Zermatt Winter – Become a Ski Instructor

Zermatt Winter – Become a Ski Instructor

Zermatt Ski Gap/Career Break – Become a Ski Instructor

There are some experiences that count more than others, because they give you the chance to learn, put yourself in discussion and explore new horizons. Ultimately, those experiences make memories that will stay with you and will become part of who you are.
If you have never lived in the mountains for a full winter then here is an opportunity for a great experience. An opportunity to do something new, something different and learn along the way. Learn about the mountains, the skiing, the teaching. Getting in touch with new people, making friends from across the world. Creating adventures.
In two months you will have the chance to go through all of this, guided by expert ski coaches, working alongside experienced instructors and living in the heart of the Swiss mountains.
Interships are included, through our ski schools partners, based in Zermatt.
Our course is the only one in resort giving you the IASI licence: the only english speaking association recognized by the EU.

The Mountains - Zermatt

During the winter we are based in Zermatt, Switzerland. Probably one of the best ski resorts in Europe and definitely one of the most famous.
The Matterhorn (4478m) is THE iconic mountain; one of the last to be conquered during the gold age of summit races.
The village is surrounded by over thirty 4000m peaks, amongst which the second highest mountain in Europe and the highest in Switzerland: the Monte Rosa (4634m).
The ski area crosses 3 mountains on the Swiss side, going from the Sunnegga area (highest point: Rothorn 3100m), Gornergrat (highest point 3135m) and the Klein Matterhorn, the highest skiable point in Europe reachable by a lift, at 3883m.

Italy and Nearby Resorts

From the Klein Matterhorn glacier (open all year round for skiers) you can also cross the border with Italy and ski in the Cervinia and Valtournenche area, for a total of 350 km of slopes.
If that is not enough, along with the other training teams at Subzero Coaching, we organize ski trips to the nearby resorts of: Saas Fee, Zinal, Crans Montana, Verbier, and Chamonix. The list is up to us!

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The Training

The training starts at the beginning of January and ends with the final exams in March.
It runs from Monday until Friday, for three to six hours a day, depending on the training week. The weekend is free, to allow free practice and the much-needed rest time!
In order to make the most out of your time and effort on the hill, the training schedule is planned ahead by our Head Coach (Instructors’ Examiner and Strength and Conditioning Coach). With the programme personalised taking in consideration each trainee’s ski level, physical preparation and also after debriefing with the other coaches. We work together!

In Details

The ski training covers:

  • Over 300 hours of training
  • Ski Technique Training
  • Teaching Methods and Scenarios Practice
  • Video Analysis on Personal Performance
  • Video Analysis on Teaching and Learning Methods
  • Mountain Safety and Avalanche Awareness clinics
  • Introduction to Freestyle
  • Introduction to Ski Racing

In the evenings and included in the package we also run:

  • Lectures on Anatomy and Biomechanics applied to skiing
  • Lectures on Nutrition, Teaching methodology and Customer Care
  • Weekly Dryland Training
  • Accredited First Aid Course

Our Trainers are all professional coaches, with over 10 years of coaching experience each, a number of seasons under the belt and a wide knowledge in sport. All of them have multiple qualifications in different disciplines and different aspects of sport science, not just skiing!
You can find more details on their experience here.

We also provide a Course Coordinator, whose job is to look after the training team and ease your way into the resort. With an in-depth experience in coaching, ski instructing and the Zermatt village, the coordinator will be the ideal support person during the season.

Also Included

Included in the course fee, we provide accommodation in town for the full duration of the course.
Weekly cleaning and linen change is also included in the course fee.
Also included in the package is the ski pass for the Zermatt and Cervinia area, for the full duration of the course.

  • Accommodation for the full duration of the course
  • Weekly cleaning
  • Zermatt/Cervinia Skipass
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Intership

The Level 1 exam takes place before February Half Term,  allowing everyone to attened the internship with our partner ski schools or to have some downtime and enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

Shadowing is also possible during some training weeks, by joining the ISIA Training or the Level 4 Training sessions. Providing a unique chance to learn teaching styles from a different environments and creating precious experiences skiing with instructors from higher levels.

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The Exams

The Gap programme includes the IASI Level 1 and Level 2 exams.

IASI Alpine Level 1

The Level 1 exam runs at the end of the first few weeks of training, before February Half Term week.
This way we have plenty of time to prepare accordingly for the assessment and maximize the chances of success.
Note: In case of failure the exam can be retaken later on during the program.
The IASI L1 qualification allows instructors to teach in protected environments, so you wish you can already start teaching!

IASI Alpine Level 2

The Level 2 exam runs at the beginning of February, right before the Half Term holiday weeks. The IASI L2 qualification allows instructors to teach outdoor and unsupervised. Making you a ski instructor free to work in the majority of countries in the world. This allows you to apply to schools in town or in other resorts.

IASI Coaching Theory Module (Level 3)

We are able to offer the IASI Coaching Theory module!
This is part of the 7 modules required for the Level 3 qualification. As these coaching courses run only twice a year this is a great opportunity for participants to start ticking boxes towards the next level up, as well as saving money. We are the only training course able to provide this!

IASI is recognized by all European countries and the majority of ski schools in the world, thanks to a great work of mutual recognition the association has put up through the years. It will allow you to apply to any ski school you will want to work for!

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The Work Opportunities after your Zermatt Ski Gap

February Half Term weeks in the Alps are the busiest part of the season, with hotels and chalets filling up after the quiet weeks of January.
Being Level 2 qualified will allow you to make the most out of these weeks, applying to ski schools in Zermatt or across the Alps. We work with a number of ski schools across the Alps who are counting on us to find them great instructors to teach during February Half Term. With our course finishing right before these busy weeks we are in the best postion to offer jobs for participants to the course!

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Zermatt Ski Gap Pre-Requisites

In order to make the most out of the Course we recommend at least 10 weeks of ski experience.
Any kind of previous experience in coaching or teaching will be beneficial towards the teaching part of the exams. We are there to maximise your chances of success and to transfer as much of our knowledge as possible; don’t panic if this is your first teaching experience!
Being physically able to sustain long skiing days at altitude will make the overall experience easier and more comfortable. Again, our coaches are at your disposal for any tips on fitness training prior to the course!

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Course Fee

Make sure you book your course in advance, to make the most out of our discounts! For bookings made before August we offer 10% discount, saving you up to 1200 chf from the original fee!

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at info@subzerocoaching.com
We are looking forward to having you on board for this new exciting adventure.

*All Subzero courses devolve part of the fee to our ChemoTherapy Support Project.

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Zermatt Ski Gap Switzerland - Useful Links

Wether you are looking for a gap year skiing or a career change, make sure it happens. And make it happen in the best possible way.
Here are some links to articles we have written to help you gain a better understanding of the ski instructor world, it's qualification and working system.

In this article we show what the Summer and Autumn ski area offers on the Matterhorn Glacier.

In the link here you can find the full overview of the IASI Education Pathway, explaining what each level consist of and which advantages you gain by succeeding at each stage.

In this page we look into what are the characteristics the best ski instructor course should have.

Keep updated and get more info on this course by following the dedicated blog page!

Visit the Testimonals Page, where you can see what participants have to say about their training experience with us.
Check out our recruitment section for gap year ski jobs or check our course page for more gap year ski programs!

 

subzero coaching ski gap course career break

 

Subzero Coaching - Career Break - Become a Ski Instructor - Zermatt Ski Gap

 

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Gap year ski programs - gap year ski jobs

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