We’re really happy to welcome the newest member of our team, Ryan, to Banff. He’ll be working alongside Nonstop legend Emily as assistant course host on our 3 week and 11 week Banff courses this year. Ryan is fresh out of last year’s program and has written an amazing article about his experiences on the course and how it inspired him to come back to Banff this year. Check it out…

Growing up as a Canadian, I have always been a fan of winter. The cold, the snow, and even the ice (as a hockey player) have always been a playground for new adventures and exploration. However, while still cold and snowy, the east coast of Canada had never fulfilled the depth of my snowboarding curiosity. I had always loved being out on the mountain braving the elements but could only ever get a small taste of knee-deep powder, steep, endless bowls, tight trees, and the mountain lifestyle I craved. So after four gruelling years of University, I figured it was about time that I go and have some fun!

After hours of procrastinating studying for my final exams, I stumbled across the Nonstop 11 week snowboard instructor training program in Banff, Alberta. I had only ever heard of this magical place where the mountains touched the sky and the snow fell in such ridiculous amounts that one could only imagine the size of igloo you could build. It wasn’t long before I decided to take the risk, a risk that would soon become one of the best decisions of my life!
I arrived for the course a week early to shred the mountains because I sincerely could not wait any longer. Throughout the preceding weeks, the thought of pow shots in the face through newly fallen pristine mountain powder had haunted my dreams . Sure enough, before the first chairlift had even reached the top, I realized that there was no possible way I could ever turn back! Over the next three months, I was able to snowboard with two of the best snowboarders I have ever met. With each of their styles so unique, Marc and Brian were an awesome combination of exactly what any aspiring snowboarder needs. They worked together to teach us not only to improve our own riding and technique, but also what qualities a good instructor should possess. As they patiently walked us though the step-by-step process of snowboard instructing, we were able to feed off of their knowledge and experience to aid in our own instructional development. I cannot stress enough what an awesome job these guys did and how knowledgeable every one of the Nonstop staff were when it came to anything in the snow.

While snowboarding was definitely the focus of the three months, there were always many other activities to aid in further exhausting the Nonstop crew. Whether it was a dodgeball tourney in the Sally Borden, a hockey game on the outdoor rink, night tubing at Norquay, or stumbling to the ever-famous Dancing Sasquatch night club, we were always entertained with new and creative pastimes. One of my personal favourites was after those -40 degree days on the hill when we crammed 15 people into an 8-person hot tub! As the weeks rolled by, the group became tighter and tighter. Within the first three days you could tell everyone was going to be a friend, but within the first three weeks, you could tell they were going to be a friend for life! There is definitely something about the ski/snowboard lifestyle that brings such similar people together and creates a special bond. There should really be a name solely designated for this type of friendship…. Anyways, with every passing week, I remember thinking to myself “This is literally the best thing in the world. Life CANNOT get any better than this!” yet somehow, it kept getting better. I must have thought to myself about ten different times “ok, seriously THIS is as good as it can possibly get!” but yet again, it just kept getting better!!!

While picking a favourite moment is practically impossible, I must say there was one moment that outshone the rest. Towards the end of the course, IT WAS TIME….it was time for the ever-feared CASI Level 2 Exam, a gruelling four-day exam where you pay to be judged to the extreme of whether or not your hat matches your snowboard (not really, just for dramatic affect) as a testament to your crazy awesome snowboarding skills and teaching excellence. After an hour wait, an exhausting four days, weeks of preparation and studying, and a whole season dedicated to this moment, the best feeling of the entire 11-week course was when I received my Level 2 Snowboard Instructor Certification! Even as I write this I cannot help but smile at the memory. Thanks to the awesomeness that is the Nonstop team, I achieved a goal I would never even have dreamed of accomplishing! The next day (yes, legitimately the VERY next day) I walked into the Lake Louise Ski School with my head held high and asked to speak to the guy in charge of hiring instructors for the next season. With an awestruck look on his face, I explained to him that I was aware I was 8 months early in applying for this job, however I had just passed my level II and wanted nothing more than to work for his hill the following year. With some good words from my instructors and a lot of pestering e-mails and phone calls, I can only assume that I annoyed Lake Louise Ski School into giving me a job – an offer that I eagerly accepted! Again, with all the thanks in the world to the incredible Nonstop program, I had landed my dream job.

As if I weren’t already riding high enough on cloud 9 after accepting my position and notifying the Nonstop team, I then received an e-mail from the Nonstop Banff host, Emily. We had been chatting throughout the season about the possibility of a job working with Nonstop – a long shot but a hopeful possibility nonetheless. Once she heard that I landed a job in Banff for the winter season to come and was definitely staying, that blessed angel offered me a part-time job working with Nonstop for the upcoming 11-week instructor course. I could not believe it! As my cheeks cramped, barely able to contain my ear-to-ear grin, I sent her an e-mail absolutely accepting the position! Not only had I somehow managed to land a job where I get to go to ‘work’ everyday and teach people the sport that I love, I now also get to work with the organization that made it all happen. I can only hope that through my efforts working with Nonstop I can have even a fraction of the effect on somebody else that the program has had on me. Nonstop, and everyone involved, literally changed my life and I can never thank them enough for what they have done for me. I look very forward to an incredible relationship working with them to make a difference for future Nonstoppers!

If Ryan has managed to convince you that Banff is the place to be and Nonstop are the people to go there with then do check out our Banff Snowboard Instructor Course!

