Course outline for chalet host training courses and chalet host training holidays in the French Alps
* Dates and Price
* Frequently Asked Questions
Course Outline
Experts are invited to run individual, and group workshops throughout the week covering the following topics:
* Cooking three course meals for large groups
* Ski and snowboards maintenance
* Large tour operator job descriptions and training
* Writing CVs, cover letters and job applications
* Independent chalet company job descriptions and training
* Driving in the snow techniques and safety
* Essential French vocab
* Cleaning standards and techniques
* Health and safety
* Shopping and budgeting
* Interview techniques
Detailed break down of the week
Sessions are timed so you can enjoy a full day on the mountain should you chose to. Every day there will be:
AM session from 9am until 10am
PM session from 5pm until 6pm
A cooking session from 6pm until 8pm
Dinner from 8pm until about 9.30pm At the start of the week the group will be split into pairs and each pair will be allocated an evening meal to prepare. You will be cooking recipes from a real chalet company, following their staff training manual, and will be assisted by people with over 8 years of chalet hosting experience. You'll get a taster of what cooking for, and serving, 12 people is like, and gain confidence with following recipes. Each pair will be given training on food health and safety, and best practice when it comes to keeping your kitchen clean and tidy.
Sunday - We collect you from the railway station and take you to the chalet. You will be our chalet guests for the day. This is so you can experience the service you will be providing from the other side. It also gives the group a chance to relax and get to know each other.
Monday
AM session
We will talk you through the outline of the course, invite you to ask questions, and give you literature and certain things you will need to prepare for the sessions later in the week. There will also be a general introduction to what's involved in doing a winter season.
PM session
You will be shown how to look after skis and snowboards by an experienced technician. Waxing, tuning and adjusting bindings. This will not only be useful for keeping your own kit in good condition during your five month season, it is a skill highly valued by chalet guests, and therefore looked upon favorably by potential employers.
Tuesday
AM session
You'll meet the general manager of a large tour operator, who will take you through their company training manual, explaining in detail the tasks you would carry out as chalet hosts, and what skills you would learn during their own employer training, and what experience you will be expected to have before you apply to large companies. PM session
You'll meet a recruitment consultant who will run a workshop on producing the perfect CV. You'll be given tips and advice, and asked to work on your CV in your own time over the next couple of days in preparation for your one-to-one meeting later in the week.
Wednesday
AM session
You'll meet a couple who run a small chalet company, who will talk you
through the skills they value in potential staff, the training they would
offer and you'll have the chance to ask questions, and learn about the
difference between working for small companies and the larger tour operators.
PM session
You'll meet the director of a airport transfer company, who will run a
session on driving in France, and particularly driving in the snow. Not
all chalet operators will expect you to drive as part of your job, but
some smaller ones might, and all will view your confidence about driving
if you had to in an emergency as valuable.
During this session you will also meet an experienced french speaking chalet host, who will give you lists of basic phrases and vocabulary you might need. Most employers won't expect you to speak French, but if you can demonstrate that you would be able to do the basics like making a phone call to the emergency services, it will work in your favour.
Thursday
AM session
You'll meet someone who trains chalets hosts on cleaning techniques and
standards, be given a timetable of typical tasks, tips and advice on time
management and demonstrations to help you avoid all the most common pitfalls.
PM session
Supermarket Sweep. In teams you'll be given a typical list of shopping,
timed collecting it all, and tested on how well you do. The serious point
to this session, is to learn how easy it is to make mistakes when you
are in a hurry and the labels are in French, and how important it is to be
methodical when shopping. Lots of companies will give you detailed lists,
which you will be expected to follow, without going over budget, or taking
too long.
Friday
All day
You will each be given a time during the day for an individual meeting
of up to an hour with an experienced recruiter who will work with you
one to one on your CV, cover letter, and interview technique. By the end
of your session you will have a CV which is ready to be posted out to
companies and recruitment agencies, and the confidence to apply for jobs
and be successful at interview. We will also give you a list of names
and addresses of potential employers to take away with you.
Saturday
All day
More CV / interview surgeries
All the people you've met during the week will be invited to the last
night dinner, which will be a buffet prepared by us together. It's a chance
to reflect on the week and ask any final questions.
We aim to gear the programme of the week towards your needs - so if having
read this outline, there are topics you wish were included, or you have some
concerns, please contact
us and let us know. This programme may be subject to change, for example if any of our experts needed to pull out, but we would replace the session with one of a similar topic.
