IKO Kitesurf Instructor courses
Become an IKO kitesurf instructor
Qualify as an international kitesurf instructor on one of Airzone Kitesurf School’s IKO kiteboarding instructor courses and travel the world doing something you love. Become an IKO kiteboard instructor to earn additional income, fund your travels or gap year, or completely change your lifestyle. The International Kiteboarding Organisation qualification is exactly what it says in the name – international – it’s recognised worldwide.
IKO Assistant Training Course – ATC
The first step to becoming an IKO instructor, the ATC gives you the foundation knowledge that you need before attending the ITC.
IKO Instructor Training Course – ITC
The first step to living the dream! Recognised worldwide the IKO kiteboarding instructor is a ticket to travel and work as you go.
Fast track IKO Instructor Course
From complete beginner to IKO Instructor in 12 weeks on the beautiful beaches of northern New Zealand.
IKO Instructor Equivalency Course – IEC
If you are an kiteusurf instructor with a national qualification, convert to IKO and become internationally recognised.
Instructor Reinstatement Course – IRC
For IKO instructors whose qualification has lapsed. Bring your knowledge and techniques up to date and begin teaching again.
Get in touch to check the next instructor course dates
IKO Kitesurf Instructor Training Courses
The IKO Instructor qualification is truly international, recognised across the world. With jobs for Level 1 instructors at amazing locations throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, South America, Europe, the US, Bahamas, Caribbean and more, it really does open up some great opportunities.
There are two 5 day courses to become an IKO instructor – the Assistant Trainer Course (ATC) and the Instructor Training Course (ITC)
IKO Assistant Trainer Course – The ATC gives you all the background theoretical knowledge including, weather, wind and tide information, kite aerodynamics, etc, as well as practical elements such as fixing and maintaining equipment, beach management and taking part in teaching demonstrations. The Assistant Trainer qualification is a prerequisite for the Instructor Training Course, and it gives you the foundation of knowledge that IKO Instructor Training Cours you need to become an IKO Instructor. You will also have access to online learning before coming on the course.
IKO Instructor Training Course – The ITC will teach you how to teach kitesurfing, from the psychology and methodology of teaching, to learning the IKO lesson plan. There is plenty of teaching practice, observation and feedback before you teach your own beginner students at the end of the course.
We usually plan both courses over two consecutive weeks, with a weekend in between for a rest, a bit of riding, or to catch up on any elements we might not have the conditions for during the courses. So you can do both courses back to back to gain the full qualification, or you can do the ATC and ITC at separate times in the year.
IKO Assistant Training Course (ATC) dates
| 2nd to 6th December 2024 | $745 |
| 24th to 28th March 2025 | $745 |
| Plus US$169 IKO registration fee, which gives access to immediate online learning. Our prices above are in NZ$. |
IKO Instructor Training Course (ITC) dates
| 9th to 13th December 2024 | $1325 |
| 31st March to 4th April 2025 | $1325 |
| Plus US$299 IKO registration fee, which includes one year’s IKO Pro Membership and recreational and professional insurance cover. Our prices above are in NZ$. |
Special price for ATC + ITC taken together – NZ$1950 (plus US$468 IKO fees)
Who can join ?
The IKO instructor course is for experienced kite surfers (see the prerequisites below). But if you need a bit of practice to get to that level, we can tailor some coaching for you in the lead up to the course. Or, even if you have never flown a kite before, you can come on a fast track kitesurf instructor course with us in New Zealand. We will take you from absolute beginner to IKO instructor in twelve weeks, or less if you already have some experience. You are fully focussed on learning the right way to do things, building your kitesurfing skills and becoming a great instructor.
ITC prerequisites
You need to have certain levels of experience and some other qualifications before you can come on an (IKO) Kitesurf Instructor Training Course (ITC). The IKO currently requires that you must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a certified IKO kiteboarder Level 3N with the ability to jump transition, jump with grab, ride toe side upwind, perform a board recovery in deep water and rider recovery while body dragging, do a self-rescue in deep water, and self-launch and landing (evaluated during ITC).
- Have an IKO Assistant Instructor certification – see above.
- Have a valid first aid and CPR certificate or complete it before the ITC.
