Hi guys!

I'm based in Perth and I want to become an IKO certified instructor.

Are there any schools here that offers instructor courses, or do I have to go to the east coast?

Also, what are the requirements needed to attend an instructor course? I don't have any certification, but I am a very experienced kitesurfer. If I need any certification to attend an instructor course, where do I get it?

Cheers and enjoy the good weather!

NoBS said..


IF YOU ENJOY KITING DON'T BE AND INSTRUCTOR.....

NOTHING WORSE THAN STANDING ON A BEACH WHEN IT'S 20-25 KNOTS WATCHING YOUR MATES RIPPING IT UP AND YOU STUCK WITH MR NOOB...

Must say I have to agree,, you really have to think about why you want to become an instructor, if like i did you want to spend more time kitesurfing and live the lifestyle then think again, poor pay and having to work when it's windy... On the other hand if you really get a buzz out of teaching people and want to spend windy days watching others progress then sure why not our sport needs those kind of instructors, otherwise ditch your day job and find something that will work around the windy days, even waiting tables or bar work will give you more money than teaching kiting and free up the days for playing...

Talk to Chris from Kite Republic in Snt Kilda, Victoria. Should be able to hook you up.

Firstly there is a glut of instructors, second the IKO is a blatant ripoff past the actual written instructors material.

RAL INN said..

Firstly there is a glut of instructors, second the IKO is a blatant ripoff past the actual written instructors material.

So what alternative do you suggest?

I don't think IKO is the problem really and even though the program is too short to get an instructor ready to teach straight after the course, I have to say that it covers all you need to know. Ideally, a new instructor should be shadowed by a senior instructor for a given period of time. Unfortunately I've seen too many school owners who couldn't be bother doing or even worst, getting them to teach for free without any shadowing....

In short I would say that the schools are the one to blame for not giving any sort of internal training. A responsible school owner should have a standard progression program in place instead of leaving their instructor the freedom to set up their own lessons.

I had the opportunity to teach for a couple of dodgy schools but also with a respectable and well established one here in Perth. Now I can say why there is so much difference in the cost as well.

The issue is mainly due to the fact that kitesurfing schools are not directly supervised by any sort of authority and currently there is no Australian approved course available to train kitesurfing instructors. I reckon the instructors should be assessed on their skills on a regular basis. I know a school who does it but unfortunately they are the only one in Perth. It shows how much the school owners care about the quality of their lessons......

Which is why all you need is experience, confidence, indemnity insurance, and an ABN and you *can* teach. Not me personally, but I've heard from others that so called "professional" instructor programs are a yodle man.

There ain't no stoppin you teach kids how to read and write. So why should there be anything or anyone telling you, you cannot teach kite surfing? The local schools do not own the beach anyway.... so I say go for it!

I did BKSA instructors ticket last year, the training was as I expected although I did learn a bit. With BKSA there is a good progression through levels of teaching the issue is no one in Perth follows the scheme.

I have also been teaching yacht sailing, dinghy sailing, power boating and an assortment of other outdoor activities and come complete with a degree in marine sports science. I agree the pay is crap, and particularly in Australia everyone wants to shut you down for not having permits or this and that and you do have to stand in the water for hours on end whilst everyone has fun. I like to give back to a sport that has given me so much enjoyment. This is why I did a year of service with WAKSA committee.

Well all of that plus I don't have a job at the moment and I physically can not survive on what centrelink provides.

The problem is these days you don't get judged on your merits or the job you do. All any employer wants is tickets. White cards, blue cards, fork lift, dogging, rigging, HR, HC, the list is end less, but when you are out of work all these tickets come with a cost. OK this is turning into a winge now... But I have paid $100,000 to get a commercial pilots licence with MECIR (if you know what that means) no work, I have a degree. I am a yacht master and instructor (no valid in Australia) I have skippered yachts all over the world, I have worked as a labourer, a butchers hand, a cocktail bar man, a waiter, done door to door sales, I have also been to Uni and have a degree. I am 31 with a fianc?? living in a small rental house with my Labrador can't afford a wedding. And dispute applying for an average of 5 jobs a day since Feb I still can't find a job. I lost out on one part time job to a retired 65 year old!!!

Even a kitesurfing instructor ticket cost around the $800 mark then the 20 hrs you have todo shadowing someone. Then realistically you can only work 4hrs a day when the SB is in. All that for $40ish p/h and so far in the last two moths I have taught for a grand total of 18 hours.

Ok rant over, don't judge me.....


PS any one got any work in Perth? I will do almost anything...

tgcp said..

Livit said..

RAL INN said..

Firstly there is a glut of instructors, second the IKO is a blatant ripoff past the actual written instructors material.

So what alternative do you suggest?

I don't think IKO is the problem really and even though the program is too short to get an instructor ready to teach straight after the course, I have to say that it covers all you need to know. Ideally, a new instructor should be shadowed by a senior instructor for a given period of time. Unfortunately I've seen too many school owners who couldn't be bother doing or even worst, getting them to teach for free without any shadowing....

In short I would say that the schools are the one to blame for not giving any sort of internal training. A responsible school owner should have a standard progression program in place instead of leaving their instructor the freedom to set up their own lessons.

I had the opportunity to teach for a couple of dodgy schools but also with a respectable and well established one here in Perth. Now I can say why there is so much difference in the cost as well.

The issue is mainly due to the fact that kitesurfing schools are not directly supervised by any sort of authority and currently there is no Australian approved course available to train kitesurfing instructors. I reckon the instructors should be assessed on their skills on a regular basis. I know a school who does it but unfortunately they are the only one in Perth. It shows how much the school owners care about the quality of their lessons......

I couldn't agree more, the iko assessment as it stands is useless, I've yet to meet anyone who failed to qualify as an instructor even though I've met many who really shouldn't be teaching....

andy yates failed. hes pretty good at kitesurfing. i know heaps of people who have failed. ive failed nearly every iko instructor i know has failed something and had to do it again while being shadowed by a level 2 +

theres some things like public speaking that come with time. so theres some people like myself who arent the best at that but well be passed on it eventually.

i would like to meet someone who passed 100% on all there exams. have you even seen the theory? what the Coriolis effect? without useing google

RAL INN said..

If you passed it was mainly because you paid and added to the IKO coffers.

As I said IKO is a waste of time past their written course material. And the only benefit besides that material is to the establishments that run the courses.

There needs to be a non-profit association based qualification system put in place, and country based. ie: stuff the rest of the world; lets keep our money in Australia and not pay for 3-4 cliquey Euro kiters to live the high life in the Caribbean.

Hence the question: what alternative do you suggest? Whinging is not one.....

Gee, the dude wants to become a kite instructor and everyone tells him how stupid he is! Nice.
I taught snow skiing for several seasons in my 20's. I didn't make much money, but absolutely loved the teaching and the lifestyle.

Mate, if its what you want, go for it!

"blue cards, fork lift, DOGGING." lol lol lol

Livit said..

RAL INN said..

If you passed it was mainly because you paid and added to the IKO coffers.

As I said IKO is a waste of time past their written course material. And the only benefit besides that material is to the establishments that run the courses.

There needs to be a non-profit association based qualification system put in place, and country based. ie: stuff the rest of the world; lets keep our money in Australia and not pay for 3-4 cliquey Euro kiters to live the high life in the Caribbean.

Hence the question: what alternative do you suggest? Whinging is not one.....

and I say again "There needs to be a non-profit association based qualification system put in place, and country based."

The AKSA can do it, simply get the course material from IKO BKSA and KISS. then produce a common denominator.
Probably get some kind of Government funding to do it.
rest is up to all you kiters to work out.