The post Ryan’s time on our Banff season long snowboard instructor course appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Tom Akass has squeezed a lot from his Nonstop training. Having completed our 11 Week Instructor Course in 2007 he’s done five winter seasons (mainly in New Zealand), trained and competed with the British Snowboard Cross team, and started his own photography business (tomakass.portfoliobox.net). We caught up with him while he was working on the farm…

Tom flashing his colours

Hey Tom, so what were you doing before the course? 

A Scot never loses his refined habits.

I didn’t really intend on doing the course at all, it kind of just fell into place. I had applied to train as a tech and design teacher at a few different Unis around Scotland but at the last minute, after a wee bit of summer traveling, I changed mind and figured I may as well study something I enjoy so photography it was.

However the nature of the course means that it has a fairly high drop out rate and so the lecturers were concerned at my application switch from teaching to photography. So embarrassing as it may be, Napier University rejected my application and told me to come back in a year. I didn’t realise it at the time but this would be one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I had a year to fill and after a few very hard months work I had managed to save enough money to do Nonstop.

How was your Nonstop course experience? Any particularly memorable days or experiences?

My Nonstop days were really epic. Our accommodation was centrally located and really well matched up. I’ve met up with and bumped into loads of my house/course mates over the years. You might not intend to but the Ski/Snowboard industry is a pretty small world and you usually end up bumping into courses mates or previous Nonstopers whichever resort you are in!

Tom slept in this igloo – not too shabby for a bedroom view.

I will always remember the very first day up the mountain and my first time ever riding proper trees! I had previously spent my time riding the Cairngorms so this was a big change from there! The Nonstop coaches were pretty epic as well. I didn’t really understand how much of a big deal it was to have two Level 4 coaches rotating between the groups, but after five years teaching around the world, I haven’t met any more! If it’s what you require, they will push you hard and are really inspirational to ride with. It’s not often that you have coaches doing double back flips in class!

Tom obviously learnt a thing or two on his photography degree.

How did you go about getting an instructing job? How was your first lesson?

After the course it was straight back to work for me in Scotland to save for Uni, however, this is where the course really started paying off! I managed to get a part time job instructing at the dry slope and instead of working until 4am in bars for minimum wage, I was earning three times that and finished by 9pm. This made a real difference to my studies.

I also worked for some tour companies around Europe, mainly in Italy and Austria. It would just be the odd week here and there but that worked better with Uni. I will always remember my first ever lesson though, it was in the Aosta Valley in Italy and I was so so nervous about teaching my class for the week. I was only 19 at the time and I was one of the younger instructors there but I ended up teaching four 18 year old lasses from a fancy school for the week much, so it was a fun week!

What’s a typical day instructing like?

It varies from resort to resort but down here at Treble Cone, NZ, we get a staff bus up the hill from town at about 7.50am, go to our staff room which really does have thee best view imaginable, especially early season when we get to watch the sun rise, grab a coffee, boot up and then head down for a five minute meeting with the rest of snow school to see what’s going on for that day. Then from 9-10.15am we either go training or freeriding. This usually means you get all the fresh lines! From then on its lessons up until 3.30pm with 40 minutes for lunch in the middle. Depending on what day it is though and if you are running certain programs you will kind of make up your own schedule which is cool.

What pay, tips, perks, training, etc does the job offer?

The main perk of the job for me was that it allowed me to be able to afford to travel to New Zealand every summer throughout University. Without the job there is no way I could afford this and it meant I got to ride/train all summer long too. From this I got heavily involved in University Snowboarding and this set me up to join the British Snowboard Cross team for the 2011/12 season. This meant I got to travel all around Europe competing in FIS and Europa Cup races in resorts I had never even heard of! Such an incredible opportunity and one I will always remember.

Tell us about the resorts you have worked at.

I work in a few resorts around Europe but my main resort is Treble Cone in Wanaka, New Zealand. Its one of the larger resorts in the South Island with some really challenging terrain. There’s no trees here but some pretty bad-ass alpine parrots!

New Zealand makes photography a lot easier.

Tell us a special story from your time instructing…

I coached a few kids at the Hillend every week whilst I was at Uni and now some of them are instructing there, which is really rewarding.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans for the future are to have a summer for the first time in five years! So I am going to stay in New Zealand for the foreseeable future and focus mainly on photography – better try and use my degree for something! There is so much going on down here year-round with mountain biking, tramping (hiking), surfing, fishing and just getting out there. Even when you have to help out on friend’s farms castrating lambs and sheering sheep it all adds to the lifestyle! It’s all this and the staggering beauty of the landscape/weather here that makes for some pretty alright photos.

It’s special down here but don’t tell anyone else that because it will spoil it for those of us already in New Zealand!

And finally, any advice to others thinking of taking a course?

I went to Fernie with Nonstop with the intentions of it being one long holiday with epic pow and it was. What I wasn’t aware of is all the opportunities that have come about just from doing the course. Without a shadow of doubt I would not be where I am now without the course. I am very grateful for the lifestyle I live now and it started out from Nonstop. Cheesy and cliché I know but it is true.

Thanks Tom, have fun with those lambs, and enjoy the summer!

Find out more about being a snowboard instructor on our course pages.

Below there are some more of Tom’s stunning photos. Check his website out here: http://tomakass.portfoliobox.net

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Ski instructor success story from Lucy Harris, who took part in our 11 Week Ski Instructor course in Fernie three years ago. Since then she has regularly instructed at an indoor ski slope and has just come back from a season in New Zealand!

I’m Lucy, a 21 year old student from Milton Keynes. I started skiing when I was 10 and immediately fell in love with it. Being lucky enough to live close to Sno!Zone I was able to get really involved with many aspects of skiing from doing some race training to a Saturday job working on the lifts and in rental.

