European Mountain Bike Instructor-Guide Project

About a year ago, the first steps toward a European wide qualification for mountain bike guides-instructors were made in Davos (CH). Time for an update. Several national (mountain) bicycling federations, principal mountain bike groups and mountain bike guiding programs discussed the path towards a clearly defined job description, qualification level and quality assurance process across Europe. The 2nd meeting took place in France and recently, several members of the core group gathered in Northern Ireland at the Nature & Sports Euro’Meet. EO-MTBInGLots have been done and changed in a year. The project was initially kicked-off by IMBA Europe but has a different status since a couple of months.  Project coordination has been taken over by EO-MTBInG. EO-MTBInG is the organisation of mountain bike instructor-guides from 13 European countries. Main goals are to help define, develop and represent  the profession of mountain bike instructor-guide on a national and international level. IMBA Europe will stay involved and at least one project meeting per year will coincide with IMBA Europe’s annual summit.In the future mountain bikers will be able to consult a single resource to find friendly, professional, expert instruction and guiding no matter where they are in Europe. Whether they’re introducing their kids to the local forest singletrack or taking their friends on the biking holiday of a lifetime, EO-MTBING will ensure they can always find the same high standards of professionalism wherever they are.In doing so EO-MTBInG also aims to be the catalyst for a whole new era in the profession of mountain bike instructor-guiding, with higher and more consistent levels across Europe and massively increased work opportunities in this young and exciting  profession we love so much.What are the benefits?To countries with existing Instructor-Guide programs, the benefits include:• creation of a bike industry work sector with a basic potential turnover, based on the existing French model, of €330 million/year across Europe.• improved professional recognition for guide-instructors.• improved branding of the job-role.• massively improved domestic professional opportunities for guide-instructors, within both education, recreation and tourism.• quality assurance across Europe.• mobility for guide-instructors across Europe.• potential ‘outsourcing’ of some training modules (e.g. high altitude) to other countries.To countries without training programs, additional benefits include:• a ‘ready-made’ training system to ensure high professional standards from the start.• an accelerated progression to economic developmentthrough mountain biking.A working example: The French have used their national qualification (the BPJEPS), alongside a professional body (the MCF) to create a domestic industry which employs 800 instructor-guides and has an annual turnover of €30 million, working with schools, clubs, recreational bikers and tourists. Expanded to a European scale, this figure would be €330 million. The potential is there to go much farther, with mountain bike guide-instructors working in every village, town, city, MTB centre, bike park and school, just as with sports like tennis, golf and football. Creating a truly European standard is the key first step on the road towards this professionalized future for mountain biking.How will the project progress?Working groups are already carrying out the project work. As soon as the EO-MTBInG standard has been set each existing system will be benchmarked against it. Any additional training required can then be added before we begin qualifying instructor-guides for their EO-MTBInG licenses.Important to know, EO-MTBING will be setting a European level which will not interfere in existing national schemes. Candidate mountain bike guides-instructors would be required to follow their own national schemes, in their own country, as far as they go before moving on to any ‘bridging course’ that might be necessary for a European license.What is the timescale of the project?The project is scheduled to be completed by 2018-2019.Want to get involved?EO-MTBInG defines key partners and supporting members.  Key Partners will form the core of the project. Participating in the various work groups, key stakeholders will actively contribute to determine the very structure of the project. Supporting Members will perform a more passive role. Attending the annual conference to discuss the direction of the project and fully benefitting from the project upon completion. f you have any questions about joining EO-MTBInG, membership fees and the European Instructor-Guide Project then please feel free to contact us at info@eo-mtbing.eu.[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fid”:”508″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”style”:”max-width: 591px;”,”width”:”100%”}}]]Last project meeting took place in Northern Ireland, Rostrevor mountain bike trail center[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fid”:”507″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”style”:”max-width: 592px;”,”width”:”100%”}}]]