 Poster: A snowHead
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I am planning on snowboarding / working the upcoming season in either Revelstoke / Kicking horse and have some (6) questions.
First - a bit of a background: I have hospitality experience, and have experience working with adults and children in counselling contexts. As far as snow experience, I have worked a season in a hotel in Neseko, Japan, and am planning on doing a level 1 Avalanche course and a CASI Level 1, but I may miss the snowschools' recruitment dates in Sept (dur to an obvious lack of snow).
OK, my SIX questions:
1. What are my chances getting instructing work once I am qualified (the season will have already commenced)?
2. Prior to this, assuming I arrive early (in September, to find winter season work), will I be able to find pre-season work anywhere before the season starts in Dec?
3. If I can't get an instructor job once season has started, what work should I hope to be doing? (e.g., Revelstoke resort options are: Lift Operations, Maintenance, Grooming, Snow School, Parking, Ticket Checking, Snow Patrol, Rentals and Repair, Retail, and Guest Services). In other words - which job will give me best balance between paying enough money to live off and offering the MAX Snowboarding time?
4. What are some pros / cons to these, above? For example, another option is working for a snowmobile company, which would be damn fun. However, if I am doing that it will mostly be day time and I won't get any snowboarding time, right?
5. Does anybody know if it is easy / preferable to get a job in the town of Revelstoke (or Golden, if I can't find work)?
6. What are accommodation options like in these regions?
Cheers for your thoughtful advice and welcomed suggestions!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ac17, if you want to maximise your snowboarding time I don't think the instructor option is the one for you. You'll most likely spend the majority of your time if you do get a teaching post working the nursery slopes with your board off your feet.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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thanks for the advice, rob.
What about the other jobs?
Lift Operations, Maintenance, Grooming, Snow School, Parking, Ticket Checking, Snow Patrol, Rentals and Repair, Retail, and Guest Services???
I assume most parking, ticket checking, retail will be day time - matter of fact, all of these (except grooming, which Id LOVE to do) are day jobs, cos its a friggin resort that shuts at 3pm...
Am I right...?
-If so, perhaps I am better off looking for an evening job in town...?
Maybe one that tips...? (Like in food or beverage)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Are you legal with a work visa? If not forget it.
If so you still might struggle - there are some nasty rumours being spread about Revy at the moment and while I'd take them with a heavy pinch of salt I don't think they bode well for seasonal employees with a lot of locals wanting jobs. Revy also seems to be tight on accomodation. KH maybe a bit better as they usually seem to have a heap of Aussies working there but I'd guess early bird gets the worm.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks - Yep, i have a WH Visa for Canada.
I am aware of Revelstoke's financial position and was considering KH as a backup.
I also realise all ski fields are going to be hit hard this year. Whistler's profit was down 10% last year on 2008/09, and they sent home 1/2 of their ski school in feb!
So yes - it will be competitive, which is why I plan on arriving early!
cheers fatbob!
Anyone else got some advice?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Save your money for a year, first then go do it without having to work. If you find work that suits, once you are there, then grab it.
Your are much better off finding opportunities on the ground, not here.
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Hi. I agree with nixmap. Go to Canada with a view to supporting yourself financially, and if a job does come up go for it. Don’t have your mind set in working in a certain area; be prepared to move to were there is work. Stay at hostels, people there seem to know what the score is about finding work locally, in fact some hostels offer free food and accommodation for a couple of hours work a day. I did see quite a few signs in shops saying “ help required” but that was two years ago (pre recession/credit crunch).
A lot of the jobs that you mention are skilled or semi skilled , if you don’t have the experience in these areas I think you will find it hard to get one, also most of these jobs will have been filled already. Some companies offer a loyalty bonus so people return to the same job season after season.
I don’t know if you speak Japanese? but this could be your biggest work asset coupled with your hotel experience. Good luck, and have great time.
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So how much do you think you would need to save to do a season without having to worry about working? Ball park figure obviously
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Get your CSIA II, check the website and find out which resort you can do this at early December (or asap). Bear in mind lots of resorts were LAYING OFF instructors this winter - they know you're all just rich kids killing time before uni.