I have always wanted to do a ski season. Whilst practically all my school friends went straight to university without a gap year, that option was never on my mind. I’d first considered becoming a chalet girl but decided that there would be nothing worse than being stuck inside working whilst everyone else was out on the slopes.

I would like to claim that doing a Nonstop course was my idea but in fact my sister had done one in 2007. I considered breaking the mold and going to a different resort or even with a different company but I couldn’t find one that offered the same experience. I had seen the pictures, heard the stories and even been to visit my sister out in Fernie; that was what I wanted!

I booked onto the 11 Week Ski Instructor course in Fernie for 2010. I went out a week before the course began, partly so I could get my ski legs back, buy new equipment, settle in and also due to FOMO (fear of missing out). The first week was incredible. After meeting everyone at the airport it was off to Fernie. When we arrived the three weekers had one day left of their Level 1 exam, so the party that followed was a great way to get thrown into the Nonstop lifestyle. After a week of exploring Fernie’s famous bowls and getting our bearings, we were excited for the rest of the course participants to arrive and, of course, for the programme to officially start.

I was living in a four bed dorm in the Red Tree Lodge. I’m sure many people could think of nothing worse than sharing a room with three other girls but it really was so much fun. From girly movie nights to waking up to a trolley in our room, furniture upside down and the room filled to the brim with balloons! The lodge allowed us to easily meet all the other Nonstoppers, and access all of the facilities (hot tub, bar, meals etc) without having to venture outside. We were able to have pre-drinks in the rec room and even pool parties.

The course itself was incredible. The instructors were all so helpful and such fun. It was an incredible experience to be able to be taught by such talented people. Lessons were always enjoyable, there was never an option to be bored. Our time was spent focusing on our technique or just blasting around the mountain in a group. From the hours on the mountain and the drills we did, everyone quickly saw their skiing ability rapidly increase. Even if some of the exercises were bizarre, such as carrying trays of cups full of water down moguls, (on the first attempt mine went flying in the air drenching me) in all fairness they all helped us improve. Considering it was supposedly not the best season for snow it was still the best snow and most powder I have ever seen. Having done most of my skiing previously in a race environment at an indoor slope I was not very confident off piste or on moguls, but soon my technique was tuned so I was able to not only do but enjoy both!

In the lead up to the Level 1 exam we had a go at teaching others in our group. The idea was slightly daunting so the ice was broken by being made to teach a partner anything we want as long as it had nothing to do with skiing, so from cartwheels, to animal impressions, to Spice Girls raps, we all had our first experience of ‘teaching’. We learned the basic progression to parallel, how to spot common problems and exercises to help fix these. The actual exam was split into teaching and skiing and split between two examiners. One of our examiners had taught us previously so it helped put our nerves to rest. It was hard work but paid off when we were all celebrating up in the Griz Bar after being awarded our qualifications. Jugs of bear and naked table sliding seemed to be on the agenda before heading back into town to continue the celebrations. Stoked on being qualified, a group of us decided to swap skiing for snowboarding and vice versa, teaching each other and showing why we loved our chosen sport.

A few weeks later a group of us embarked on our Level 2 exam. I had been told that it was quite a large step up from Level 1 so was slightly nervous. On the first day we woke up to fresh powder, we were all a bit disappointed that we had to waste a powder day doing our exam, but it seemed the examiners felt the same way as we spent the first few runs in search for some fresh lines before getting down to work.

The course had so many extras on top of the tuition, which helped create an incredible season. Cat Skiing, ice hockey, dog sledding… to name just a few. Night skiing was definitely a highlight for me. Two buses full of buzzing Nonstoppers headed over to Alberta for a couple of hours of skiing under the floodlights with access to an incredible park. Followed by an unforgettable bus bar crawl on the way home, from cowboy bars to karaoke. Another highlight has to be Hot Dog day. The sight of a mountain covered in retro ski gear, t-bar workers BBQ-ing giving out free food and followed, of course, by an epic après party at the Griz.

Leaving Canada was such a sad day. Although it was less than a week before a massive group of us all met up for a reunion night out before setting off on our summer adventures.

I went on the course as it was an incredible way to do a season and to improve my skiing. The instructors qualification in my mind was just an added bonus that I may use one day to get a cheeky paid week in the alps. But how wrong I was…

In August I returned from traveling around Asia, very much penniless. I approached Sno!Zone in Milton Keynes hoping to get a few shifts back in my old rental job to scrape some cash together. A colleague mentioned that they were short on ski instructors and next thing I knew I was hired. I shadowed a few lessons to refresh my memory and then was let loose on my first class. Waiting for my first pupils I was terrified but then as soon as the lesson started it just all came naturally and I loved it. Most of the lessons I taught were based on building up snowplough turns and control as, in that environment, most customers were complete beginners.

I am so lucky that I have been able to return every university holiday to this job. During the summer holidays I was highly involved in the kids camp programme. This involved teaching ‘rookies’ or ‘pros’ in the morning and then doing a range of activities such as wakeboarding in the afternoon . Being able to work with the same children for a week is so rewarding, in particular when a child who initially refused to put their skis on is seen zooming down the main slope saying ‘I’m going to do your job when I’m older’.

Although I do love teaching in a giant freezer there is always that desire to want to go to a mountain. Having been stuck in England for a summer I decided to try and do a southern hemisphere season in my next summer break. Applying for my New Zealand working holiday visa was definitely a spur of the moment decision so I was in complete shock when less than five minutes after clicking ‘apply’ I had a phone call finalising my details and payment!