- Complete the online Pre-ITC Course.
- Be able to read, write and speak fluently in the language the course is given.
- Sign the IKO waiver form.
Course schedules
The AITC is five days and covers all the information you need as to have the knowledge to undertake the instructor course, including in depth theory on elements such as weather, wind, tide and location assessment, equipment history and types, kite flight theory, etc. You will also shadow an instructor teaching the full IKO beginner syllabus, so you know how it all works. Then the ITC teaches you how to teach it.
The ITC is also five days, each day starting at 9.30am and finishing around 5pm. Timings are a little flexible depending on weather, numbers on the course and progress. You will have additional homework and preparation most days. The first two days will be spent mostly in the classroom, though we do try and get outside everyday so cabin fever doesn’t kick in.
You will undertake a riding assessment and boat session during the course, with timings dependant on wind and conditions. We then have live teaching practice on day four and five with real beginner students.
Practical assessment is ongoing throughout the course. You will need to make a presentation to the group, be assessed teaching real students on the last two days, and there will be an examination on the last day. Individual feedback happens on the last day in the afternoon.
Passing the course
On completion of the IKO ATC and ITC, you should have covered all elements required to become a qualified Level 1 IKO instructor. We hope that you qualify at the end of the course, but if you don’t, we will map out a way forward for you to achieve the IKO L1 qualification. If there has not been enough wind to compete your live teaching, or you are weak in any area you may be required to complete some additional training, or a personal action plan before you are signed off as an IKO instructor. It is extremely rare for anyone to fail without a way forward to qualify.
We can’t guarantee that you pass the IKO course – that depends on you. Though we work with you to help you in every way we can. Our aim is to produce good instructors, and for you to get the most out of your instructor course. Previous students have either passed the course, or have completed some extra tasks required following the course to become instructors. All are now fully signed off and teaching around the world.
Our approach is all about support
– helping you become a good instructor, not just testing you on what you know
Course location
The course will be at our base in Rangiputa on the Karikari Peninsula in the far north of New Zealand. It’s an amazing location with loads of wind, flat water and wave beaches, so you might get a chance to get out and let off some steam while you are here!
What to bring
- Your own gear to go riding with – kite and board, etc
- Full warm wetsuit – it gets chilly standing around in the water teaching
- Helmet and buoyancy aid if you have them (you will need them when you are an instructor, but can borrow some of ours if you do not have them)
- Writing materials
- A valid first aid certificate unless undertaking a course with us
- An Assistant Instructor qualification unless taking the AITC with us
If you do not have all the kit yourself, or cannot bring it due to travel restrictions, you can borrow/hire our equipment for the elements of the course where it is required. Please let us know before the course.
Some previous students
… how becoming a kitesurf instructor changed their lives
Ellie
Gap year
Ellie had just finished college, and wanted to fund her gap year before going to university. Having completed a three day course with us the year before, Ellie decided she loved kitesurfing, and becoming an instructor could be the perfect way to help finance her trip and future travels. After some frustration trying to practice in the UK with the wrong conditions Ellie joined our instructor course in February and March in New Zealand. “It was great being able to kitesurf every day”.
After completing the course Ellie travelled around New Zealand, then over to a kitesurfing job in Australia. After a quick stop back home it was off to Asia for some more travelling and kitesurfing before returning to the UK and university in York.
“Now all my holidays while at uni can be funded by kitesurfing instruction, and if not, I can just have fun kitesurfing!”
Ben
Career change
Ben was a senior buyer for a defence and technology company. He’d had enough of sitting at a desk in a job he didn’t enjoy.
Remembering how much he enjoyed windsurfing and travelling during a gap year, Ben realised he had a choice and could make a change in his life to get away from that desk. Ben said “Many people don’t like their jobs, but don’t think they can do anything about it. I felt I was cheating myself by not doing anything, so I booked onto Airzone’s IKO kitesurf instructor course. I had a great time, and now have a new passion in my life!”
Ben and his girlfriend, Janet, who also attended the course have given up their jobs, and are now managing a kitesurfing school in Melbourne, Australia. They plan to set up their own school in Fiji or the Caribbean in the future.
“I’ll never regret making the changes becoming a kitesurf instructor brought to my life”, says Ben.