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How To Become A Ski Instructor
Author: Miriam Kuhlmann
How To Become A Ski Instructor
Imagine waking up to snowy mountains and a big blue sky, where your day consists of skiing all day? If you love skiing (and/or snowboarding), one way to take it to the next level is to become a ski instructor. By becoming a ski instructor, you’ll get to share your love of skiing with others, while improving your own skills and getting experiences for life.
But where to start? Luckily in my job i’m surrounded by people that have worked as ski instructors or have helped others find their dream job working in the field. Below I have collected the answers to some of the most common questions about life as a ski instructor.
WHO CAN BECOME A SKI INSTRUCTOR?
The most important feature a ski instructor needs is the motivation to ski and teach others. And since you are reading this right now, you are probably already motivated! The next question usually is, “how much ski experience is actually required to become a ski instructor?”. In our opinion everyone can become a ski instructor! If you are less experienced, there are options to do longer preparation courses to improve your skiing skills a lot, whereas as a more experienced skier, you might be comfortable with a shorter course. Nonetheless - a preparation course can be recommended, as it will focus on making you as ready as possible for what to expect as an instructor, as well as making sure you’re as ready as possible to pass the exams at the end of the course.
WHAT DOES THE TRAINING TO BECOME A SKI INSTRUCTOR LOOK LIKE?
Depending on where you do your ski instructor training, the training will vary. However, it generally includes a combination of technical ski training, how to teach as an instructor, theory classes as well as practical experience.
An average day on a ski instructor course could look like this:
9-12 am: On-slope training
12-1 pm: Lunch with video analysis
1-3 pm: On-slope training
5-7 pm: Theory classes
The training will also take you through people and teaching skills, which Marie-Louise, who did a season in Sun Peaks, Canada, described as essential to working as a ski instructor:
“As a ski instructor, you meet new people every day, all of whom are different and require something different from you as an instructor. Whether they are beginners, intermediate or advanced. Whether they want some extra tips and tricks to become a better skier or they are afraid of skiing and have just gone on a ski trip because the rest of their family likes it. As a ski instructor, based on a quick first impression, you need to be at eye level and on the same wavelength as the student and give them some tools to become a better skier, so they feel in control on the slopes and after a few hours, they can leave the lesson with a good feeling about skiing.”
MORE THAN JUST SKIING
A ski instructor course can also do so much more than developing your skiing and teaching. It’s also the start of a season full of experiences in the snow. Mathilde did two seasons in Japan, and put a few words to it:
“During the course, I learned not only how to teach skiing to others, but also how to improve my own skiing skills. This was a great opportunity to grow professionally. My adventure in Japan was now in full swing, an experience that would prove to be the start of both personal development and many new friendships.”
DO I NEED ANY LANGUAGE SKILLS?
Depending on where you want to become a ski instructor, languages can also be an important factor to consider. Some ski schools in e.g. the French speaking part of Switzerland or Canada require that you are able to speak French (at least at a somewhat conversational level). Most ski schools in Austria require that you know some German. Wherever you go, the more languages you know, the better! But thankfully, you can always learn a language, which can be a gift for the rest of your life! Start off on Duolingo or an evening course, and don’t forget to prepare for the local skiing terms.
DO I HAVE TO PASS THE CERTIFICATIONS TO BECOME A SKI INSTRUCTOR, AND WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T?
As with almost all courses, you need to pass an exam at the end of a ski instructor course too. As long as you are motivated, hard working and ready to accept the feedback you will receive during your course, then you’ll have a fair chance at passing the exam. The ski schools and the trainers expect you to take the certification seriously, so they can help you pass the exams in the best way.
Of course anyone can have a bad day. Hence, it can be beneficial to register with an organization that helps you secure a job. Organizations like Snowminds offer a job placement, which in the event that you should not pass, will be there for you! They can also help you with options for retaking an exam and joining a retake course to best work on your mistakes. In some cases, you can even work as a ski instructor without the certification, where you will start out with another instructor or helping out with kids groups.
AM I GOING TO WORK AS A SKI INSTRUCTOR?
Obviously that is the goal of everybody taking a ski instructor course. But finding a job as a ski instructor can be tricky. Especially in the most popular resorts or if it is your first season. Ski instructor companies can help you in securing a job, where e.g. Snowminds has been able to arrange a job as a ski instructor for 100% of their instructors, right after they passed their exams!
So, short answer: Yes, you are going to work as a ski instructor. Get ready to experience an entire winter teaching future skiers!
