SERC apprentice Adam takes to the slopes for a snowboarding sabbatical

For SERC Fire and Security Apprentice Adam Smylie, from Moria, a week on the slopes didn’t quite fit the bill.

Having completed his Apprenticeship in Fire and Security Systems – and scooping the IFSEC Engineers of Tomorrow title for 2021 - the young man realised a long-held ambition, taking a six-month sabbatical from his job with Beacon Fire and Security in Lisburn, and headed to the slopes to teach snowboarding last winter.

Adam said, “I was lucky enough to be introduced to skiing and snowboarding during a week’s holiday in 2020, when I travelled with my family to Kitsteinhorn in Austria, a week before lockdown.

“For my sabbatical, I was living and working in Verbier, situated in the Vallee de Bagnes region in Switzerland. It is the second most luxurious ski resort in the world, behind Aspen in Colorado.

“After passing my BASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor course, and before completing my BASI Level 2, I worked for Les Elfes International, a private summer and winter camp for kids all over the world.

“Outside my scheduled instructor training, as snowboarding is less popular than skiing in Verbier, I had a good amount of free time, which allowed me to develop my own snowboarding skills.

“I would recommend this experience to anyone who loves winter sports as much as I do. It’s been a fantastic experience to travel and meet new people and get outside your comfort zone. If you are open and ready for a variety of new challenges, I would say go for it. And of course, there is the amazing scenery and the opportunity to create unforgettable memories on and off the slopes.”

Adam’s adventures are set to continue - the young man is heading off to Japan for most of next year where he will be working remotely in Fire and Security Consultation and Outsourcing. He hopes to combine his role with Snowboard Instructing on the side. After that, he plans to head to New Zealand.