05 May Snoworks GAP class of 2018: – Teaching season comes to a successful end.

Here is a short blog post showing all the fun and experiences team Snoworks GAP 2018 had teaching skiing in Europe and Japan following their course with us back in Autumn in Tignes, France.

After completing our 8-week ski instructor course in Tignes to train and Qualify before Christmas, the team headed off to their secured jobs, which this year was in Zermatt, Switzerland, Crans-Montana, Switzerland and Nozawa Onsen in Japan!

Here are a few quotes and many pictures to better tell the story: –

David Rhys Jones: –

I’m writing this just after finishing my last lesson for the season. And what a season it’s been. I’ve met some very interesting characters along the way, made lifelong friends and gained connections throughout the world. I’ve been lucky enough to work for Summit Ski School in Zermatt. It’s an amazing feeling giving lessons under the Matterhorn. The best office view in the world! I still can’t believe that I get paid to ski!!! Thanks again Snoworks for setting me off on this great journey.

 

Kate Purser: –

Japan was an amazing experience and I’m so happy I got the opportunity to go. Totally different to anywhere I’ve been before. I loved working with the kids in the ski school, never knowing what your day will hold due to their craziness. I feel that I’ve learnt so much and become a much better instructor because of the amount of lessons I got to teach. So weird having to teach on Christmas Day but it was one of the best days teaching the kids for sure! Moral was super high, all the instructors and kids smiling all day, playing music, playing games and wearing little Christmas decorations on our uniforms! Definitely a Christmas I won’t forget. It was so easy to make friends out there because everyone was so lovely, also living in a house with 40 people means you get to know people well pretty quickly! So nice to make friends from all across the world. I would definitely love to go back there in the future.

Joe Power: –

I was working in Hakuba village, Japan for evergreen ski school. The work was plentiful, but the snow wasn’t great this season, on top of it the company were very disorganised higher up. All the team leaders were amazingly helpful and resourceful, it was just management that fell flat often. The pay rate was ok, the cost of living added up quickly though so if you wanted a lot of spending money you had to work every day, as you only got paid when you were teaching, so for about 4 1/2 to 5 hours a day maximum. The staff were all amazing, I went with a core group of mates but by the end, there wasn’t anyone in my house or in the company that I wouldn’t consider a friend. It was an amazing experience and if I wasn’t going to Uni, I’d do it all again.

 

James Moffatt: –

I loved Nozawa, Japan from start to finish. They were so understanding of my injury and the whole situation even when I arrived, asking if I needed easing into work when we arrived. The whole ski school was run very professionally, and they really cared about all of us. Steve, Max and Scott were brilliant at running the school and allocating hours and organising everything like pay. The arrangement of the housing was brilliant with everyone separated into 2 houses, one ‘older’ and one for the younger guys, so it was easy to make friends and meet people. We got paid very generously, as I got a base salary of 2000 yen per hour and Ollie 2500. The accommodation and food were both perfect and cheap, 1000 yen per day for everything including breakfast and a great dinner. The only downside at times was a lack of hours during quiet periods. However, there were a few weeks where we worked almost all the time, like Chinese New Year. Ollie and I both had a great time thanks to your recommendation. Cheers!

 

George Smith: –

I had an amazing first season teaching in Hakuba, Japan. It was great to go into it knowing a group of people and being able to make so many new friends in the ski school. I loved having the freedom to teach my own lessons and found myself continuously drawing on my knowledge from the course to help clients improve. Each day brought new challenges which have enabled me to gain experience and further develop my career working with children.

 

Edward Hughes: –

After finishing my BASI 2 with Snoworks GAP I landed a job with Les Elfes International working in Crans Montana (Switzerland). Every week a new school would come to Crans and they would ski for six days. The work was therefore regular, and we were contracted for the season. Whilst it was tiring working and living in the same chalet as the school groups, it was very rewarding to meet such a varied amount of people. The team of instructors and animators (who took over from the instructors for the evening activities) were close knit and we all became good friends. Overall, it was a great experience and one I can’t wait to get back to next season.

 

Olivia Jones: –

The Snoworks GAP ski instructor course is probably one of the best things I’ve ever done. I’ve made some amazing friends through doing it as well as getting a job teaching in Japan! Getting to do what I love every day while earning money and living in the mountains, it’s a hard life to beat!

If your keen to train and work as a ski instructor as part of your GAP year, post-Uni or as a career break or career change please email us at info@snoworkspro.com