Jack - how to become a ski instructor

Jack Bentley was just looking for an extended holiday when he went on a course with Nonstop that completely changed the course of his life...


Before I went on a Nonstop course I was a thermal insulation engineer, I was bored at work and looking for a long holiday. I decided to go with Nonstop as they offered the best quality courses and were very professional when I showed initial interest. So I went off to Whistler, Canada on the 11 Week Instructor Course!

One thing I particularly remember about the course was how easy Nonstop made living nearly 5000 miles away from home, everything was taken care of and they made the group feel like a big family very quickly. Our trainers were also absolutely fantastic, they are unreal skiers and teachers. They also were role models and mentors to many of us on the course. I specifically remember the first few days of the course, we all thought we were great skiers but oh how wrong we were! My trainer, Tim Creek kicked our butts for that whole first week and really made us eat humble pie. In hindsight these were the most influential days of skiing I've ever done.

The freeskiing days were also some of the most memorable, especially after the first few weeks when my skiing was better. The hikes out into untracked runs safe in the knowledge that I was with one of the best trainers on the hill was a great feeling. Powder skiing is still something that brings out the kid in me.

After the course was over, some of my Nonstop friends got jobs instructing in Falls Creek, Australia, through one of the Nonstop trainers. I, however, went back to London to my normal job and within days I was yearning to be back on the snow. As soon as my friends got back from Australia I asked them where they were heading for the next northern winter, turns out they had been offered jobs in Japan via a supervisor in Falls Creek. So I sent my C.V. off to the same ski school with a reference from my friends and got a job!


One thing I love about ski instructing is there's never really a typical day at work, the beauty of the job is that every day is so different from the last. The fact is the guest(s) you teach today might react totally different to the same exercises/terrain/tactics that you taught your other guest(s) the day before. A good instructor will be able to adapt to suit the guests needs, I believe this is the art of ski instructing.

Salary also varies hugely, depending on your qualifications and in which country you work. For example, ski school pays more in Australia compared to Austria,  but the tips are very good in Austria and in Australia tips are very rare. Generally the pay is good enough if you are sensible and as your qualifications improve so does your pay, substantially.

If you really want to take your skiing to the same level as the demigod-like trainers working for Nonstop, then working at a ski school is where it will happen. Most ski schools will allocate regular training for their instructors and take huge steps in helping them achieve their next qualification. Ski instructing also brings you into contact with some of the most amazing people. I have taught a huge variety of people from surgeons, lawyers, small business owners, big business owners, celebrities, millionaires, athletes, the list goes on and on! I always try to learn a little from everyone of my guests.

The social side of the job is a real perk too. It's a really tight nit group of people and you are instantly accepted because you all have the same passion. You can party every night if you want to, or go sledging, cross country skiing, ice skating or curling and there's normally always a gym. The whole quality of life is much better than the U.K. - the atmosphere is much more positive and happy. The only down side is that because I do back-to-back winters, I always miss out on summer!


Last year was a particularly special season for me because I passed my APSI Level 4. That's the Aussie equivalent of the Canadian Level 4. Just three years after I was on the Nonstop course I've become a fully certified instructor, don't get me wrong, it wasn't a walk in the park; thousands of hours training in the snow, fog, rain, sleet, you name it, but it was all worth it for that certificate.

Working in Kitzbühel, Austria is great fun (but if you want to work in Austria, you need the Austrian qualification), it's got everything you would want, picturesque town, well prepared pistes, good off-piste and it's not expensive to live there. The altitude is an issue though, because it's not the highest place to ski the seasons are short, so if you are after a six month season, then you may be disappointed.

Falls Creek in Australia is a really cool place to ski and work in the summer. It's has by far and away the best teaching terrain I've ever seen. This makes our lives as instructors a lot easier! There is a great community in Falls Creek and even though I'm on the other side of the world it always feels like home there.

I am currently looking to become an Level 1 and 2 APSI trainer/examiner. I should hopefully achieve this in the Summer. It is also a goal of mine to go full circle and work for a gap year/career break programme such as Nonstop, as they have given me so much and opened up another world that I never thought would be attainable. I see ski instructing as a career and have no intentions of stopping any time soon.

If you are thinking of taking a course for a break from the real world like me, or are looking for a genuine career change, just do it! You will never regret it, like I said earlier, I only went on the course for a long holiday and it ended up changing my life in the most extraordinary way. I hope this happens to you too, we need all the passionate ski instructors we can get!

 
If you'd like to answer Jack's call to instruct and become a ski instructor, don't waist anymore time, change your life today, why not?