So I had the visa – now it was time to get a job. I was slightly limited due to uni exams and term time. Even so I was offered a full time ski instructors position at Whakapapa on Mount Ruapehu. I signed up for staff accommodation in the village, more affectionately referred to as ‘staffies’. Staffies was an incredible place to live, over 50 like-minded people all living under one roof. Due to the open nature of the mountain (well, volcano to be precise) there were often closed days, so living with an awesome bunch of people was vital to prevent cabin fever. To some extent it felt more like a holiday than a job so pay days were always a bonus.

On my first day of work I was confident with the teaching side of things but petrified that I would lose a child! Suddenly being on a massive mountain instead of contained inside a ‘freezer’ I found myself re-counting my pupils every other second. The snow school was quite large yet, cheesy as it sounds, everyone ended up becoming a close family. Especially during the school holidays when a lot of time was spent in the beginner’s area known as ‘Happy Valley’. You would think that being stuck in the beginner’s area with kids would get boring but it never did. There was a jug list so if you did something stupid such as falling over in uniform, losing a child, stopping a lift etc you could be nominated and then fined a jug of beer. Jug nights were always a highlight; a themed night with the whole snow school, where all jug fines were paid, which always resulted in an extremely big night out!

Even at back at uni I can’t escape the world of skiing. I’m highly involved in the running of DUSSC (Durham University ski and snowboard club). I’ve helped out teaching some of the beginners at the local dry slope and even with more experienced skiers as they try to adapt to that dreaded dendex. Races and events are always a highlight of my academic year, especially as I will always bump into at least one person that I met out in Fernie.

I’m not entirely sure what I want to do when I leave uni but I am sure that I want to get back out to the mountain and at the very least do one more season. My time in Fernie was genuinely a once in a lifetime experience and I loved every minute of it; the friends I made and all the incredible opportunities it has given me afterwards.

Find out more about Nonstop’s range of skiing instructor training courses here.

The post Becoming a ski instructor and working in New Zealand and the UK appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

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.

The post How I qualified as an ski instructor and went on to work in Canada and Australia! appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Steph Oliver’s story starts on our 11 week instructor course in Fernie, which was originally intended to be just a gap year. Steph then went on to spend six more seasons in Canada, teaching children and even some celebrities at Sunshine Village in Banff. Testimony that a Nonstop course really can change a life for the better.

Making the decision to take part in Nonstop’s instructor course was perhaps the easiest but most life-changing decision I have ever made; it was almost done on a whim. A gap year before university sounded great and before I knew it I was in the wonderful snow-filled world of Fernie.

I couldn’t have imagined a better bunch of people to be thrown together with. There were 40 of us, all there for very different reasons: career break, career change, gap year, long honeymoon; but we were all ultimately there because we loved snow sports. I had spent a maximum of 10 days on snow when I was 14 and really had no clue what to expect. In fact, I remember my first ski down towards the chairlift, thinking: “Hey, it’s like riding a bike… I totally remember how to ski…” completely oblivious to the fact I was snowplowing the whole way down. The instructors definitely had their work cut out for them. Everyday was full of fun and excitement and there was never a dull moment on or off the slopes. The course not only offered instructor training but there was an avalanche course, a 10 week TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course, cat skiing (I still recall that as one of the best days of my life), skidoing, a trip to Banff, a day at White Fish Montana, ski-tuning sessions, hockey matches, a float in the local parade, ice skating, karaoke and tobogganing. 11 weeks flew by and it wasn’t long before I was saying goodbye to some of the most wonderful people I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. My experience with Nonstop changed the direction of my life and, more than any other decision I’ve ever made, has had the most positive impact on me.

After Nonstop I went on to teach for six seasons at Sunshine Village and absolutely loved my job. I decided to teach children, as there tends to be more consistency with work and I had much more fun skiing around the mountain with eight excitable children. Before my first lesson I was pretty apprehensive, but I had a lot of support from my supervisors who organised for all new instructors to shadow senior instructors over two days of lessons. This gave me a solid idea about how the lessons were set up – including start-times, breaks, lunch-times and afternoon lesson planning.

My first season was a huge learning curve. I had to learn how to manage my time and develop appropriate games and exercises for a range of children. When Christmas hit there were children everywhere; eight children in each group, often with varied ability and, as their instructor, I had to ensure all requests were met. This also included who they wanted to ski with, whether this meant keeping friends and siblings together, or (in some cases) keeping them apart. Some days lesson planning was completely thrown out the window! I was constantly on my toes, making sure all the children are safe, that they had all their equipment (children leave a trail of their belongings wherever they go) and all the while giving them the confidence and skills to reach their goals, keeping both the kids and their parents happy.

I lived in Canmore and Banff during my first season, but most ski hills offer staff accommodation. I loved living in town though – my social life was never dull! It’s a small industry and I’d bump into people time and time again. Local discount is also common practice in ski towns and the more you get to know everyone, the easier it is to get a good deal on ski and snowboard gear, not to mention the discounts you can get as a CSIA and CASI member. Making money as an instructor is tough, especially in the current economic climate as the number of tourists booking ski lessons has dropped dramatically. If you want to make big money, ski instructing probably isn’t the job for you. However, once you’re established, you can make decent money and first-time clients will often ask for more lessons with the same instructor, coming back to you time and time again. It is also not uncommon to work a second job during the season to help finance the quiet months.

