Have it all in one season – Train & work as a ski instructor
HAVE IT ALL IN ONE SEASON – Train and work as a ski instructor with NONSTOP Ski & Snowboard
Oscar, a ski instructor at Lake Louise (Level 2 ski and Level 1 snowboard) trained on our NONSTOP 3-week instructor course and then taught for the season in Banff now writes a little bit about his time out in Canada…
This is long, long overdue on my part, a little nostalgic, and because you are reading this, by now you’ve had this wicked idea or heard about someone who had one of the best opportunities of their life to enjoy the outdoors the way they should be….up to your eyes in pow!
Oscar Lawrence – Lake Louise Ski Instructor
My name is Oscar Lawrence, ‘Grouch/duckface/Pupp’ there have been many names (fitting indeed) and I, like you now, knew ski instructing was definitely for me. I had tasted European alpine delights, but yearned for something more, no lift queues or elbows, I wanted trees, fresh lines, smiley people ….. bears in park ranger outfits and racoons smoking cigars listening to David Bowie (ok jokes aside).
BUT I guess, like you may be feeling now, there’s a couple problems, I’m wasn’t rich (yet) (I am now by the way, so thankyou for asking) and I have just 1 SEASON, and I have no Canadian qualifications….at all! And I really want to apply my skills and actually teach, AND further my training…..in 1 season!
You don’t believe it, I understand, neither did I!
Well, and I say this honestly now, because otherwise this is of no help to you at all, you genuinely can.
By May 2009 I was CSIA Level 2, CASI Level 1 snowboard certified, obtained my avalanche 1 qualification and was looking towards my Level 3 course having completed a full season teaching at Lake Louise, and only in August 2008 all I knew was I wanted to go and ski with raccoons that like me enjoy ripping to a bit of Bowie.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive read, and therefore should hopefully tie in nicely with what James Harper Lewis had to say about the life of the instructor on the other page and demystify some myths and questions about how you might fulfil it all in such a short period of time. Sitting comfortably? Excellent, here it is, enjoy!
Firstly and most importantly is to understand your desires early , (Its March as I write this) so now is good. The instructing season begins around the 10th of December (give or take a week, snow conditions depending) and the resort seasons openings vary, but there is a great deal of time prior to the instructors season to achieve your goals that can make the steps to help secure a skiing job and get some valuable and awesome riding in.
Simply, it is a great time to understand terrain like you never have before.
All the Canadian schools take on rookies each year to replenish numbers and bid farewell to many loved outward going staff; many new staff are Level 1 and in many cases, crucially have not taught before. Some schools are stricter than others, but in the majority, each school approaches it on an application by application basis, and importantly do not maintain a minimum Level 2 qualification requirement.
So with all this time at the front end of the season, assuming you are all of differing abilities you could go for it and try to just enter for your Level 1 exam on your own!! Train yourself! But even if you are good enough to go for trails for the next ski cross team for the Olympics in 2014, there is one crucial thing, the ski school management are fully aware of the training infrastructure in place in the respective regions. Having had many instructors under their guidance, they know good training when they see it.
Having chin wagged with, and now met many who have been successfully employed as instructors the vast majority have been through one training programme or another, but plugging aside, employers genuinely rate the NONSTOP instructor training programmes as the best available. The employment rate and success speaks for itself, as the ski schools know the benefits from employing individuals who have had such thorough and rounded training. The clients are welcomed and encouraged to give feedback, and they do! Besides we know that the training is just a tiny part of it, the experience is priceless.
I took part with NONSTOP in 2008 in Banff on their 3 week programme to gain my Level 1, which they offer nice and early to gain your qualifications with a view to teach that season. I think it finishes around 20th November, I’m sure the NS management will pick me up on that. (And we did – it starts on the 19th November and finishes on 10th December just in time for you to get a job teaching the hauds of kids who want ski instruction at Christmas!)
Now here’s the thing, there is nothing to say you can’t apply for jobs prior to receiving your level 1…….hang with me here; the Ski schools begin their recruitment drive around mid July through to late August, there have been the rare case where a late offer comes flying out of left field in December, but like so many things in life, you got to get in there early. The schools do offer conditional jobs on the basis of completing your level 1 successfully well in advance of the start of the season, as they did for me knowing my skiing history and forthcoming training with NONSTOP; as it can benefit them in many ways in managing their rostra for the up and coming season in good time.
To tie into that, the best advice I can give is do not skimp on your CV when applying for a role like this, keep it succinct, but do not sell your skills and attributes short, and that applies to everything whatever your age. Like James mentioned, through teaching you have to apply yourself in such a variety of different ways, being personable, perceptive and upmost, be professional. It is likely they may want a telephone interview with you, so make yourself readily available and go for it!
Fingers crossed they make you an offer!
If you are appointed, you will as the season begins in earnest learn of the perks that each school in particular and general benefits of being an instructor can offer, aside for the lift pass. ‘Sessioning’ as it is called are perhaps one of the biggest perks of working as an instructor – as they offer the opportunity to continually improve throughout the season. At Lake Louise they have one of the most comprehensive frameworks in place to train, once, sometimes twice a day to develop your skills! it’s nothing but invaluable, errr and amazing! Thus by the close of the season in May, with some good ‘ard graft and amazing coaching support, it was how I gained the rest of my qualifications, and yes ………….in 1 season.
Ok it’s over to you, I do hope this helps! I’ll see you in the trees…
If you like what you have read and think that ski instructing is for you why not check out our websites:
If you ski: www.nonstopsnow.com
If you snowboard: www.nonstopsnowboard.com
Or more specifically, fancy the idea of our 3-week instructor course followed by a season teaching check out:
3-week ski instructor course
3-week snowboard instructor course
We provide full season accommodation in Banff along with the course as well. Check out the website for more details or call NONSTOP HQ for more information.
