Summer season courses
Learn
something worthwhile this summer
You can combine working with gaining a qualification, coaching certificate or simply
learn more about your chosen field or sport. Outdoor sports companies offer the
chance to 'earn while you learn' and get paid while you also complete an outdoor
sports competency award. Some outdoor training organisations such as Flying Fish
will train you, then help find you work. Another great way to get that bit more
out of your time away is to get work as a TEFL school assistant and work towards
a teaching certificate while you do it (see the TEFL section
for more info). There are also many sports academies for sports such as football
and tennis that offer summer long courses and training camp places. For your GAP
year you might want to volunteer (contribution normally required) and train in sub
aqua or gain practical experience in your chosen field.
Companies such as PGL (Europe and UK) and Kingswood (UK) operate short to medium
length courses in outdoor sports which their staff are permitted to take part in
free of charge. The courses are designed for people who want to qualify and work
in instruction, or enhance their ability through technical instruction.
As you’d expect, teaching English is a wildly popular option for gap students. So
certificates are now requisite for most positions – in fact, you don’t really want
to work in a school where they’re not. Don’t despair: you can obtain a TEFL certificate
in a month, so it shouldn’t hold up your plans for too long.
Sports fans can get on courses and placements in their chosen sport for an active
gap year. Watersports (BCU training, surfing, diving, sailing etc); Mountain sports
(Climbing, MLTB training and cycling); Winter sports (Snowboarding, skiing); And
Traditional sports (Football, cricket, rugby etc).