Throughout the years I’ve had a kid wedge his head between the seat of the chairlift and it’s safety bar (with bystanders taking pictures as he dangled 20ft from the ground). I’ve had a four year old projectile vomit on me during a ski lesson. Ive skied steep, deep powder runs, got lost in trees runs, dug myself out of waist deep powder – pulled small children out of waist deep powder. I’ve trained with top Level 4 instructors, drunk fountains of hot chocolate, built snowmen, threw snowballs, learned to snowboard, toured in the back country, snowshoed, ice skated and even taught some celebrities.

My time teaching has been nothing short of incredible. The friends I’ve made become my family and I can’t thank Nonstop enough for opening the door to all these new experiences and opportunities. Looking back on these 10 years, it’s hard to imagine what else I could have done with my life, and if I could, I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Find out more about how to becoming a ski instructor or contact us on info@nonstopsnow.com/01225 632165

The post How my Gap Year Turned Into Working as a Ski Instructor for 10 Years. appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Ben Scott is proof that a ski instructor doesn’t always have to make the choice between doing what they love or earning a really great wage…

Before I decided to take the Nonstop course I was studying sport and exercise science, along with sociology, in my hometown of South Kirkby. I finished my A Levels with good grades and got accepted to Leeds University to continue studying. Around this time I randomly came across a Nonstop online advertisement and immediately jumped on the idea. Up until this point I had only spent five weeks on snow, two of which came with instruction. I guess I loved it from the first time I clicked into my bindings and I must say I still love it just as much now.  I decided to defer my placement at university for one year and enrolled on the 11 week instructor training program in Fernie BC, instead. I only had the summer and autumn to save so I got myself a job with a marquee company and worked every hour available to reach my target. I had no idea what to expect and the whole thing was quite a big leap for me. I knew nobody on the course and it was going to be my first time living away from home. What I did know was that I was about to spend almost three months on snow and the idea excited me a lot.

My Nonstop experience turned out to be life changing! I still remember the nerves when driving to Heathrow and I vividly remember meeting everyone in the departure lounge for the first time. From this moment on the fun times began. I don’t think anyone expected the season to turn out just as awesome as it did! I was lucky enough to live in the OGS with 9 fantastic people. We were the younger participants of the course and I think we were all in the same school year. This worked out perfectly and we ended up being really, really good friends. I am now currently on my 10th season, seven of which I have spent with my room mate from Fernie, Mr Jack Banfield. On to the skiing part: with only five weeks under my belt I expected to struggle a lot, especially as some guys had 40 weeks under theirs. This, however, was not the case and maybe even benefited me, as I had had no time to develop bad habits. Our instructors were great and so was the fact that we had a different instructor every week. As a result, my skiing came along a lot through out the season. The whole experience on and off of the snow blew my expectations out of the window. One of my fondest memories of the season was Hotdog Day. On this annual occasion everyone on the mountain dresses up in old school one pieces, fills up their hip flasks, and makes their most flamboyant turns possible directly under the chair! I think I speak for us all when saying it was really a memorable day. The feeling of waking up numerous times in the season to a meter of fresh snow, I will never forget. That season it just seemed to dump and then dump some more! Fernie is truly an incredible place.

I consider myself quite lucky in how I have found my instructing jobs so far. I owe many thanks to Chrisy Hill, a Nonstop instructor in Fernie. After the season finished, myself and three other friends from the course decided to chase the snow into the southern hemisphere and apply for jobs in NZ. Chrisy was also chasing winter and worked at Cardrona Alpine Resort, where she kindly put in a good word for us. That’s how I landed my first instructing job. Whilst in NZ I had to decide between university or doing another season. The answer was quite simple and I applied for a job the following season back at Fernie. The Ski school already knew me well and I had good references from Cardrona which helped me land a place in the Fernie team. During my second season in NZ I shared a flat with a girl who’s father runs the Ski School in Laax, Switzerland. He stayed with us for two weeks and in this time I managed to build up a good relationship with him. He offered me a job in Laax and that’s where I am today. I have found that you make a lot of connections during a ski season and in my experience, out of this there usually results a job offer.

My first lesson went really well although it was a little nerve racking.  Like most Ski Schools, Cardrona has a mandatory training week where all new instructors learn about the resort along with the standards that are expected. My first working season however was quite challenging. I worked with the under sixes program for the first half which at times really challenged my patience. However by my third season there I was taking freestyle coaching lessons and the higher end levels of both adults and children. I think this is normal for most ski schools. It just takes a little time to work up the ladder. After 10 seasons I still really enjoy teaching; it’s amazing how much people can learn with just a day’s tuition and it’s an awesome feeling to be able to share what I love doing with others.

A typical day starts with having a cup of coffee with all my friends before putting boots on. Lessons normally begin at 9.30am with a one hour break at 12.00pm followed by another 2.5 hours in the afternoon. With private lessons it’s possible to work a maximum of seven hours in the day, although five hours is the normal amount. Now I teach pretty much only private lessons. This normally includes a hearty lunch accompanied with a nice glass of wine and an even nicer handshake at the end. Any free time is normally spent skiing privately. There is always somebody else free to go and shred with. I am still as enthusiastic now as I was at the start and I can’t say that I miss too many days on the mountain during a season. Here in Laax the ski school communicates efficiently with us and we receive a phone call in the evening telling us whether there is work the next day. It is possible to get walk in guests where we receive a call in the morning of the lesson but this happens rarely. No phone call normally means free time to go free-skiing.

