Applications for 2024 close at 17:00 on Friday 9th February.
DEFINITIONS:
MTC: Mountain Training Cymru
Provider: A provider is the organisation, or sole trader, with overall responsibility for the business and fulfilling all contractual commitments, as detailed in the provider agreement. Amongst the many responsibilities and expectations, a provider manages the CMS account, creates and advertises skills scheme or leadership scheme courses, takes bookings, sets their business terms and conditions with customers, and ensures suitable and appropriately qualified staff are in place for course delivery. Sole traders are typically both provider, course director or tutor, and will therefore deliver all approved schemes themselves.
Course director: The individual responsible for practical delivery of a leadership scheme training or assessment course, in accordance with MTC’s leadership scheme quality manual. Directors are approved and supported by their national training organisation to deliver a scheme for a specific provider. Directors may work for other providers but must be added to the provider's account in advance of the course.
Tutor: The individual responsible for practical delivery of a skills scheme course, in accordance with MTC’s skills scheme quality manual. Tutors are approved and supported by their national training organisation to deliver a skills scheme for a specific provider. Tutors may work for other providers but must be added to the provider's account in advance of the course.
MTC’s APPLICATION PROCESS
MTC’s application process is under review for 2025. Currently, the following steps remain applicable:
- Contact MTC’s Executive Officer to request an application form in December 2025.
- Complete an application form and submit by deadline indicated on the form.
- MTC’s Application Scrutiny Committee assesses each application and makes recommendations to be presented at MTC’s Board meeting during February 2025.
- MTC’s Board decide which applications are to be approved, and those which are to be rejected. Rejected applicants will be notified with feedback.
- MTC’s Board recommendations are presented for ratification at MTC’s Council meeting during March 2025.
- Successful applicants notified.
- Attendance on mandatory induction events during April 2025.
- Following induction, successful applicants begin a 12 month probation period during which approved schemes may be delivered.
- Full approval given after twelve months if all contractual obligations are met.
- Courses may be moderated by an approved MTC moderator at any time.
Application fees
| Submission of applications form including one free course director or tutor | £50 |
| Additional course directors or tutor applications | £20 per application |
Ongoing provider fees (currently under review and will increase)
| Annual provider fee including one free course director or tutor | £125 |
| Additional course directors or tutors on provider CMS account | £20 per staff member |
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS (UNDER REVIEW FOR 2025)
Skills scheme tutor essential and desirable criteria:
Essential:
| Skills scheme | Minimum qualification and experience to be held by applicant for at least 12 months |
| Hill Skills | Hill and Moorland Leader |
| Mountain Skills | Mountain Leader |
| Rock Skills: Introduction | Rock Climbing Instructor |
| Rock Skills: Intermediate | Rock Climbing Instructor plus either BMC’s FUNdamentals of climbing 1, or MTUKI Foundation Coach training, or MTBI Level 1 coach |
| Rock Skills: Learn to Lead | Rock Climbing Development Instructor or Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor plus either FUNdamentals of Climbing 1, or MTUKI Foundation Coach training, or MTBI Level 1 coach |
- Minimum of 20 quality sessions leadership experience post assessment at a variety of outdoor venues specifically relevant to the scheme applied for. In the case of ‘Rock Skills Learn to lead’, applicant experience should include 20+ sport and trad teaching leading sessions. Indoor experience will not suffice.
- Tutors must have all necessary documentation and undertaken appropriate training to ensure the nominated provider of the course is compliant with MTC’s safeguarding policy
- Membership of an association: MTA, AMI, BAIML or BMG
- Have a genuine enthusiasm for hill walking or climbing (relative to scheme applied for).
Desirable:
- Membership of a mountaineering council: BMC, Mountaineering Scotland, Mountaineering Ireland
- Significant experience as a leader or instructor in a variety of locations relative to scheme
- Significant experience mountain walking or climbing in a variety of UK and worldwide locations
- MTUKI Foundation Coach qualification (Rock Skills schemes only)
- Evidence of working on introductory courses or schemes
- Commitment to continuing personal development
COURSE DIRECTOR ESSENTIAL AND DESIRABLE CRITERIA
Essential:
| Qualification scheme | Minimum qualification to be held by applicant for at least 12 months | Notes |
| Camping Leader | Mountain Leader | |
| Lowland Leader | Mountain Leader | |
| Hill and Moorland Leader | Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor, or International Mountain Leader | |
| Mountain Leader | Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor and Winter Mountain Leader, or International Mountain Leader and Winter Mountain Leader | |
| Indoor Climbing Assistant | Climbing Wall Development Instructor | |
| Climbing Wall Instructor | Climbing Wall Development Instructor | |
| Rock Climbing Instructor | Rock Climbing Development Instructor | |
| Climbing Wall Development Instructor | Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor | |
| Rock Climbing Development Instructor | Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor | No applications currently accepted |
- Have a minimum of six full courses of experience for the qualification being applied for with at least two different providers within the last five year period. It is essential that this experience includes both training and assessment courses.
- Course directors already approved to deliver a scheme higher than that being applied for only need to have experience of four full courses for the scheme indicated on the application. For example, an approved Mountain Leader course director, seeking approval to become a Lowland Leader course director, needs experience of four full Lowland Leader courses within the last five years.
- All climbing scheme course directors must hold MTUKI Foundation Coach training or MTBI Level 1 Climbing Coach, in addition to completion of ‘FUNdamentals of Climbing 1’
- Have significant experience of operating as an award holder of the qualification being applied for. Have a genuine enthusiasm for hill walking or climbing, relative to scheme applying for.
- Indoor Climbing Assistant course director applicants need to have experience of two full Climbing Wall Instructor training courses only.
- Membership of an association: MTA, AMI, BAIML or BMG.
- Course directors must have all necessary documentation and undertaken appropriate training to ensure the nominated provider of the course is compliant with MTC’s safeguarding policy.
Desirable:
- Attended a Mountain Training course director and staff update workshop
- Membership of a mountaineering council: BMC, Mountaineering Scotland, Mountaineering Ireland
- Involvement in the delivery of in-house training relevant to the scheme
- Holding an award higher than the minimum required to work on the scheme
- Have experience working for a variety of appropriate organisations and with diverse groups
