I really enjoyed the Level 1 course. There was plenty of time on ropes and a good variety of knowledgeable instructors supporting skill progression.
HP was fantastic - a wonderful character and very supportive throughout.
Alan, however, was difficult to read. He was often on his phone, out of the room, playing loud music, and seemed semi-passive when I asked for advice about lightweight gear options. As a smaller woman, I need to prioritise lightweight gear to counter my own weight and height - convenience and suitability are more important to me than cost. Alan’s response felt dismissive, as though he was gatekeeping information; he told me to “focus on passing the course first,” which I did not appreciate.
Additionally, when Alan was outside the room, it made beginners uncomfortable as there was no immediate support available to ask questions or clarify techniques.
On assessment day, the instructors were speaking quite loudly, making it difficult to hear instructions for the Level 3s. When we asked them to lower their voices, they responded by raising the volume to an absurd level and said we needed to “deal with the reality of workplace practices.” I found this unhelpful and disrespectful.
Overall, from a woman’s perspective, it was a positive learning experience, but some male instructors seemed to lack good communication awareness when speaking with women.