This job offers a lot of perks! The pay varies depending on what qualification you have combined with the amount of seasons you have worked in the same resort. I have always managed to save during seasons and I think it’s a similar story for most people. Canada and NZ not as much, but here in Switzerland it’s possible to earn a lot. The starting wage for CSIA Level 2 is almost 33 CHF per hour (£23). The best way to increase pay though is to obtain further qualifications. The ski schools I have worked for so far have all offered in house training free of charge to help go on and reach the higher levels. Training aimed towards additional, resort specific qualifications (such as freestyle or adaptive coaching) is normally also available locally. This also is a good way to increase your salary. In Canada and NZ the tips came few and far between but here in Laax it seems like the norm to get a tip at the end of a lesson. This normally ranges between 20 and 200 CHF. Sometimes you might not get anything but other times it will be a lot! What I like most about the job is the people and friends you meet in a season. It doesn’t take too long to start feeling like a local and the fact that everyone shares the same passion for the mountains is uniting and inspiring.

During my seasons I would say I have had 200 weeks on snow, making it quite difficult to pin point something in particular. Every season is different and brings new people along with different snow conditions. I really have a lot of good memories from my time as a ski instructor. I guess not so many people can say that they have skied 1000m of vert, butt naked, in the middle of the night with a wind chill of -16. I received a grand total of 300 CHF for doing so, which I spent on the first round as we got to the bar. Quite an eventful evening! My best memories for sure are waking up early when there is a meter of fresh on the driveway and going to shred nipple deep pow with my buddies.

As I mentioned earlier it’s awesome to live in a place where everyone shares the same passion. It’s pretty easy to rock up into a new resort and immediately make friends. Also living in the mountains makes me feel pretty stoked on life! After 10 seasons I still really appreciate the view of the mountains. I often think I’m lucky to be doing what I’m doing and that it’s a pretty sweet lifestyle I’ve found for myself. Up until now I’ve lived in small town ski resorts and everyone knows everybody. Everyone also seems fit and healthy and for sure everyone seems to sport a wide smile. Ski towns host a young modern vibe which naturally includes lots of good parties. Winter sports seem to be the only sports present but as soon as spring takes hold this changes. It’s very nice to be able to ski in the morning, swim in the lake or river in the afternoon, and then have a game of football with a BBQ and a beer in the evening.

I have worked in three resorts so far. First, Fernie where I trained with Nonstop, it’s a fairly small town with a massive, steep and deep mountain! The locals are super friendly and the nightlife is very good. I would consider it to be more of a free riding resort as unfortunately it doesn’t have a terrain park anymore. However, it does have its own micro climate that seems to trap the clouds in the valley. When it snows it really does snow! I’ve seen days so deep that some of the older locals have been wearing snorkels. The best part is that it is inland and thoroughly cold, making the snow just amazing.

Then I worked at Cardona NZ. The town sits on Lake Wanaka which is not so high above sea level. You have to drive 30 minutes up to the resort where the snow starts. This can be seen as a negative but when you get back from the hill in spring, temperatures touching 25 degrees, and everyone is barbecuing at the lake, it’s not so much of a negative anymore. The mountain is not so big or steep which makes the freestyle scene huge. Cardrona has a massive park and just across the valley there is Snow Park which is solely a park. Again it doesn’t take long to feel like a local and the ski school is awesome and closely knit. If you like tree skiing though, you have only five trees to make turns around. There was six but my friend crashed into one of them. Despite that, I would definitely recommend a southern hemisphere season to everyone.

In Laax, it’s a perfect mix between Fernie and Cardrona which is why I think I love the place so much. The resort seems to have everything from pristine pistes, steep and deep high alpine, tree skiing along with having one of the biggest parks in Europe. It also has the only indoor freestyle training facility in Europe. The season is five months long and up until now the snow has been awesome. What beats the other two resorts hands down is the money and the tips! The parties are not so shabby either! The ski school is mainly Swiss and we have only 10 native English instructors working full time. However, peak weeks we are around 20. I believe it’s good to apply for a job early on, as like me, people tend to fall in love with the place and stick around.

As far as my future plans are concerned, that’s a bit of a tough one. At the minute I still love doing seasons as much as I loved my first season with Nonstop. However, I know I have to think about furthering my education at some point which is difficult. It’s tricky because it’s hard to imagine not living the life I’ve lived for the last seven years. I don’t at all consider deferring my university placement a mistake as I can’t imagine working in the field that I would have studied. I like to live my life for the now and up until now it’s been a pretty sweet ride!

I would definitely recommend taking a Nonstop course! Then I’d advise to take that course in Fernie. I had the best season and I’m not sure I will ever ski snow like that again without going back there. I would also recommend not to go too crazy with the packing! I remember my first season having around 60 Kilograms of luggage without owning any skis. As I look back now it was totally unnecessary.  A good tip is to wait to buy your equipment in resort! The local shops make good deals with Nonstop and it’s much better to support the local community. It’s certainly important to take the training part seriously and try not to be too hung over. There is something happening every night which is normally very tempting. The course however is pretty intense and there is a lot to learn in not such a long time. Three months soon slip away and then it’s exam time. I think I’m being very honest in saying that any expectations you have are going to be blown out of the window, so prepare yourself for the time of your life!

If you would like to speak to others like Ben and hear their story first hand, drop us a line and we’ll hook you up! Or find out how to become a ski instructor on our course pages.

The post I deferred my university place to do a Nonstop course and never looked back! appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Jack Bentley was just looking for an extended holiday when he went on a course with Nonstop that completely changed the course of his life…

Before I went on a Nonstop course I was a thermal insulation engineer, I was bored at work and looking for a long holiday. I decided to go with Nonstop as they offered the best quality courses and were very professional when I showed initial interest. So I went off to Whistler, Canada on the 11 Week Instructor Course!

