PARENTZone
It can be a nerve-wracking and exciting time when planning for a gap year – and occasionally the importance of parents is over-looked. For most parents, it is their child’s first time away from home and we want to make sure you know your kids are in safe hands.
QUALIFICATIONS
QUALIFICATIONS WE OFFER
WHAT WE OFFER
COURSE & INTERNSHIPS
REVIEWS
HONEST REVIEWS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
PUTTING YOUR MIND AT REST
We understand that choosing a course is a big decision, and are happy to discuss options and offer advice with no-obligation to book a course. Once you have booked a course with us, we offer full support in the lead up to departure. We have dedicated client-liaisons who can answer any questions you have and will send out important information and advice on how to prepare for your course in the lead up to departure. After-course care is an important part of the service we offer, and we love to keep in touch with previous customers. Clients are eligible for ongoing advice and support when applying for working visas and we supply references for employment and university applications. After completing a course with us you can opt-in to exclusive job-alert emails for ski and snowboard instructor vacancies. Once you have participated on a course with Winter Sports, you are always part of the family
Our resort reps and are on-hand every day in resort and are extremely knowledgeable about the resort, qualifications and training. The key job for reps is to ensure participants have fun in a safe and supportive environment, following the pastoral care policy we have in place. Occasionally we do have to deal with accidents, injury or illness and in the event of this resort representatives are on-hand to support customers seek medical assistance, and liaise with the UK office and next of kin to ensure the best care possible is taken for the customer.
We are not insurance providers and cannot offer advice in relation to insurance packages, however we can point you in the direction of insurers who cover young people for ski and snowboard instructor courses. If you have an annual family travel insurance policy, it is unlikely to cover a trip longer than 30 days in length, so a dedicated single trip policy will be required. Check out our insurance page for discounts offered by some travel insurers.
Ski & Snowboard Instructor Course visas: Courses usually require a travel permit, the travel document (visa) required will depend on the participant’s citizenship. For example, a participant from the UK will not require a visa for a course in France or New Zealand, but will require an Electronic Travel Authorisation for a course in Canada. We will advise customers individually of the travel visa they will need to obtain to join a course.
Internship Visas: Interns will require a work permit for the country in which they will be employed. Most interns obtain a working holiday visa, which must be applied for by the individual. Applications for working holiday visas can be overwhelming and confusing, we aim to make this process as stress-free as possible and our experienced staff are on hand to support applicants. See our guide to working holiday visas for more information.
We want our customers to have the time of their life, make dozens of new friends and come home with an array of stories to tell about their winter season, and to ensure a good time is had by all we’ve created an infrastructure behind the scenes for your peace of mind.
OUR RESORTS
Become a ski or snowboard instructor in Canada, New Zealand or France.
THE TEAM
Karen La Borde Co-Founder of Winter Sports Company- Steve La Borde Co-Founder of Winter Sports Company
- Beth Mepham Marketing Manager
- Rob Hayward Resort Representative – Sun Peaks
- Ian Logan Sun Peaks Sports School Director & CASI Level 4 Instructor.
- Andy Armstrong CASI Level 3 Instructor, Sun Peaks
- Jason Simpson Snow School Director & CSIA Level 4 Senior Examiner, Panorama.
- Joe Harkess Gapski Programme Director, Tignes
- Gavin Lewis Gapski Trainer & BASI Trainer & Examiner, Tignes
