Working in the great outdoors

Working in the great outdoors with the sun on your back and the slopes at your feet If you are passionate about snow sports, adventurous, fun-loving, energetic and enthusiastic, with a thirst for life, ski or snowboard instructing could be the perfect job for you; Melissa Taylor, sales and marketing director of NONSTOP Adventure Ltd, explains further

Skiing and snowboarding have seen enormous growth over the past two decades, with a corresponding demand for instructors. Increasing employment opportunities in Europe, America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina and even South Africa, coupled with the lure of alternative lifestyles, has seen more British people becoming instructors than was previously the case.

There are several different qualifying routes. The quickest option is a fast-track, intensive course, usually run by independent companies. Courses average 11 weeks and usually follow the qualification system of the country in which they are run, except for those held in Europe, which typically follow the British Association of Snowsports Instructors (BASI) system. Every country has its own ski and snowboard qualification system, affiliated through the International Ski Instructor Association (ISIA).

Canada is popular for intensive courses as powder and groomed terrain is varied, which is important for developing an all-round technique. Emptier pistes also allow more teaching time and fewer queues.

An 11-week programme would enable you to gain Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA) or Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors (CASI) Levels 1 and 2. Level 1 allows you to instruct beginners in Canada only, whereas Level 2 opens instructing doors internationally.

The ultimate aim should be the Level 3 Canadian certification (the ISIA recognised level), which opens up further opportunities both in Canada and abroad. As with the step from Level 1 to Level 2, the jump from Level 2 to Level 3 is significant and will require training, and extensive teaching and skiing/snowboarding practice. While working for a ski school you should receive regular training sessions, which will help prepare you for your next certification course.

The most successful instructors of any sport are those who understand the needs of their students and who bring genuine enthusiasm and patience to sharing their knowledge. However, an instructor must be a technically accurate skier as most of the learning process is imparted through demonstration.

Many European resorts are short of English-speaking instructors so British instructors are at a premium. In Canada and the USA, however, employers are more likely to choose someone with national qualifications. It really depends on experience and level of certification. There is no equivalence system between instructor qualification schemes so, if you are applying to resorts outside Canada, it is advisable to check your certification level with the snowsports school directly. Instructing jobs in New Zealand and Australia are available but limited due to the small size of those countries’ ski industry.

A snow sports instructor can earn roughly £6 to £10 an hour, but the cost of living in Canada and New Zealand is significantly cheaper than in Europe. Instructing is not a get-rich-quick option – it is definitely a lifestyle choice, but with the right attitude and plenty of enthusiasm rates of pay can definitely be described as reasonable. That said, what price can be put on the sense of achievement gained from sharing your passion and skills with others?

When to apply varies from resort to resort. Look at the website of the resort for an ‘employment’ or ‘jobs’ section (often to be found in small text at the bottom) for the official closing date or job fairs. The earlier you apply the better, but guidelines are:

• for the northern hemisphere – start at the end of June/beginning of July; if in doubt, be slightly early rather than late – being organised looks good and gives more flexibility and choice
• for New Zealand/Australia – apply at the end of March; winter is from June to mid-October so you need to be available from late May to late October; if you cannot manage the whole period, let people know what dates you are available.

To work abroad you must have a valid working visa. Generally there are two ways to get one:

1. employer sponsorship – some ski schools will sponsor you and arrange your working visa; however, most ski schools do not readily sponsor foreign nationals and so having a visa when applying for jobs will open up a wider range of employment opportunities; after a season in a resort you should have built up contacts, certifications and experience so that employers will be willing to sponsor you for the next season
2. arranging your own – this may be easier and quicker, and might make more positions available; working visas for some countries (like New Zealand) can be arranged directly with the embassy; but some people recommend applying through the British Universities North America Club (BUNAC), which offers a range of work-abroad programmes and provides advice and support before and during your trip.