What to Expect
Course Features
- 50 hours of BASI L2 training
- BASI Level 2 exam (40 hours)
- Espace Killy, full Season lift pass
- Return transfer from Geneva Airport
- Accommodation
- Off-snow theory sessions
- Weekly video analysis
- Precourse fitness programme
- Employment after the course >>
- Discounts on ski equipment
Where you’ll stay
CHALET LE CAFETAN
This semi-detached chalet has five bedrooms with a contemporary and functional interior. The spacious living and dining space is equipped with a flat-screen TV and leads right onto a balcony with fabulous south-west views.
The kitchen is fully equipped with modern amenities, including a dishwasher, ceramic hob, toaster, kettle, freezer, electric coffee machine, and even a raclette grill, microwave combo, and fondue set for cheese enthusiasts.
Downstairs, there’s a room with three single beds. Beside it, there’s a comfy single room with a double bed. This floor also has a shower and WC.
Upstairs, you’ll find one room with a single bed and a bunk bed, another with a double bed, and a bathroom with a bath and WC.
Please note that catering isn’t included in this course.
Book Your BASI Level 2 Course
What you’ll cover
Course Structure
Week 1
The start of the week will be a chance to familiarise yourself with the appropriate content and material relating to your BASI Level 2 course and introduce new technical concepts to your skiing that will form the basis of your training throughout the instructor course.
You’ll start by finding your feet on the new terrain, and we’ll begin by reintroducing the correct ski movement patterns patterns. This will help inform your personal development plan. Once established, our coaching team will address identified development areas using skills-based exercises and drills to improve your technical skiing and understanding. We often use video analysis methods to provide feedback on personal performance to assist in your skiing progression. This invaluable resource can demonstrate problem areas in your skiing and help provide solutions.
The findings during these initial sessions can be insightful considerations for future teaching sessions during the BASI Level 2 course.
Critical components:
- Central theme
- Teaching progression and principles
- Understanding TIED model
- Developing personal performance
- Exploring the fundamental elements
Week 2
Key focus – personal performance, delivery, exam preparation
Week 2 is the run-up to the exam. Until now, you’ll have received a broad grounding in the ski material, and this next stage tailers the training to you. For instance, if you’re uncomfortable with the teaching material, you may benefit from presenting a 2–5-minute daily lesson to your peers to help build your confidence in front of a group.
If for example, you’re struggling with your short turns, a short-turn clinic with clear goals and key indicators of technical performance will be very beneficial to you.
Your mentor will define the scope of these sessions and ensure that training is taking place on the appropriate terrain while meeting the specific technical criteria for the upcoming exam. The fundamental goal of this week is grounded in a concerted effort and particular tasks aimed at developing your technical understanding and abilities.
Critical Components:
- Central theme
- Delivery sessions
- Refine personal performance
- Exam preparation
Week 3
BASI Level 2 Exam
Week 3 is exam week on your FastTrack course. The exam follows a variety of subjects, including:
- Central theme, piste performance, bumps, steeps, variables and freestyle
- Technical understanding of the central theme and beyond
- Performance analysis of the central theme and beyond
- Communication skills
- Developing performance
- Match teaching to guest needs
- Teaching principles
- TIED and the use of teaching tools
- Lesson flow and content
- Climate setting
- Reviewing skills
Throughout this exam, the trainer will evaluate your ability to teach skiing to beginners and intermediates on marked and open runs and within the structure of a ski school. Your participation and performance will be closely monitored, and the trainer will provide you with frequent feedback on your strengths and areas for development. Together, you and the trainer will create an action plan to help you improve your performance as a ski instructor.
At the end of the course, you’ll receive a written action plan outlining the steps you need to take to continue developing as a ski instructor based on the trainer’s assessment and your goals.
About the Tignes FastTrack course
Completing this BASI level 2 course will open many doors to teaching. If you’re looking at doing this programme as part of your gap year, then the BASI Level 2 course has a few added benefits. Firstly, it’s aligned with the EQF (European Qualifications Framework), meaning you can use it to help secure access to further education. You’ll also find that during your university holidays, there are plenty of opportunities to head out to the Alps and teach during the peak weeks.
Designed as an intensive two-week training block leading straight into the two-week-long BASI Level 2 exam, you can iron out your bad habits and develop the areas of your skiing you struggle with. This means you’ll be going into the exam with these improvements fresh in your mind. Plus, a massive benefit of this course is that you’ll be finished before the season fully starts so that you can work all winter long.
Your course kicks off in Tignes. Very few places for early season, focused training rival the Tignes Glacier. It is the perfect place to make those all-important changes to your skiing. Sat at 2000 m above sea level with skiing as high as 3500m, Tignes is one of the most snow-sure resorts in the Alps. Combine this with a world-class lift system and off-snow facilities it is no wonder that international teams flock here for their preseason training.
Pre-requisites
Before applying, students must have the following:
- Successfully completed the BASI Level 1 qualification
- Valid 12 hours outdoor first aid and emergency certificate (BASP or similar)
- Attended a refresher course every 3 years – this BASI L2 exam can also be used as a refresher
- The training provided during the course will count towards your 35 hours of ski school experience.
BASI MEMBERSHIP
In order to participate in the Instructor Training course, students are required to have up-to-date BASI associate membership. Students can apply to BASI for full membership if the BASI Level 2 course is successfully completed. For more information, see www.basi.org.uk.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Please read the latest BASI terms and conditions via www.basi.org.uk
FAQ’s
We’ve got the answers
Which is the best airport to fly to?
The transfer we will provide will be from Geneva Airport.
How do you get from Geneva Airport to Tignes?
We will organise transfers for you from Geneva Airport to Tignes. Please note that we group students based on arrival times, so you may have a short wait at the airport.
Does the course include a ski pass?
Yes, your lift pass is included in the cost of your BASE Level 2 course.
Do you need to speak a second language?
This course will be primarily run in English, so you don’t need to speak a second language. However, the better your language skills are, the easier it will be to find work immediately after the course and in the future.
Will you get a job after the course?
Possibly, every student has the opportunity to interview to join our instructor team. In order to be offered a job, you need to be successful in the interview and have successfully passed your BASI Level 2. Employment opportunities are subject to qualification recognition in the country you want to work in and working rights. Successful candidates could get work in the peak weeks, Christmas, Half-Term and Easter.
What qualifications do our coaches have?
Our coaches are all fully qualified instructors. We use a mixture of BASI trainers and specialist coaches to fully prepare you for your exams.
Do you need avalanche safety equipment to ski off-piste?
It’s unlikely you’ll be skiing off-piste as the BASI Level 2 course doesn’t include an off-piste module. However, if the conditions allow it, our team of coaches may decide to make the most of it and ski off-piste during your training. To ski off-piste safely, you must carry a transceiver shovel and probe. If you don’t purchase avalanche safety equipment, you’ll need to hire it for the off-piste days. Please note that these aren’t included in the ski instructor courses but can be added as optional expense.
Do I need insurance to do this course?
Yes. Only consider leaving your front door once you’ve got ski insurance. This is one of the most important things to get right for all our courses. Please see the link to our website for more information: Ski Insurance. In addition to your insurance, we advise you to have an EHIC or GHIC. With this, you’ll benefit from the reciprocal health care arrangements between countries within the EU/EEA or Switzerland. We also advise having Carte Neige insurance. This insurance covers the mountain search and rescue cost on and off-piste and can be purchased in the resort.