After leaving school and going straight into full-time employment, a snowboarding holiday in Bulgaria gave Adam the snow bug. A friend and newly qualified instructor recommended Nonstop, so Adam took a sabbatical year from work and headed out to Fernie to take part in the 11 Week Snowboard Instructor Course. That was five years ago. In this blog post Nonstop Founding Director, Rupert asks him about his experiences, read on...

Stuck in a rut at work, Spike decided to leave graphic design for three months to train as a ski instructor and enjoy some time in the mountains. Since finishing the 11 week course in Fernie he's spent two season in Cypress Mountain, Vancouver including the 09/10 season which was then the Winter Olympics hit the city for a month. Read his story here.

Lucy booked herself onto the 11 Week Instructor Course in Fernie in 2010 on the advice of her sister. After having an amazing time and gaining her Level 2 CASI qualification she took up her place at university. Her well respected instructing qualifications meant she had stable work at the Milton Keynes Sno!zone through out her studies and her extensive skiing experience ensured she became an integral member of her university ski team, opening up a whole new social scene and the door to yet more epic experiences! Read about her all gap year ski season here.

Ben deferred his university place in order to go on a Nonstop 11 Week Instructor Course. After completing his Level 2 in Fernie, he headed over to teach in the southern hemisphere. Well, that was 10 years ago and he still hasn’t taken up that university place! Read the story of how he became a ski instructor here.

Harriet took our three week instructor course in Banff during November 2009 and then spent the rest of the season living and working in resort until May 2010. As an instructor in nearby Norquay she was grateful for the Nonstop training before being let loose on the mountain! Read more about the town of Banff, the nearby resorts and what Harriet go up to in her blog entry here.

Paul took our 11 week course in Red Mountain way back in 2005! Since then he's spent six more seasons in the snow, working as an instructor in winter and an accountant back in the UK in the summer time. He passed his Level 1 on his first course and has since complete his Level 2 and Level 3. He dreams of completing his Level 4 and returning to teach with the Nonstop program in Red Mountain. He's spent seasons in Red, Fernie, Whitewater and Silverstar. Read his story here.

Olivia has used the Level 1 and Level 2 CSIA qualifications she gained in Fernie in Winter 2010, to travel to Japan later that year to teach in the Niseko Ski School. After a season in Japan, she headed to the Southern Hemisphere to teach in the New Zealand winter. Now she hopes to complete her Level 3 CSIA exams and return to teach in Fernie. Read all about Olivia's experiences here.

Louise decided to take a career break to get some time in the Canadian wilderness, fully intending to return to work at home at the end of her season. This she did, but only to save enough money to fund another season in Canada! Returning to work as a ski instructor, Louise then got a job in local ski shop for the Summer and continued with them on a sponsored visa through the Winter. The following Winter she headed South of the border to Squaw Valley in the US (home of Gnar!) to teach snowboarding (and a little skiing too!). Find out more about Louise's seasons and how she's found them.

Annette completed the Fernie 11 week course and returned home with no intention of using her teaching qualifications. The next winter she found herself teaching through a charity for children with cancer based in the UK. Alongside her as an instructor were X-games winner Jenny Jones and former Winter Olympian Graham Bell. Find out how Annette got her job with Caring Cancer Trust (CCT) here.

Steph wanted a gap year adventure and found it on our 11 Week Instructor Course in Fernie, but what was supposed to be a year of learning and instructing has now turned into a 10 year career in the snow sports industry. Steph now specialises in teaching young children to ski and has some really great stories to tell and some pretty sound advice about becoming a ski instructor...

Tom took our Fernie 11 week snowboard instructor course in 2007 and since then he’s done a massive five winter seasons (mainly in New Zealand) riding hard and instructing. He's also been training and competing with the British Snowboard Cross team. If that wasn't enough, he's done all this while completing a photography degree in Scotland! Read his story here. 

Ross went on our 11 week Fernie course in the 06/07 season. He took out a loan to pay for the course and headed for Canada. Ross was looking forward to passing his CASI Level 2 exam, but due to an injury had to pull out at the last minute. Not to be put off, he applied for a job in Niseko, Japan and found himself immersed in Japanese culture the following year. He then spent two full years in Lake Tahoe teaching and working towards his Level 3 exam and taking part in the Burton Academey. Read all about his journey as a snowboard instructor...