UKC

I am looking in the future to become a climbing instructor and/or mountain guide(i have experiance indoor climbing and limited outdoor experience and therefore need training in outdoor climbing) but i am not sure what path to take to get there. I would like to teach or take people on climbs as a job but do not know how to (a)get the neccecary training and (b) get a job/work once i have the qualifications. I am only 17 and have plenty of time to gain experiance but the sooner someone can point me in the right directionthe better. Any ideas, pointers or contacts for infomation/work would be most welcome. I live in the north east of england on the pennines and this is, i think, an ideal location for this type of work.
so any thoughts please post them or e-mail me at Rob_job2000@hotmail.com
thanks

In reply to Robert Williams:

Probably the 2 best places to contact would be the (yawn) BMC and (better) Plas Y Brennin.

Are planning on going the sports degree route??


Cheers
U

In reply to Robert Williams: The path i took was to join the army, and got into physical training which leads to Adventure training, but i understand that this is not every bodies cup of tea.
Have a look on the http://freespace.virgin.net/ml.tb/ page will give you some direction.
Only joking about the army but if the forces are an option then consider the RAF you can go into there PT branch as an adventure training instructor and that is all you do. Get all your Quals and get paid for it. Not bad really.

In reply to Robert Williams: You first need as much experience in personal climbing + mtn walking as yoyu can get. Then get a plas y brenin brochure www.pyb.co.uk, which outlines all the qualifications you need, and the contact info for registration.
I am 20 and have started collecting my bits of paper, but still have a long way to go.
The route is:
1.SPA(min age 18 for training) and ML summer(min age 18 for training 20 for assessment)
2.ML winter and MIA
3.and usually last is MIC
4.but if your super good you can become a Guide.
I think if you work this all out the minimum age to become MIC is 24, cos you have to finish one award to progress to the next.
If you have any questions feel free to email me,
jezb.crags@virgin.net
Hope this helps!

In reply to jezb: Oh yeah, and theres always work once you have at least one award, even if it is at a crap centre!

In reply to Robert Williams:

Take a look at:
http://www.thebmc.co.uk/safety/boards/mltb.htm
http://www.thebmc.co.uk/safety/boards/ukmtb.htm
http://www.bmg.org.uk/

Should make you appreciate that you are in for a long slog but the good news is you don't need an SPA!

In reply to Robert Williams:
In reply to Robert Williams:
Glenmore Lodge do a scheme where you work for them and do nightshifts and stuff. In return, you get free board and lodging and free instruction and assessments in mountaineering and kayaking.

A couple of guys from this scheme were on my mountain leader assessment last year, and they seemed to think it was a Good Thing for them.

They were well set up to get lots of experience just through the location and the contacts they made. That, and the free instruction.

www.glenmorelodge.org.uk for more info


Another worthwhile approach is to get involved in some voluntary work in the outdoors. This will be a good indicator of whether you are suited to the job.

Bear in mind that as a climbing instructor, the main thing you will be doing is instructing, not climbing. Be prepared to spend session after session doing nothing but teaching novices how to belay. Because once the novices know how to belay, they are likely to head off on their own, and not pay for instruction any more.

If you do not enjoy teaching, you are likely to find instructing an unpleasant job, and not be good at it.
If you enjoy teaching, you may make a good instructor even if you are not the best climber.

In reply to Horse: YET!!

I'm sure it won't be too much longer before the SPA & Summer ML are both pre-requisites for MIA registration (There is already a space for the SPA on the form!)

In reply to CENSORED: I think SPA is a good thing to have for your MIA, despite the piss takes, if you do the SPA at a decent centre you will learn some useful skills. Summer ML is already a pre requisite (couldnt tell if u new that from the way your response was worded).
If you become an MIA you will be training / assessing SPA ers, so it has to be valuable to posses it.
Jez B

In reply to jezb:

No you MAY be training/assessing SPA, don't think that it is compulsory to do so just yet.

In reply to Horse:
And, of course, you're also likely to be training and assessing Walking Group Leader courses, which fortunately show no sign of becoming a prerequiste for ML, and thus MIA, or life would get very, very silly.....

In reply to Carolyn:

You mean that it hasn't already?

In reply to Horse:

All things are relative, or so they say.

Mind you, I've used a top rope within the last year, so I'm a lost cause (It was only the once, honest, and it most certainly wasn't a classic route........)

In reply to Carolyn:

Not a lost cause unless you become a serial offender