I've been told that lifties get a fair amount of time on the slopes because they're only allowed to work outside for a certain amount of time. The holy grail of course is being a piste basher... but that's probably more a job for who you know, not what you know.
Golden of course is an industrial town, so you never know - if you can turn your hand to lifting & carrying you might be OK.
If you're prepared to "work" and not necessarily in the ski industry per se, Whistler will be quite busy this season, non?
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First option, stay in Niseko (this will be my fourth winter here)
Back up, Kicking Horse (did two winters there. Trevor gavura is the snowboard guru)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hello ac17,
Sounds like you have an awesome season ahead of you. I thought I would see what questions I could answer:
1. What are my chances getting instructing work once I am qualified (the season will have already commenced)?
High. If you qualify early enough and are not fussy about where you work then you are quite likely to find work. The rush for instructors comes in in December. Ski Schools do their recruiting in September but if you have a qualification by the time December comes, more often than not they need more than they have recruited. Shameless plug: We have lots of people who have done our 3-week instructor courses http://www.nonstopsnowboard.com/snowboard-instructor-courses/3-week-snowboard-courses that we run mid November (ahead of the rush) who have worked the full season after gaining their CASI 1. You should check out the testimonial by Dan Sherfield on that website page, he basically did what you want to do - we have lots of people like this. For more info on how to become an instructor, check out that section on our website: http://www.nonstopsnowboard.com/become-a-snowboard-instructor (I promise to stop adding in links now!)
As long as you have a visa, which you do, are organised (seems like you are since you are asking these questions), gain a qualification (we can help you with that!) and are passionate about what you are doing and teaching then you can apply all over and as long as there is a demand for instructors I am sure you will find a job.
2. Prior to this, assuming I arrive early (in September, to find winter season work), will I be able to find pre-season work anywhere before the season starts in Dec?
September is a great time to arrive - you will be ahead of the masses and will hopefully have pick of the bunch when it comes to getting jobs. If you intend to instruct once the snow falls you must get a job that is flexible (i.e bar work) so you can instruct by day and serve pints/burgers by night!
3. If I can't get an instructor job once season has started, what work should I hope to be doing? (e.g., Revelstoke resort options are: Lift Operations, Maintenance, Grooming, Snow School, Parking, Ticket Checking, Snow Patrol, Rentals and Repair, Retail, and Guest Services). In other words - which job will give me best balance between paying enough money to live off and offering the MAX Snowboarding time?
Anything that is up on the hill. Whether it be waiting in a mountain restaurant, working for guest services/ticket sales, hire shop or a liftee - this will see that on your lunch breaks and pre/post work you can go riding.
4. What are some pros / cons to these, above? For example, another option is working for a snowmobile company, which would be damn fun. However, if I am doing that it will mostly be day time and I won't get any snowboarding time, right?
There are pros and cons to every job. Instructing would obviously see you with the most 'on snow' time, before your lessons you will be trained up by the pros with higher qualifications than you in order to take you onto further qualifications yourself and post lessons you can rip the mountain up with your mates. Whatever you end up doing, if you are living and working in the mountains and want to go riding, I am sure you will find the time.
5. Does anybody know if it is easy / preferable to get a job in the town of Revelstoke (or Golden, if I can't find work)?
Both are great places to spend the season but quite small resorts in terms of jobs that are available. I would 100% give it a go for both but also open doors to other resorts such as Fernie, Big White, Silver Star, Sun Peaks etc the list goes on.
6. What are accommodation options like in these regions?
Good, as long as you are planning ahead (as you are!) The best way to do is to book into a youth hostel for your first week or so and see if there is anyone there who wants to share renting a house or if there are any ads around with rooms to rent. This is the cheapest and most fun way to spend a season - home from home but in the snow! You will get much more of a feel once out there about where you want to live and you will meet lots of people who can give you advice too.
I hope that helps a little more and I hope you have a great season wherever you end up. If you do fancy one of our 3-week instructor courses then please feel free to give me a call in the office (0845 365 1525).
Good luck!
Georgie - (part of the NONSTOP Team).
