PSA – Career change anyone?

Looks like Bike park Wales has a few vacancies going.

https://www.bikeparkwales.com/lead-mountain-patroller

They’re constantly advertising jobs and not all of them are standard low wage bike industry jobs either.

It must be really difficult to get people to relocate to, or stay in, Merthyr.

Surely a leader, with at least a year or two in the industry and first aid isn’t ‘career change’…?

It might just be me not being in “the industry” or being a bit too SE, but £27k doesn’t feel like it reflects the person spec, required experience, certs and expected responsibilities of the role.

Or am I just massively out of touch? (I’m massively out of touch aren’t I)…

Or am I just massively out of touch?

As ever, outdoors pays crap.

I wonder what Ski patrol get?

But yes this seems low.

But then if people think it’s a ‘career change’ because ‘fun’ then that’s one of the reasons salaries stay low.

Can’t say how accurate this is

https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/ski-patrol-salary-SRCH_KO0,10.htm

I thought the “national living wage” was about £26k these days, so many decent businesses will be starting unskilled jobs at that level.

BPW seem to always underpay by at least 20% for comparable jobs in the outdoors industry let alone compared to similar roles elsewhere.  I did look into becoming an uplift driver during the pandemic at a few places (BPW, 417 and Dare Valley were looking) and BPW was a long way below the others for the hourly wage.  Think it was just above the NMW at the time whereas elsewhere was well above it.  They’d need to at least be comparable to attract people to live to the area but they struggle to hold on to locals!

The word ‘Lead‘ being in the title suggests some line/task management, but it wasn’t really mentioned in the description.

Surely someone ticking all of the boxes can expect a better offer £27k must be a starting number.

I’ve met several pretty average Grads with 1 year under their belt who expect a chunk more than that without ever countenancing the idea of providing 1st aid or managing someone else…

I might just be me not being in “the industry” or being a bit too SE, but £27k doesn’t feel like it reflects the person spec

You might have got used to SE pay, round here (Tweed Valley area) that’s a decent wage, and you can easily buy a house for 3x that salary.  1.5x if you are prepared to live in Hawick… Isn’t Merthyr one of the cheapest areas of the country, or has that changed in the last few years?

Yeah, as above, these salaries haven’t surprised me given a) the outdoor industry (much as that sucks) and b) the local housing cost.

More optimistically, I fancy the bike mechanic job. Yep, step down in salary from a senior engineering role, but by god, I’d love it – and thanks to my 3yr old son wanting to drive the van up the mountain, my 5 yr daughter wanting to be mountain (paw) patrol and the wife would prob do ok in the cafe – between us we could up sticks and make it financially work…

Isn’t Merthyr one of the cheapest areas of the country, or has that changed in the last few years?

The bad areas are still cheap but the areas you would actually want to live are reasonably expensive.

I wonder what Ski patrol get?

When I was skiing in Italy, the ski instructor said they are paid just enough to cover living expenses for ski school sessions. Any extra sessions booked help bump that up.

he was fortunate that his family owned a hotel by Lake Garda that generated surplus income over the summer.

he said that lift operators were the lowest of the low- tended to those that couldn’t ski.

Was an interesting chat over the politics of ski resorts (slope grading), economic model EU vs US (rented land from farmers over winter vs owned resorts)

Surely someone ticking all of the boxes can expect a better offer £27k must be a starting number.

That’s not how it works in junior positions in the outdoors. Take it or leave it.