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Brad did the 11 week instructor course with us in Banff and he's going from strength to strength as a ski instructor, making excellent contacts, doing back to back seasons and working towards his Level 3 and being a future Nonstop coach. We caught up with him to find out more...
Whilst I was at college I’d become set on the idea of doing seasons, so as soon as I left I got a job and just saved as much cash as I could. I was working in a garden centre for over a year before getting a job at my local ski shop – got me in the right frame of mind!
Well at first my plan was simply to do a season in Europe and get a job in a shop or a chalet or something like that, but I didn't feel as though I was ready to head out on my own. I saw some instructor courses available in Europe but they seemed as though they were just like a ski school experience – they didn't seem like loads of fun – does that make sense? I guess I was looking for something more, and then I got onto the idea of Canada. I came across the Nonstop website and the videos and the images of Canada were blowing me away. Then when I saw all the extra trips and activities that were part of the experience – like cat skiing and road trips – and I just thought it seemed awesome.
To be honest I had just become set on Canada in general - all the options seemed amazing! But I was really into park skiing at the time as I used to head to the snow dome near me as much as I could, so the terrain parks were massively appealing. Beyond that I just loved the idea that you could ski at 3 different resorts.
Thinking back it was probably the feeling of passing the exams. By the time we sat our CSIA Level 1 everyone knew each other so well and it felt like we were in it together, so when we all passed it was an awesome feeling and we all went out together – was a big night! The feeling of passing the Level 2 was even better and I guess I felt as though it was setting me off on a new path.
I went home straight after the course and then applied for a job as a ski instructor in New Zealand. I applied for the hiring clinic in Treble Cone in May and attended it in June! You don't get an invitation, you just apply and attend, so it can feel like a big step to take, but it can definitely pay off.
Well I had heard that Treble Cone in Wanaka was the best mountain in New Zealand so was pretty set on working there. They do things a little differently in that they have a hiring clinic – you can apply if you have an ISIA equivalent certification and you can do the 3-day hiring clinic which costs $250 or $299 with lift pass. It consists of skiing with all the leading pros from the ski school and teaching your own lessons to them – pretty nerve racking experience as I felt as though so much was riding on it as I was all the way down in NZ – but it all worked out well!
I was lucky in that a couple of my mates had headed down there a couple of months before me and sorted out a place – it’s much easier to do in person. Saying that, there are a couple of companies that can sort you out with seasonal accommodation before you get there - http://www.accommodationwanaka.com/ are super easy to deal with. Funnily enough our next door neighbours ended up being a few lads that had completed the Nonstop course in Fernie! They also had got jobs as instructors at Treble Cone.
It can vary from between $110 - $150 per week. We had a friend bunking on the couch for a while which brings down the rent!
Yeah – I was bricking myself! I was assigned a group of 8 with another instructor who had been at TC for a few seasons. Very early into the lesson it was clear that there was an ability split in the class so I took half of them and was on my own teaching them – went super well though and was the learning curve I needed. So good to see students improve and enjoy themselves!
I started on $16.50/hour – but now I’m on $18.50/hour. There’s a good bonus scheme as well though – you actually get paid $1 extra per hour for each student in your class. So if I’m teaching 4 kids in a group, I’ll be on $22.50 per hour. Or if I get specifically requested then I get an additional $14 per hour. So a 4 hour lesson I would have earned $90 and a 4 hour requested lesson i would of earned $146 – so it’s pretty decent pay.
This is my third season here - they sponsor me and as long as I keep doing a good job they will sponsor me every winter – it’s a sweet deal! As long as you work hard and have a good attitude the resort will offer you sponsorship – it’s much easier than places like Canada. Since my first season I have a lot more perks – I’m much higher up the rota now so will often be allocated lessons first. This year I was actually one of the lead instructors in the hiring clinic – so I’d come full circle! It felt awesome to be the conducting the ski test, as opposed to being the rookie!
I went back to where it all began and worked as an instructor in Banff last winter. I worked for Ski Big 3 who teach lessons at all 3 of the resorts in Banff – they are a good snow school to work for because clients book a minimum of 3 days of lessons so the work is a lot more steady – there are no half days which is pretty awesome.
Well I had actually already been offered a job in Revelstoke, as my supervisor here in NZ was also a manger there. However I had previously applied to Ski Big 3 earlier in the year and then in October the ski school director contacted me to say that I had been highly recommend by Anna Steckle, who had been one of my Nonstop coaches in Banff. Anna’s opinion carries a lot of weight so I was offered the job! So my plans changed at the last minute and I went to Banff – luckily one of my mates from the course had worked there the previous winter and over the summer so had a place I could move into.
I plan on working as an instructor for as long as I can. I’m half way towards getting my CSIA Level 3 cert – I’ve already got my skiing part of it completed so just need to pass the teaching side of it. I had intended on going back to Canada next winter but annoyingly I missed out on a visa as I didn’t hand in some documents in time – nightmare! All good though – one door closes another one opens – as I’m in the process of sorting out a job in Niseko, Japan next winter. A girl I work with here in TC is a supervisor for a snow school there, so it’s all worked out well! I’ll keep coming back to TC every winter in NZ as they sponsor me. My ultimate goal is to work towards my CSIA Level 4 and teach on the Nonstop program in Canada.
Keep fit! Obviously skiing every day is awesome exercise but it’s not enough – I regularly hit the gym to keep my joints strong – it’s all about injury prevention. If you get injured, then you can’t work. So anything you can do to limit the chances of getting injured is good!
If like Brad you want to pursue a career in the snowsports industry and travel around the world, have a look at the course in Banff he did, or check out our other ski instructor courses or snowboard instructor courses. They are also a great way to improve your skiing or snowboarding even if you don't plan on teaching after. Or if you want an awesome way to spend your gap year, we have great ski gap year courses and snowboard gap year courses too.
We look forward to speaking with you.
