Do you have any qualifications ??

You don't mention any.

You must be I.K.O.certified to instruct in Aust.

hey, thx for the answers.

Yeah i know that i must be i.k.o. certified to teach in oz. So because of this i will make my iko instructor license in the summer (the european )

@dave: Thx for the idea of other work. One of my friends told me the same. I should look for an job in a bar or something else so that i can go most of the time kiting . [I would like it ]
But i would prefer it when i already know where i earn my bucks in oz when i start my trip in Germany.

Maybe you have some concrete ideas for me what i can do in oz?

so long,
hang loose
Marco

Yea, recon dave... is spot on, don't teach, just ride.

North Queensland in the Winter and all of WAAAAA for the rest of the year, both booooooooooooooooom states...mit viel Wind. Best time to start in WA is Exmouth in Oct. then spend the next 8 months moving south Either work Winter in WA or fly to Queesland direct to Cairns. For real rocken times check out TAS as well.

Wish it was true that you would have to be IKO to teach here in OZ however it seems anyone who wants to teach can... some ppl just in it for the $$$... student safety should be the main concern as well as the safety of all other kiters and locations which we love to use... hate to see spots lost to bad instruction causing accidents wouldnt be good anywhere.

Do the IKO course MarcoGermany... its awesome learning experience..

agree with the other comments Here in NQ in winter and WA in summer good luck and enjoy....

Hi Everyone,

Just to tidy up a few mis truths.

You do NOT have to be IKO to teach in Australia, although more and more shops and schools require it as minimal formal training.

Persons instructing without IKO qualification in most cases do so without adequate (if any) insurance (as most insurers require a standardised teaching qualification before insurance is granted) which leaves the instructor totally liable in the event of an accident.

Any inadequately insured shop using privateers or young guys to do lessons for them will quickly pass the buck if lawyers start chasing them looking for someone to sue, and the buck will rest with the instructor.

Ignorance is not a defense in a court of law. If you are not using ALL of the right safety gear, rescue boats, insurance, training etc and there is an injury or death, you will likely be found negligent and may be sentenced to imprisonment as well as losing all your personal worth.

An IKO qualification is NOT a license to teach. It is a standardised international teaching system qualification of minimum skills. This is a prerequisite to getting council permits and water authority permits to teach in a public place (a License).

Any IKO affiliated school cannot employ a non IKO instructor unless as an ssistant looking to gain experience before becoming an IKO Instructor.

If you ask anyone who has trained in Australia if it is just a walk up start to get your IKO qualification, you will receive a different opinion from that of Young Bulls.

Good winds to all, and enjoy Oz Marco,

Hey Youngbull,

I am the guy who trains IKO Instructors in Australia and most of South East Asia. I have run more than 25 courses over 4 years and have trained over 150 instructors in that time both here and overseas and have learned a lot in that time.

You cannot become an IKO Instructor in 3 days, it's impossible and has never happened.

In order to take an IKO instructors course you must comply with the prerequisites first which are :

1/ minimum 6 months kiting experience at Level 3 (ride upwind, jump, gybe in a variety of conditions etc)
2/ Minimum 18 Y.O.
3/ Have a valid First Aid training certificate
4/ Have a current Boat drivers license
5/ Have previous teaching experience preferably in a water or air sport or have completed IKO assistant instructor training.

Once you have the prerequisites you can do the 5 day course (40 hrs) to learn how to teach and handle people as well as learn all of the intricacies of weather, water, teaching psychology, law, school setup, boat rescue procedures etc etc. and you must pass a written exam at the end of the course as well as practical exam. It is not a certain to pass the course straight up, as many will attest.

I have trained people who were expert kiters who made the worst instructors, and have also trained people barely fitting the riding criteria who were absolutely amazing instructors. And also everything in between.

A level 1 instructor is an instructor with "L Plates on", ie. still learning the ropes and gaining experience. An instructor is only of real experience and worth once they acheive Level 2, which is after having taught 160 hrs worth of lessons (80 lessons) to a maximum 40 students and receiving positive feedback from all those students.

A Level 2 Senior instructor has taught more than 1000 hrs of lessons with positive responses. These are seasoned veteran instructors who usually manage or run schools and love to teach. In my experience, they are not the best kiteboarders, they are solid, but they are excellent instructors. There are only about 3 or 4 in all of Australia.

I hope this goes some way as to explaining the value of proper training and as to why insurance companies and councils need this minimum requirement.

Good winds,