Ski Instructor Success Stories - Katie Simpson

After doing a couple of seasons as a liftie, Katie came to us wanting to become a ski instructor, so she could wear two planks all day rather than watching everyone else have all the fun. Now she's living the dream four seasons later.

What were you doing before you trained to become an instructor?

I started travelling in 2009 when I was 19 years old. I made my way to New Zealand where I got a job as a ski lift attendant at Whakapapa Ski Resort on the North Island of New Zealand. I worked as a liftie for two seasons. It was a fun job but I would be constantly watching the ski/snowboard instructors having an even better time teaching and they were constantly on their skis. I thought to myself “I can do that”, so that’s when I started looking into doing a CSIA ski instructor course.

Can you remember what was important to you when you were looking into the different courses available?

The main things that I looked for in the course were:

• Does the mountain have good snow fall?
• How many days of training were included?
• How many people are on the course?
• Is food included?
• What extra activities are included?

Why did you end up deciding to go to Fernie?

I actually decided on Fernie with a lot of Max’s help. It sounded like an incredible mountain (which was definitely true). It’s never too busy. I only had to wait in line for the chairlift once and that was only for 10 minutes. The terrain has something for everyone and the snow was awesome, plus the town of “Fernie” is amazing. It was so much fun. I also liked the fact that the course in Fernie seemed to have a wider age range, whereas Banff seemed to be where the younger/party animals go (although you can certainly be a party animal in Fernie too). I was 23 when I went on the course and there were people there ranging from 17 to 60 years old.

What were your highlights of the course?

This is a very hard one to answer. My main highlights would have to be the friends that I made on the course. I made lifelong friends from different parts of the world. Obviously being able to ski all day, everyday was a major highlight and gaining my Level 2 CSIA certification was awesome.

So what did you do after the course?

Once the course was finished :( and we said our sad goodbyes to our friends I headed on my next adventure and slowly made my way back to New Zealand for another winter season. Only this time I was an instructor and not a “liftie” – RESULT!! I had an incredible and memorable season where I learned so much about teaching and I was on my skis everyday so I was a happy chappy. My season came to an end and it was always my dream to ski in Japan and my dreams came true with the help from Nonstop.

Nonstop posted an article on Facebook about new job opportunities in a ski school in Japan and I applied and got the job. This was, and still is, “hands down” the best place I have ever skied. It’s not just the snow but the culture is amazing. I would highly recommend Japan to everyone. After Japan I headed back to Canada where I taught at Big White Ski Resort and I am going back for another season this year.

What was the interview process like?

Like any job you start by applying online or sending your CV to the company. If you get an email back to say “we like you”, then it’s usually Skype time. Generally most of the interviews I have had have been through Skype. It’s a smart casual interview usually so you don’t need to get the suit out. The main questions that I have been asked are:

• Why do you want to teach at our mountain?
• What experience do you have, if any?
• Give an example of when you have had to deal with a difficult client and how did you deal with it?
• What’s your main goal by the end of the lesson?
• If you are teaching a group lesson and there is a major split with ability level, how would you deal with that?

How did you sort out your accommodation in resort?

I have never had trouble finding accommodation. In general the resorts are amazing with staff accommodation, so once you have your job offer and you have signed up for staff accommodation, all you have to do is show up with your gear and you have a room in a house with around 4 to 6 other people. These guys will probably be friends for life and you may even carry on travelling with them after the season. I would highly recommend staff accommodation, especially if it’s your first season at the resort. It’s an amazing way to make friends straight away and you don’t have the worry of trying to find accommodation.

How much is rent and the general cost of living?

Each resort can differ but on average it would cost £280 per month, that would be in shared staff accommodation. Spending money for the week... well that depends on how much you are going to visit the bar or how many “wing nights” you can go to but I would say £60 a week. That would be enough to go out a couple of nights a week and get some food shopping too.

What was the starting pay for an instructor?

Around £6.50/hr for a CSIA Level 1, £7.20/hr for a CSIA Level 2 and £9/hour for CSIA Level 3. These are average. If you have other qualifications e.g. CADS, Freestyle or Race Coach, then you can get paid more. Bare in mind that you get a free ski pass for the season and you are “living the dream” on the mountain.

How many seasons have you worked there?

In total I have now worked as an instructor for 4 seasons.

Where else have you worked as an instructor?

Mt Ruapehu- New Zealand
Niseko Village – Japan
Big White - Canada

What’s your plan for the future?

I have been trying to answer this question for the past 4 years. I like to keep my options open, as you never know who you are going to meet during a season and what doors are going to open for you. Before I started doing winter seasons I would always be planning my next step but I have gained a laid back attitude and things always fall into place.

Finally, any tips for rookie instructors?

Stay confident and just remember that the people you are teaching don’t know that it’s your first season teaching. Make it fun, your clients are usually on holiday and they want to learn and get better at skiing. Make it a memorable experience and you will have a better time too.

If the resort offers training, TAKE IT!! It’s free training and you are learning from high-level instructors who will more than likely become your friends. Make lots of friends, the ski industry is a small world so you are definitely going to know someone who knows someone when you start doing more seasons. It has also helped me with job opportunities.