How I qualified as an ski instructor and went on to work in Canada and Australia!
Alex Winser completed her 11 week ski instructor course in Banff and enjoyed it so much she signed up for the 2 week freestyle course in order to stay out on the snow. Although she suffered an injury towards the end of the season, this didn't stop her going out to Australia a few weeks later to put her CASI qualifications to use. She is now on her fourth winter season. Here she describes what her Nonstop adventure meant to her, read on...
I finally decided to take the 11 week ski instructor course in Banff and it turned out to be the best decision I have ever made! January arrived and before I knew it I was on the plane with a group of similar people who, like myself, weren't quite sure what to expect from the next three months. My previous skiing experiences had only been the odd school trip and family holiday within Europe. Turns out you really don't need to worry about how good a skier/snowboarder you are - all abilities are welcome, which is totally awesome!
The Nonstop course was a life-changing experience. Every day was a challenge, not only with the skiing but also living and adapting to life in the Rockies. Yes there are days when you feel your legs can't take much more, and yes it can be VERY cold! However, when you get on that first chairlift of the day and you see the mountains, the untouched powder and your buddies riding the chairs in front, you soon realise that there isn't anything to complain about and that there isn't anywhere else you would rather be!
The coaching was fantastic. Nonstop provided us all with some of the best instructors out there. They each have a different style of teaching which is great, and every week they changed around the groups and the instructors so that we could experience different teaching techniques and get to know everyone. Another great thing were the different activities that I got to do on the weekends. I was lucky enough to go on quite a few including dog sledding, snowmobiling, winter camping and cat-skiing! I also got the chance to ski in Fernie, Revelstoke and Kicking Horse! The whole experience, including achieving my CSIA level 1 and 2 was by far the greatest experience I've ever had.
To get myself a job I was quite persistent with applying. It's worthwhile to get talking to a lot of people in order to know your options. As soon as I passed my CSIA level 1 I spoke to the Mount Norquay resort and got a job for the following season! During that time I had also applied and spoken in person to the ski school directors of both Sunshine Village and Lake Louise ski areas. Getting a job in the Southern Hemisphere was a little more tricky and a much longer process. When I achieved my level 2 in March, I immediately started applying for jobs not only as an instructor, but also as a lifty, mountain guide or anything that would allow me to be on my skis!
As my 11 weeks were coming to a close I was super stoked with how much my skiing had improved and it made me just want to learn more and more, so I then decided to take the 2 week park course with an awesome instructor, Matt. The first few days were amazing and they made me feel a lot more comfortable in beginning to attempt some 'tricks'! Before long I was landing 180s and hitting features in the park. A great thing about the course is having the choice of all three ski hills so you end up with a really good feel for all of the parks, which is awesome as they all provide slightly different features. Unfortunately I had only done five days of the freestyle course when I injured myself pretty badly. After landing a jump the wrong way I ended up with two broken wrists and a concussion. On the bright side the season was coming to an end anyway and I was lucky that I had already completed the instructors course and got my level 2 qualification.
As you can imagine, not having the use of both hands for six weeks was a complete nightmare. Skiing is like any sport in that there are risks involved, so my advice is to get good insurance, always wear a helmet and know when its time to stop after a full day of skiing!
So, after some very sad goodbyes to the most amazing people ever, I headed back to England with all of my ski equipment, a pretty solid goggle tan and both arms in casts. That evening I checked my emails and to my surprise I was offered an interview with a ski hill in Australia called Mount Buller. A few weeks later I was offered the job as a lift attendant and possibly part time ski instructor. The timing worked out perfectly; the casts came off a week before my flight - just in time to get some physiotherapy and get ready for adventure number two!
I'm lucky that my Dad was living in Australia at the time, so I had a place to stay before starting full-time on the hill, as the off season can be a financial struggle. Mount Buller was great but a very different and new experience as I actually lived on the mountain. Working on the lifts consisted of a lot of shovelling. I did manage to get a lot of skiing in due to ride breaks and having to ski to and from work but the runs were shorter, smaller and the snow was, well, pretty limited! I also worked a little at the ski school; it was pretty busy and groups were large, but it was challenging and allowed me to put everything that I learned from Nonstop to use! One great thing was the awesome vibe on the hill; because of the resort's small size I ended up knowing everyone. A few weeks before the season's end, I received an email from Lake Louise Ski School asking if I would like interview with them. To my surprise I got offered the job - I was sooo stoked! However, I then had to make the decision between Lake Louise and Mount Norquay! In the end I went with Lake Louise as I felt the season would be longer and the terrain would allow me to further improve my skiing.
So it was (again) time to say goodbye to some amazing people as I headed back to the UK. Luckily, in one piece this time and only for a few weeks. It was strange going back to Canada on my own and without the help of Nonstop, however, Banff is a great town and I immediately felt like I was at home again. The process of getting everything you need to start working can be pretty long. You need an SIN (Social Insurance Number), bank account, health care, etc. but I arrived in Banff quite early and was able to beat the rush in getting all of that stuff done. I even started teaching a little on the weekends, before the rest of the 'rookies' arrived for training at the beginning of December. Christmas was getting closer and closer and after a slightly slow start, everyone was out taking lessons. My day would consist of an early 6:30am bus journey to the hill from Banff. It was then a rush to eat breakfast, layer accordingly, check schedules and get my boots on all before morning meeting at 8:25! As soon as the lift was turning it was session time and (depending on the day) a few level 4s would take small groups out for nearly two hours of ski training, ski improvement and some crazy runs before the next meeting at 10:30am. This is where I would find out if I had lessons for the day or not. Lessons would vary from full days to just two hours; private lessons; groups; some with kids and some with adults. I taught a huge variety of lessons throughout the season which was awesome and made everyday a bit of a challenge! Like most ski schools, Lake Louise run on a commission based salary, so basically the more lessons you sell - the more money you earn. It can get a bit tense at times and as a rookie it can be hard to work your way up. However, just turning up on time and with a positive attitude will get you so far in this industry - pretty easy huh!? And by doing that, I managed to claim rookie of the year and the top sales awards!
I am now preparing myself for my third winter in Banff. I'm looking forward to not being a rookie this year and continuing to grow and improve. I hope to focus a lot on my level 3 and who knows, maybe even have a crack at it - I've got nothing to lose! I'm not too sure what my plans are for after the season as everyone knows visas are a pain, however, if you want something enough then there is always a way. For me, whether it's in the Rockies or in the European Alps, skiing is and always will be a huge part of my life.
So my main tips and advice for doing this whole skiing malarkey are:
- Apply early and keep on track with the visa issue - it's a pain I know but it's totally worth it. The system changes every year so be prepared to apply at any time.
- Have some savings! Worrying about your finances whilst trying to have fun can be pretty frustrating. Have enough to get some good equipment, eat well, and even have a bit extra to take part in some of the activities that Nonstop offer.
- A credit card and good insurance cover are a must - my two broken wrists speak for themselves!
- Be determined! Things can be hard sometimes but it really is worth all the effort.
I can't say thank you enough to the Nonstop team for the amount of work that they put in into making the course such an epic experience for myself and everyone else. Without them I wouldn't be where I am now, meeting life-long friends and learning so much. Just go ahead and book it; there is no doubt about it - you will have the time of you life!
If you would like to get speak to Alex about her Nonstop adventure, get in contact with the Nonstop office on info@nonstopsnow.com/01225 632165 and we'll put you in touch. Find out more about our Banff 11 week Ski Instructor Course.