One thing I particularly remember about the course was how easy Nonstop made living nearly 5000 miles away from home, everything was taken care of and they made the group feel like a big family very quickly. Our trainers were also absolutely fantastic, they are unreal skiers and teachers. They also were role models and mentors to many of us on the course. I specifically remember the first few days of the course, we all thought we were great skiers but oh how wrong we were! My trainer, Tim Creek kicked our butts for that whole first week and really made us eat humble pie. In hindsight these were the most influential days of skiing I’ve ever done.

The freeskiing days were also some of the most memorable, especially after the first few weeks when my skiing was better. The hikes out into untracked runs safe in the knowledge that I was with one of the best trainers on the hill was a great feeling. Powder skiing is still something that brings out the kid in me.

After the course was over, some of my Nonstop friends got jobs instructing in Falls Creek, Australia, through one of the Nonstop trainers. I, however, went back to London to my normal job and within days I was yearning to be back on the snow. As soon as my friends got back from Australia I asked them where they were heading for the next northern winter, turns out they had been offered jobs in Japan via a supervisor in Falls Creek. So I sent my C.V. off to the same ski school with a reference from my friends and got a job!

One thing I love about ski instructing is there’s never really a typical day at work, the beauty of the job is that every day is so different from the last. The fact is the guest(s) you teach today might react totally different to the same exercises/terrain/tactics that you taught your other guest(s) the day before. A good instructor will be able to adapt to suit the guests needs, I believe this is the art of ski instructing.

Salary also varies hugely, depending on your qualifications and in which country you work. For example, ski school pays more in Australia compared to Austria,  but the tips are very good in Austria and in Australia tips are very rare. Generally the pay is good enough if you are sensible and as your qualifications improve so does your pay, substantially.

If you really want to take your skiing to the same level as the demigod-like trainers working for Nonstop, then working at a ski school is where it will happen. Most ski schools will allocate regular training for their instructors and take huge steps in helping them achieve their next qualification. Ski instructing also brings you into contact with some of the most amazing people. I have taught a huge variety of people from surgeons, lawyers, small business owners, big business owners, celebrities, millionaires, athletes, the list goes on and on! I always try to learn a little from everyone of my guests.

The social side of the job is a real perk too. It’s a really tight nit group of people and you are instantly accepted because you all have the same passion. You can party every night if you want to, or go sledging, cross country skiing, ice skating or curling and there’s normally always a gym. The whole quality of life is much better than the U.K. – the atmosphere is much more positive and happy. The only down side is that because I do back-to-back winters, I always miss out on summer!

Last year was a particularly special season for me because I passed my APSI Level 4. That’s the Aussie equivalent of the Canadian Level 4. Just three years after I was on the Nonstop course I’ve become a fully certified instructor, don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a walk in the park; thousands of hours training in the snow, fog, rain, sleet, you name it, but it was all worth it for that certificate.

Working in Kitzbühel, Austria is great fun (but if you want to work in Austria, you need the Austrian qualification), it’s got everything you would want, picturesque town, well prepared pistes, good off-piste and it’s not expensive to live there. The altitude is an issue though, because it’s not the highest place to ski the seasons are short, so if you are after a six month season, then you may be disappointed.

Falls Creek in Australia is a really cool place to ski and work in the summer. It’s has by far and away the best teaching terrain I’ve ever seen. This makes our lives as instructors a lot easier! There is a great community in Falls Creek and even though I’m on the other side of the world it always feels like home there.

I am currently looking to become an Level 1 and 2 APSI trainer/examiner. I should hopefully achieve this in the Summer. It is also a goal of mine to go full circle and work for a gap year/career break programme such as Nonstop, as they have given me so much and opened up another world that I never thought would be attainable. I see ski instructing as a career and have no intentions of stopping any time soon.

If you are thinking of taking a course for a break from the real world like me, or are looking for a genuine career change, just do it! You will never regret it, like I said earlier, I only went on the course for a long holiday and it ended up changing my life in the most extraordinary way. I hope this happens to you too, we need all the passionate ski instructors we can get!

If you’d like to answer Jack’s call to instruct and become a ski instructor, don’t waist anymore time, change your life today, why not?

The post Jack – how to become a ski instructor appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Adam took part in our 11 Week Snowboard Instructor five years ago, in this interview Founding Director, Rupert asks him what affect it has had on his life. Turns out it was pretty life changing…

What were you doing before the course and why did you decide to take a Nonstop course?

I was working for Mercedes-Benz as a technician; I had been there for three years up until a trip to Bulgaria where I fell for snowboarding and the mountains. I had been starting to think that I needed to take some time away from work as I had left school and gone straight to Mercedes. A friend of mine had previously taken a couple of Nonstop courses and had just spent the season working in Fernie. After a night in the pub chatting about skiing/boarding I set about saving money for the course and applying for a sabbatical year from work. It wasn’t long before I found myself in Fernie for the season.

Tell us a bit about your Nonstop course experience? What are the days or experiences you particularly remember?

The course as a whole had everything. Our accommodation was great, the resort was one of the best in North America, we had lots of different options as far as trips away go (my favourite was the winter camping) and lastly, everyone on the course, and the time I spent with them, really made it a special experience.
One of the best and most memorable days I had in Fernie was towards the end of our Level 2 training. The Whitepass chair had been closed for two days because I believe some small rodent had chewed through some wires and parts needed replacing. It had been dumping the whole time so on the third day of the chair being closed we hiked from the top of Timber chair to the top of Whitepass and got fresh lines down the whole of Currie Bowl. That was easily the best run of the season. Ever since then I go hiking on my days off to find new runs and explore the mountains I’m at.

How did you go about getting an instructing job?

