Turn Your Passion Into A Career Like Harrison

Harrison came to Nonstop to follow his passion for skiing and after competing the NZ 11 week instructor course, he is doing back to back seasons in the US and NZ, whilst training towards his Level 3. Oh what a life he has! He tells us about his life as a ski instructing globe trotter.

I started my Nonstop story back in 2013 when I ventured off to New Zealand on a daunting 11 week training course that gave me the chance to achieve both my Level 1 & 2 NZSIA qualifications. When I originally found the Nonstop course on the Internet I was unsure of what I really wanted to do for a career. I knew university wasn't right for me, I wanted to work outdoors and with my passion for skiing and the help and advice received from the Nonstop team, off I went on my adventure.

New Zealand is an amazing country and we had the chance to explore it a little during our time there. The accommodation, transfers and food were all handled efficiently by Nonstop and although we were horribly jet lagged, after a couple of days you acclimatise and settle in to the course and thankfully there was plenty of food to keep us fuelled.

The Nonstop team successfully coached me with a solid ski technique, teaching skills, practical equipment and technology studies and of course the all-important safety element.

I used to think I was a good skier - I was certainly a fast one - but little did I know that speed means nothing without technique. I quickly picked up lots of new skills, learned lots about my previous skiing ability both the good points and the bad ones!! The Nonstop team successfully coached me with a solid ski technique, teaching skills, practical equipment and technology studies and of course the all-important safety element.

Halfway through the course I became aware of an opportunity to work at Squaw Valley in California - home of the 1984 Winter Olympics - through someone who had worked there the previous season and had also trained with Nonstop, applied and with my Level 1 already achieved and subsequently Level 2, found myself with a job offer in California, ready for my first season of paid work.

Getting a visa wasn't a problem, as like many ski resorts Squaw help you to apply for a sponsored H2B visas for 6 months. Even the interview at the embassy wasn't stressful although the security process was an eye-opener, but once through this all was straight forward. Squaw Valley is situated right on the California/Nevada border with Lake Tahoe on my doorstep - being the second deepest lake in the United States with views to match its sheer size. This was to become my new home for the next 5 months, the perfect place to relax and sink a cold one or two either from our balcony or in the spring from the shoreline as we fired up the BBQs at the end of the day.

I went out to Squaw at the beginning of December with a few 'new found' friends from my training course. Living with eight of us in a large four bedroom house with fantastic lake views was always going to be fun and of course we had some amazing parties!!

The property was a season rental which the resort helped us to secure. The house wasn't the cheapest at $2400 per month but between eight of us, for the size and location, was worth the extra $$. Getting to work was a breeze with a free 24hr bus service just 50 minutes down the road covering the whole Tahoe area, but cars are also cheap to buy and easy to find in the States too. Doing what you love whilst watching people overcome their fears or finding a new sport they will enjoy for many years is certainly the most satisfying feeling - beats a hard days graft any day in my book - the ski industry is infectious!

It truly was heart-warming to know I had made a difference, given him a new skill and found him a new sport which he could continue to improve in for years to come

I will never forget teaching one young boy who had a very troubled background. This had given him a very low sense of self-esteem causing him to get very frustrated and melt down quickly. At first he didn't want my help so I had to take a few steps back and let him try his way and then gradually I gained his trust and with a few tips here and there slowly he progressed. By the end of a two-hour lesson he went from first time on skis with a lot of frustration to happily cruising around in a strong wedge parallel. The sense of achievement that day was amazing. I later received an email sent by his grandparents explaining his background. It truly was heart-warming to know I had made a difference, given him a new skill and found him a new sport which he could continue to improve in for years to come. It had been one of the best days of his life and without the Nonstop training and course knowledge I'm sure the outcome of that session would have been so very different for us both.

Sadly Squaw hasn't seen the best snow the last couple of seasons, however this hasn't stopped me working or got in the way of having fun. Squaw, like many resorts, has an amazing atmosphere and the likeminded people you meet will become lifelong friends from all over the world. With excellent skiing both on-piste and in the park if I dare to go in, although quite happy going for the larger jumps the rails still defeat me, I will get the hang of them one day!! When it comes down to it on a powder day there are very few resorts I would rather be in. The atmosphere is fantastic and the range of ski runs and various features from the Eagles Nest, Palisades and The Fingers are some of the most famous features in America, need I say more!

Four ski seasons later and I'm still loving it. Teaching back to back in America and New Zealand with both children and adults, no two days are ever the same. I'm continually learning new skills and working now towards my Level 3 and snowboarding qualifications. Each season I'm gaining in experience and this is reflected in my earnings and the opportunities open to me. I will endeavour to continue working in the ski industry, it's a great way to travel and see the world and anyway I've still got those rails to master!

Nonstop, I couldn't have done it without you ;)

USEFUL LINKS

If you want to follow in the footsteps of Harrison, take a look at the NZ course he did, or check out our other ski instructor courses or snowboard instructor courses. They are also a great way to improve your skiing or snowboarding even if you don't plan on teaching after. Or if you want an awesome way to spend your gap year, we have great ski gap year courses and snowboard gap year courses too.