Snowboard Instructor Success Stories - Andrew White

After leaving the British Army Andrew was looking for a new direction to take in his life and found that in Nonstop. He trained to become a snowboard instructor and hasn't looked back since.

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

Before Nonstop I had just left the British Army due to a medical discharge for PTSD. At the time I was looking for something different to focus on after having my whole world turned on its head and I needed something completely different.

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

In a word – variation. Compared to the other snowboard instructor courses that I had looked into, Nonstop seemed to offer the most variety in terms of activities, resorts etc... being able to ride in all three resorts around Banff definitely gives Nonstop an edge in terms of the ability to learn and teach in different conditions and it's more fun to ride in different resorts, not just one!

Why did you end up deciding to go to Banff?

Three reasons – whilst I was in the Army I was sent out to Alberta for 4 months to train and I loved it, so it seemed natural to me to choose Banff over Fernie or Red Mountain. Secondly, when looking at my options after leaving the Army, I found out a friend with which I had served with in Iraq had chosen to do Nonstop Banff, and that sealed the deal. I had previously looked at doing a snowboard instructor program but he directed me to the Nonstop page and I was sold. Thirdly, as I've already mentioned, three mountains to ride on!

What were your highlights of the course?

Obviously the biggest one was passing my CASI Level 1! I received an above standard grade for my teaching – having served definitely helped but the excellent instruction from our instructors helped a lot more! Another one was the cat boarding day. Every single run we did, we had fresh lines and we were also the only people there so it was great to ride as a group of snowboarders and skiers, with the mountain to ourselves!

So what did you do after the course?

After leaving Banff I went home (very unwillingly) and tried to look for work to make money for my return to Banff. I had a job lined up working as a Telecoms Engineer for BT but I had to turn it down as I had decided to return to Banff the following season. I eventually found a job working for TNT shifting mail in a regional Depot and also casual work in a local pub, neither of which I enjoyed greatly...

What was the instructor interview process like?

Fairly straightforward! I was referred to Lake Louise Snow School by Manuela, our Nonstop course host, as she also worked there and had been asked if she knew of any qualified snowboard instructors looking for work. I got an interview with Tony, one of the supervisors and I was hired the next day.

How did you sort out your accommodation in resort?

Through pure luck. Myself and the other Nonstoppers that I had come out with had managed to find a place to stay at a B and B long term. Finding accommodation within Banff is a hard task but all the resorts offer staff accommodation if you apply early enough.

How much is rent and the general cost of living?

I currently pay $400 a month for my room but I have a lot of friends that pay somewhere between $600 - $800 a month with or without utilities, mainly in shared rooms. Be prepared to live in a shared house, as you'd be hard pressed to find a place of your own. General day-to-day living such as groceries are a little cheaper than in the UK and alcohol is around the same.

Can you remember your first lesson as an instructor?

I was teaching a young 10 year old girl how to snowboard for the first time and I had a few butterflies before starting, but after things got going, all my past training kicked in and I gave a great lesson. She left with a smile on her face and I felt like I had made a great career choice!

What was the starting pay for an instructor?

I started on $11.78 an hour with 15% commission on all of the lessons that I sold. Definitely not the best paid job in the world but at the end of the day, I was snowboarding in one of the most beautiful places in the world, whilst getting paid to do it. It could most definitely be worse off.

How many seasons have you worked there?

I am coming up to my second season (2015/16).

Where else have you worked as an instructor?

Nowhere else.

Any advice for people looking to work there?

Don't expect to have too many lessons in your first season but if you show a willingness to work and progress, it will get noticed and you will pick up more lessons as the season goes on.

What’s your plan for the future?

To stay for as long as possible! I will definitely be returning to Lake Louise to teach for as long as I can and I am hoping to get permanent residency after my 2 year visa has expired. Time will tell!

Finally, any tips for rookie instructors?

You get out what you put in. If you work hard and teach to the best of your ability, then your clients will want to return, you'll get more lessons and your supervisors will consider you more over other instructors.