level?

Are you looking for the most cost effective and comprehensive route to becoming an instructor?

If so, then perhaps Ski Academy Slovakia is the best choice for you!

Snowsports have designed a new bread of the GAP course, which represents the most attractive, cost effective and quickest route to becoming a qualified snowsport instructor ever. This intensive course offers you a great opportunity to:

1. Gain a flying start to your snowsports career within just one season.
2. Access to a wealth of technical expertise and experience delivered by Snowsports highly qualified instruction team.
3. To obtain an internationally recognised, ISIA accredited qualification.
4. To obtain firsthand experience within a respected European snowsports school.
5. Open the doors to a job as a fully qualified instructor on completion of the course.
6. Experience what it’s like to train and work abroad as a ski or snowboard instructor.
7. To experience a taste of Slovakian culture and their welcoming hospitality. 

So that's the course in a nutshell, but some of you may still be a little less familiar with Slovakia and its skiing heritage, so let me fill you in. As a member of the European Union, Slovakia will soon be an official €uro zone. So you won't require a maths A-level to settle your check at the on-slope restaurants, but you will still be able to buy a round of beers for less than a few pounds. Which I might add is an easy way to break the ice with other course members and your team of instructors are always happy to be on the receiving end of your generous good nature.

Geographically The Slovak Republic borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. Bratislava, the capital is within one hour’s drive of Vienna. Such close proximity to Austria, one of Europe’s formative skiing nations, has helped develop a strong relationship between Slovaks and Austrians. A union that has significantly influenced Slovakia's skiing industry and provided the foundation stones to today’s SAPUL teaching methodologies.

This is not to say that skiing wasn't around in Slovakia before the Austrian involvement. In fact it is said that skiing is in the blood of every Slovakian, something that might be down to their location. Slovakia’s main ski resorts, including Jasná (http://www.jasna.sk), where your SAPUL exams will be held, are all located within the High & Low Tatras, a range the extends across Slovakia’s northern boarder with Poland. The High Tatras consist of 25 peaks above 2,500m, the highest of which is Gerlachovsky, standing at 2,655m. The area provides excellent terrain and facilities for both skiers and boarders of all levels, from beginner to advanced. The areas natural beauty and preservation value has also led to it being declared as a UNESCO national park in 1993.

Slovakia's merits as a skiing destination were also highlighted in its selection as candidate for hosting the 2006 Winter Olympics, as well as its future placement as the destination for the Deaf Olympics in 2011. Whilst more recently, those of you who have been tuning into the Beijing Olympics may have witnessed some Slovakian athletic prowess when Elena Kaliska and Michal Martikan won gold in the canoe/kayak slalom. A mentality that is not lost amongst Snowsports own team of ski/snowboard instructors who are all seasoned athletes, with many years of competitive training behind them.

This said, the biggest benefit of the course location has got to be the price. Vastly less than the competition and you get bags of extras for your money to. Including work experience (Slovakia/Austria/Italy), K2 pro deals, a second level exam that’s equivalent to BASI 3 on the global standings, the option to train in duel disciplines and did I mention the price?

We realise that Snowsports are not the only GAP course provider out there and that you have a choice when it comes to choosing the right course to develop your career as a snowsports instructor. However, we feel that Snowsports have developed a course that will both satisfy your needs as a trainee instructor, whilst offering the best possible start to your future winter sports career. What’s more snow-sports.co.uk will offer you all the support and careers advice you need along the way.

Some of the benefits of Snowsports Academy Slovakia include;

1. Successful GAP students will obtain an internationally recognised license, entitling them to work as a qualified instructor anywhere in the world.
2. Upon completion of the grade C course, GAP students become fully licensed members of SAPUL (The Slovakian equivalent of BASI and an ISIA member). Entitling them to develop a career as an individual instructor and not just shadow experienced colleagues.
3. Following the further completion of the grade B course, GAP students will dramatically improve their position as a qualified instructor and increase their chances of securing worldwide employment. Taking their qualification to the next level and further enhancing their future employment prospects.
4. All GAP participants will benefit from a wealth of professional knowledge and experience delivered by Snowsports highly qualified and friendly instruction team.
5. The course includes a guaranteed 3 weeks teaching experience at one of our European partner snowsport schools. This brilliant offer will give each GAP student an opportunity to earn up to €750*. This is a unique chance to gain an instant return on your investment, as well as to obtain an unrepeatable experience as part of a real life snow sports team.
6. The GAP course offered by Snowsports will help participants develop their personal confidence, independence and individuality. 

In essence what we propose is a unique opportunity to visit new countries and resorts, with the added incentive of meeting many new and interesting people along the way.

We will offer you all the training and support you require to make your future career a success and we’ll even throw a bit of experience into the bargain and all this for the most competitive price on the market.

We look forward to welcoming you to our program.

For More Information: Email info@snow-sports.co.uk or visit http://www.snow-sports.co.uk

* This figure is only for illustrative purposes. Any actual wages will be confirmed in a contract between the participant and our partner ski school.