By James Cove The BBC's correspondent in the French Alps

Being a ski instructor is seen as one of the more glamorous jobs in the mountains.

But believe you me it is hard work to get there.

Cove struggled with the basic snowplough

To see if I had what it takes, I signed up for a gruelling two-week course in the French resort of Tignes with the British Association of Snowsports Instructors (BASI).

There were 75 hopefuls on the course - where one in four fails - so the pressure was intense.

Winter plans and future careers were relying on the next fortnight.

I had considered myself a reasonable skier but on the first morning it was apparent I wasn't.

I was prepared to hear my skiing the bumps was poor, but it was worse. I couldn't do a snowplough properly!

Looking at the video on the first evening with our trainer, Steve Ricketts, I looked tense and awkward.

SKI INSTRUCTOR FACTS BASI is the British Association of Snowsport Instructors BASI is a member of the International Ski Instructors Association, set up in 1957 1st level qualification courses cost from �450 10-week intensive ski licence courses cost from �4950 For more info contact BASI BASI Official website

"You've got to put far more extension in and control your turn smoothly if you want to pass," he told me.

I had some work to do.

The course consists of 10 days on snow doing snowploughs through to high-speed carving and a series of teaching sessions.

Each evening there are two hours of lectures.

"We're very serious about our courses and recently our reputation has grown significantly as British instructors are some of the best around," said Ray Morris, the chief executive of BASI.

Five years ago there were 500 students on their courses, now the figure is more like 1,500.

Many get work easily and can earn �25,000 per season as a fully qualified instructor.

However, that was some way off for me as I struggled with my snowploughs.

By Friday I was reasonably happy about my top-end skiing but still felt like an uncoordinated rhinoceros doing snowploughs.

On our day off the others ripped around the mountain while I headed to the nursery slopes.

BASI instructor Steve Ricketts told Cove the good news

On Monday the difference was immediate

"You've cracked that part of it, well done!" said Ricketts.

The next hurdle was conducting some teaching sessions while under observation, but my journalistic skills (to be able to talk for England!) got me through.

And as the week ended I was hopeful.

On the final day we had to ski down a steep bump section with a number of trainers assessing our performance.

Despite a few nerves at the top I skied it OK and was beckoned over by Ricketts.

"You've passed mate - well done!"

I instantly forgot the humiliation of being unable to snowplough, the pressure of thinking I'd fail and questioning why I was even bothering.