Work a ski season as a snowboarding instructor
Working a ski season as a snowboarding instructor has a number of benefits. For starters, most instructors get free use of the slopes in their time off. With ski run access costing as much as $100 a day, getting free passes can be a wonderful added benefit for those who love the snow. The major drawback of looking for work as a snowboarding instructor is that you have to live in a specific area of the country. Fewer places of employment means more competition to land a job, so keep that in mind when searching for an opening.
What the Job Entails
Basically, you just teach people how to snowboard. This could mean teaching a beginner how to stand, fall safely and do basic maneuvers, or it could mean teaching intermediate students how to do tricks or more advanced moves. In many cases, your abilities as a teacher are actually more important that your abilities on the snow. You need to be patient and good with people to succeed at this job. Some snowboarding instructors concentrate on an age group (they might work only with children, for example) or level, but this could limit your earning potential.
Requirements
A certification from The American Association of Snowboarding Instructors (AASI) is optional, but it might make it easier to get a job, especially in a popular area or resort. Levels go from 1 to 3, plus an additional level as an “examiner.” Many resorts will hire you without any certification and train you to match their own particular style. Some might ask you to showcase your skills, especially if you’re going to be working with advanced students and need to know the proper terminology and moves. There’s no age limit for snowboarding instructors, but most of them are in their 20s and early 30s.
What It Pays
Most snowboarding instructors get paid only when they’re actually having lessons. That means that unless they have a client, they might spend several hours sitting around in the resort without earning anything. Fortunately, lessons are rather common in high season. Prices vary from one resort to the next, but the instructor’s share is usually about $20 per hour. Some resorts offer accommodation and meals as part of an employee’s package, in which case your salary would go a long way even if you only have a few lessons per day.
What Else You Need to Know
Many resorts around the world offer “internship” opportunities for snowboard instructors. If you always wanted to try the slopes in Switzerland or France, an internship could be the way to do it. While you won’t get a salary in this type of job, you usually do get room and board, as well as free access to the slopes when you’re not working. As you can imagine, the competition to land a spot is fierce, so you might need to start looking for a job a year or more in advance.
