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| Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:38 pm | Training Schools | ||||
Nuggs  Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 54 Location: Scotland |
Ive tried this one on another forum but Im theres a few answers I aint had yet on this one!
Other than hands on training which I may be somebody for later....Does anybody know of a hill grooming school where I could pay for some tuition (perhaps 1wk to 2wks duration only due to my location)? Getting a posting without experience is a nightmare! If no, vounteers for a keen winter shift buddy are welcome! | ||||
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| Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:39 pm | |||||
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Nuggs Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 54 Location: Scotland |
Still no training course worked out yet, but as snow falls here I aim to have another shot at getting my foot in the door locally.
In the meantime however, with a ski trip to Tignes in France booked, Ive contacted a few folk there and arranged a few lateshifts with them! Im excited.  _________________ 293 hours on my grooming clock! | ||||
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| Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:56 pm | |||||
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rich29270 Joined: 03 Feb 2008 Posts: 2 Location: leeds |
hey nuggs how's the training coming along? this is my first post i'm interested in getting training there any kind of licence you need to get. trying to get a trip out to new zealand and a job. 
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| Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:14 pm | |||||
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Nuggs Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 54 Location: Scotland |
Well Rich,
Im afraid to say its all doom and gloom still.  Ive had a few offers from kind souls on the forums I visit, but I think its my location thats holding things up. There just isnt enough snow here to warrant more drivers and my job/mortgage/wife sees to prevent me doing what I should have done 10yrs ago.
Where are you located? I gather that New Zealand is the place to go, as they train lots of new starts and I gather even the guy here started or trained there. I still say I never thought Id find it this hard to fulfill my ambition. Im away to Tignes in a month and organised to have a few lateshifts with them so that'll be ace. I think its leitwolfs they have there but experience is experience. Good luck and keep me up to speed with your efforts.  _________________ 293 hours on my grooming clock! | ||||
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| Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:35 pm | |||||
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Nuggs Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 54 Location: Scotland |
On reading that back, I realised I forgot to answer the question. There doesnt appear to be a specific licence required. In britain we can get a tracked vehicle licence but that only applies to using them on a road. As you wouldnt require to do that routinely, I wouldnt think you'd need that.
There certainly seems to be no training schools ,applicable or suitable for my needs anyway, out there and sadly it seems to be down to experience from resorts/users. I'll hold on in there as persistence often pays off but I was lamost buying a PB240 or something and offer it for use at my ski centre but me working it as a condition! Again, the more I get into this field, I realise that no matter how you use them, things break or wear and for a one man operation, the finance would get silly! Back to grovelling, pestering and hoping! _________________ 293 hours on my grooming clock! | ||||
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| Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:23 pm | |||||
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rich29270 Joined: 03 Feb 2008 Posts: 2 Location: leeds |
That's pant mate, which other forums do you visit? i think my location will hold me up as well as i'm not a million miles from down here in yorkshire where we get far less snow then you mate haha. 
i'm planning on going to New Zealand in may so i think i might try some groveling,which places train new starters down there? i know what you mean about trying to fulfil your ambition. think we need to pick this country up and move it north more lol
i've e-mail a few places asking and they keep saying the only take on experience people and they don't train. they say i need to start out as a snow maker i've been thinking about taking my h licence driving a tank which i hope will help a little lol i'll let you know if i get anywhere mate thanks for your help | ||||
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| Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:11 am | |||||
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Nuggs Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 54 Location: Scotland |
If you havent found it already, check out;
www.snowmobilers.org/groomer_guide/GroomerGuidecomplete.pdf Its more for trailies as opposed to hill grooming but I learned alot from it. Its increasingly frustrating living here without access to the snowcat/ski world but thats the whole bit about ambitions aint it, they wouldnt be such if it were that easy to do. As for jobs, just google snowcat operator vacancy and although most require experience, there will be some pop up willing to train - I just cant due to a metal band on my left finger, and the mortgage, and the pension and not to forget the minimum wage they pay. _________________ 293 hours on my grooming clock! | ||||
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| Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:57 pm | |||||
davee Joined: 31 May 2007 Posts: 22 |
I hear the frustration in your emails. The trouble with getting in the operator position is something I hear from time to time, but it varies from place to place. Some area workers with talent move right from snow making or Terrain park ranger type jobs onto a grooming crew. So don't give up hope. Experience that could help get you in the door would be dozer or skid steer loader etc.. If you are an operator, you could transfer your skills to grooming, especially if you ski or ride.
Since you're driven to run one of these things, and to have some certified type training. I'm willing to look at the possibilities of putting together a school of snow grooming. Might just turn out to be a popular deal. Davee | ||||
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| Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:48 pm | |||||
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Nuggs Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 54 Location: Scotland |
Davee,
Good to hear that. You can sign me up - discounted obviously! Ive just came off the hill from my first hours of grooming (well passenger at least) but I learned a lot. Especially where we had to use the weather and drifts to cover the hill without using the cat to move it all. It was all very clever but when it was deep it was great. We were on some steep downhills with the poma lines and were toboggining a little - I see why it is a brown moment now! I have spent many years on the farm with heavy equipment, levellers, crumbling bars, rotavators etc and after some experience I think it would be achievable. I think a training course would be well turned out. The online distance learning has taught me no end but the hands on, especially here, is difficult to obtain. I may be an old, grey haired man by the time I get to do it but I WILL get there. Im off to Tignes tomorrow and arranged a few lateshifts with the Leitwolfs so I'll be claiming european experience in any applications! Thanks again for keeping us wannabes in mind. _________________ 293 hours on my grooming clock! | ||||
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| Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:46 pm | |||||
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Nuggs Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 54 Location: Scotland |
Davee, Have you had time to investigate a course yet? Obviously I would willingly test out any training course you create. Just let me know. Even if you dont, I can just hear the marketing power for Ohara when you can claim they are "so easy to operate even a novice can do it" but I need the all expenses invite first! 
Im still writing the letters and keeping up to speed with the latest. _________________ 293 hours on my grooming clock! | ||||
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| Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:00 am | |||||
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Steezus Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Tokyo |
I started grooming when I was 18 in the states.
In the states all you need is a drivers license. I know there is a school in Colorado for this kind of thing, but honestly, I think it would be retarded to pay for it. Just be sure the grooming manager you want to work for knows how interested you are. The only way to really get good at grooming is to actually do it. I worked with plenty of people who had experience operating heavy machinery but could not hack it in a snowcat to save their life. Good luck, grooming is the best job I ever had, I spent 5 years doing it between 2 ski resorts before I decided it was not adequately paying the bills. Would love to do it again someday. I wish I knew more about grooming jobs in other countries. | ||||
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| Fri May 15, 2009 5:47 pm | |||||
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Nuggs Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 54 Location: Scotland |
Well, the training schools seemed to be a negative avenue so it was down to pestering others, enthusiasm and some good will from the wife!
As some may have pieced together, this season I self funded trips to the Alps and Norway. I was very fortunate to bank almost 100hrs in an Everest and Everest Winch whilst about 25hrs in a PB600 Polar. I spent longer in them watching my tutors but I had to tally up my hours so thats just me driving. I still need a lot more experience to be let loose but thats not a bad start. I learned the basics and certainly was proud of my results. The machine discussion will just get us down a route many have been down before so I'll avoid that. So, if you want something enough, go get it! Still waiting for the school though Davee. _________________ 293 hours on my grooming clock! | ||||
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