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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NONSTOP, Thanks for the promotion but IMV if an experienced skier or snowboarder can't get through the Level 1 CSIA/CASI course without the benefit of a 3 week prep course then they really must have spent more time in the bar than on the slopes during all their previous experience.
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great advice nonstop - i'm thinking of doing a ski instructor course for this coming season so that info was pretty useful.
Managed to get a student working visa from BUNAC before they ran out ridiculously early(whistler scumming them all!)
What do people think about doing an instructor course and working as one for the rest of the season opposed to working doing something else on the mountain?.. I've got the funds to do one - just not sure if it's worth it considering I don't intend to be an instructor for most of my working career.
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You know it makes sense.
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alfie1, I think you've answered your own question there
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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alfie1, would you be happy to spend all of your working time on the nursery slope teaching kids? If the answer to that question is no I think you're right to say it's not worth it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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ac17, I live in Revelstoke - I would be happy to help with anything if I can - seems like you have had some informative replies already.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| NONSTOP wrote: |
3. If I can't get an instructor job once season has started, what work should I hope to be doing? (e.g., Revelstoke resort options are: Lift Operations, Maintenance, Grooming, Snow School, Parking, Ticket Checking, Snow Patrol, Rentals and Repair, Retail, and Guest Services). In other words - which job will give me best balance between paying enough money to live off and offering the MAX Snowboarding time?
Anything that is up on the hill. Whether it be waiting in a mountain restaurant, working for guest services/ticket sales, hire shop or a liftee - this will see that on your lunch breaks and pre/post work you can go riding.
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Really? The lifties and ticket checkers in Fernie got maybe an hour in a day on the snow while working. I know Guest Services and the Daylodge crew got even less. Lifies do 4 on 3 off, given they work stupidly long days but I'm pretty sure the others did 5 on 2 off. If you want ride time, not working for the hill and applying to every job in town with shifts in the evening seems like the plan. Working for the hill is a pretty bad plan unless you're instructing, and even then it's kind of a necessary evil.
If you do decide to instruct, you really, really need to like teaching and working with beginners. You'll get a decent amount of free time and spend all your time on snow, but a lot of it will be spent hiking up the beginner area....
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| fatbob wrote: |
| NONSTOP, Thanks for the promotion but IMV if an experienced skier or snowboarder can't get through the Level 1 CSIA/CASI course without the benefit of a 3 week prep course then they really must have spent more time in the bar than on the slopes during all their previous experience. |
Me and a mate decided we could pass a CASI1 without any snowboarding experience with a week's learning time. It was going quite well until he broke his wrist and I had to do all his shifts... CSIA/CASI1 should be do-able by anyone that can get down a mountain from top to bottom. It's a 3-4 day course on how to teach and making sure you can demonstrate the low end to a standard.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Me and a mate decided we could pass a CASI1 without any snowboarding experience with a week's learning time.
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Blimey. So it's true:
What's the difference between a snowboarder and a snowboard instructor?
- About a week.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Go to www.snowseasoncentral.com/revelstoke or www.snowseasoncentral.com/kicking-horse for articles on this.
Your chances on getting instructing work are pretty good if you get the Canadian working visa. Most instructors come over in December, although you might want to broaden the places you are looking for work at, like Fernie or Lake Louise. Some of the popular places get a lot of instructor applications so even if you end up getting a job, it might be looking after a lot of kids. In places that have summer tourist seasons (Banff in particular), there are actually more tourists in summer so there are more job available. If you arrive in September then you will have the pick of jobs for the winter. Lift Operations is pretty fun, you get a lot of ride time, and the parking lot is actually a hidden gem of a job, with lots of ride time and tips. Food and bev is usually pretty crap wherever you are, unless it's a restaurant getting a lot of tips, because of the lack of ride time. http://www.snowseasoncentral.com/types-of-jobs-available is a good article on this. Working in Golden or Revvie in town will mean working for a place that doesn't give you a season pass and it's also more difficult to get up to the hill during breaks (if at all).
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FAQ
In fairness, "could", but didn't. It also really, really wound up a lot of the snowboarding side of the ski school 
