UKC

So I've nearly finished Uni (one day to go! thank god for that!) and I will be unemployed after finishing my summer job in august (summer camp in Switzerland. Only have a vague idea what I want to do with my life but quite fancy working at a climbing wall for a bit at least. I realize its unlikely I will get a job with a wall without a climbing qualification so my question is would I be better off doing both CWA and CWLA or SPA? I can competently trad climb (have been leading at about HVS/E1 for two years). Suggestions? Thanks!

In reply to Daniel James:

SPA gives you more options, so I would probably do that.

Neil

In reply to Neil Williams: True, but do you think climbing walls have a preference either way?

In reply to Daniel James: more climbing walls seem to offer outdoor sessions now so SPA would give you more skills.

In reply to Daniel James:
Depends what you want to do with it, SPA gets you the outdoor tick but the indoor part of the training/assessment is rather basic. Might be worth considering SPA and also doing the CWA training.
CWLA has to be done on top of either CWA or SPA if you want to teach indoor lead.

In reply to Daniel James:
You can get a CWA in a shorter time than you can get a SPA in terms of logging routes and instructing experience. A CWA would take 6 months-ish, maybe less, where as i reckon most peopke take a year or more to finish a SPA.
Walls do offer outdoor sessions but most of the work is doing kids clubs, birthday parties, beginner courses and taster sessions indoors. Get a CWA and start working at the wall and it will be easier to start logging instructor sessions outdoors if you already work at the wall.

In reply to Daniel James:

ive recently gone through the same decision process myself. i applied for a job at a wall without either but have now done my cwa training and got the job.

this coming from the centre manager he says for an indoor wall he would hire someone with their cwa over an spa as it is much more specific to the job. Plus its quicker and easier to get. as has been said already to teach leading indoors you would need your cwla anyway (spa doesnt cover leading) which you need to have done your cwa first as far as I'm aware.

I'd say if you're sure you want to get into an wall then probably go cwa/cwla route and then getting your spa cant harm.

hope this helps,

james

In reply to Daniel James: To do your CWLA you need to have done either CWA or SPA. If you go down the SPA route you can also work outdoors. As a lot of climbing walls also offer outdoor sessions SPA could be more usefull. It took me six months between training and assessment for my SPA. As you have been climbing for two years at a higher grade than is required for SPA you should be able to go through the process in a similar amount of time provided you can get the group work experience.
You will need the same amount of time working as an SPA or CWA holder before you can go onto CWLA. Take a look at the MTA website, loads of info about all of the awards there.
Good luck with what ever you decide.

Think about doing your FUNDamentals 1 2 & 3 as well.

SPA - makes you more employable at a Wall.

There are several difference between the 2 qualification, specifically content wise, which makes the CWA more applicable to the indoor environment, as it focuses alot more on the instruction of climbing, and managment of groups, compared to the SPA which is more focused on the saftey side of an outdoor environment. (remember they only have a weekend to train you so with SPA the personal climbing and saftey are the importent things, while on CWA they can work on group managment, games, and instructing they may not even look at your lead climbing) I say this from the point of view of some one who has compleated both.

Additionally group work is much easier to find in the consilidation of the CWA and if you talk to your local wall they will probably more then to willing to help you with this, plus it provides a good 'on' to the wall.

As a final note although the NGB quals are useful when you are looking for work, they are not required, site specific training is sufficient, so you may be able to get some work at your local wall befor you have compleated your qualification, indeed I know some one who only done her training that does Saturday work at her local wall.

In reply to Ross B: It's all about the remit, SPA in and Out, CWA indoor walls only.

In reply to Daniel James: I'd say if you can afford it, Its worth doing both.

Its what i'm currently doing, CWA as a first aim and the SPA as a slightly longer term goal. Admittedly I am climbing a lot at the moment, indoors and out. But the way i see it, as i'm working towards the qualifications, it means every climbing session is in at least a small way valuable not just for the climbing itself, which of course is fecking great, but also towards my quals and in terms of experience.

Even sessions i'm too shattered/injured to climb, just reading routes as my friends climb can be useful, plus you are in a way 'coaching' as you encourage your mates anyway! (as well as the belaying experience!) For example how many times have you or your mate managed something after the other shouted "Other foot/hand yer tw*t!" or something similar? Plus the on site experience is priceless.

In reply to James S:


Personally (as a former wall manager) I'd hire whoever brought most personality and character to the role. While having a certain number of qualified staff is desirable, and the option of being able to pick up outside work is handy, most walls have a technical advisor/chief instructor who will train and assess unqualified staff to a level of competence whereby they can instruct indoors.


Not so, an SPA can go onto a CWLA course without having done CWA, and in exceptional circumstances (extensive site-specific experience) can even get exemption from the Training component.