After the course I applied for work down in New Zealand but unfortunately wasn’t able to get an instructing job. Being determined to get over there I bought a season pass for Mt. Ruapehu and later found work with them, although it was only inside. I spent the season in NZ having fun on the board and not taking things too seriously, looking towards the next Canadian winter. I had been sending out my C.V. to snow schools all across Canada and, because it was the Vancouver Olympic year, international instructing jobs were fairly slim pickings. I had a few interviews and finally got offered a job at a small resort in B.C. called Hemlock Valley, which has since become a home away from home. This season was my fourth at Hemlock.

What was that first lesson experience like?

My first lesson was a bit of a shock to the system. I remember my time-keeping wasn’t quite up to scratch, and nothing my evaluators told me had prepared me for a kid in a full-face motocross helmet digging holes in the snow with the visor instead of listening to what we were doing.

What’s a typical day instructing like?

A typical day instructing changes from resort to resort, however, at Hemlock we show up at around 8am to get the bunny hill and lesson area set up in time for opening at 9am. We’d normally get it sorted in about 15 minutes which leaves us time for breakfast and a coffee. Every day we have a session/training from 9am until 10am (if you don’t have lessons). This is always the best time to ride as we normally have the resort to ourselves. We’d then check in at each lessons time slot generally getting around 4.5 – 5.5 hours per day. Any time that we weren’t teaching we’d go riding, build huge snowmen or chill out in the cafe (everyone has their own preference). At the end of the day we’d help out ski patrol by sweeping the hill and making sure that nobody has been left out there after hours. Getting last chair can sometimes be as good as first chair, late in the season watching the sunset before your last run is a pretty special feeling.

What pay, tips, perks, training, etc does the job offer you?

I guess everybody takes something different from the job; the main things for me were finding a resort that wanted me to return year after year and gave me the support and opportunity to progress in both my riding and a career. In my four seasons at Hemlock I’ve gone from being an instructor to a Snow School Director as well as gaining my CASI Level 3 and becoming a Level 1 evaluator. During this time I also worked for Mount Baw Baw in Australia where I am the head snowboard trainer and run Level 1 pre courses for the APSI.
I think the greatest thing I got from instructing was confidence; if you believe in yourself nothing is unachievable.

Do you have any particularly special stories from your seasons instructing?

I taught one kid called Beren, he was from a school group that do lessons each week. He took to his board faster than anyone else I have taught. Within three hours (two lessons) we were riding tree runs and doing some basics in the terrain park. After our last lesson I received an e-mail from his parents saying how grateful they were and how much fun he had had and that he was writing his next school paper on his snowboard instructor. That is probably one of my fondest memories.

What’s it like “doing seasons” – community, culture, sport etc

You get to meet so many people that, whereever you decide to travel to, you are more than likely going to have a couch to sleep on. You’ll experience so many exciting new things that you’ll barely be able to wait for the trip to the next place.

The reason we do this is to ride and it never gets old. After my seven seasons I still get butterflies as the first snowflakes fall, or when I’m standing at the top of a run I just spent two hours hiking for. The sport will take you places you never saw yourself going and everything else stems from it.

Tell us about the resort(s) you worked at – any tips or advice?

I’ve worked at three resorts Mt Ruapehu, Hemlock Valley and Mount Baw Baw. I found that each resort has it’s own perks whether that’s the amazing views or bottomless pow. My big tip would be: speak to and ride with as many people as possible because, in the end, the people around you will make your season one to remember.

What are your plans for the future?

Plans for the future are always tough when doing seasons but I’d like to say that one day I’ll go for my Level 4 and direct a snow school at a larger resort. Between now and then my goal is to ride and visit as many different countries and places as I am able to.

And finally what advice do you have for people thinking of taking a course?

Heading to Fernie with Nonstop was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made. Everything about my experience there was amazing, from the people, to the town, to the riding. It was everything Nonstop said it would be and more. The course also opened pathways for me to get to where I am now. So if you have any doubts about it I believe taking a chance will pay off no, matter what your reason is for wanting to do it.
Without Nonstop I would not be running the Snow School at Hemlock, or heading back over to Australia, so thank you to everyone that worked at Nonstop and made this possible for me.

If Adam’s story has inspired you to widen your horizons then find out how to become a snowboard instructor with Nonstop.

The post How Adam Became a Snow School Director After his Nonstop Course. appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Sam found himself chasing paper in the UK when he really wanted to be chasing pow in Canada, so he jacked it all in to go on our 11 Week Ski Instructor Course in Whistler. Since then he’s worked in Australia, Japan, Canada and Austria…

Before I went on the Nonstop course I had been living in London for five years and was beginning to feel that there must be more to life than tackling a never-ending pile of paperwork.  A colleague in a similar situation suggested that we should go on a ski course in Canada.  He had seen an advert for Nonstop, so we decided to attend an Preview Day.  Nonstop turned out to be friendly, informative and professional and that made-up our minds straight away!

The Nonstop course we decided to go on was based in Whistler, one of the best mountains I could ever hope to ski.  The course ran Monday to Thursday, leaving the weekends free for extra training, free skiing or resting the legs. The course experience was really amazing, great skiing, fantastic people and something that really stood out for me was the quality of the coaches, they were brilliant – I’m actually still in contact with many of them.

After I had completed my Level 1 and 2 CSIA Exams, I applied for a job at a ski school in Australia.  I was told that I would have to attend a ‘Hiring Clinic’ (essentially an extended ski interview) and thanks to my Nonstop training I was selected to work at the ski school. No more boring job in the city!

I can still remember teaching my first ski lesson. I had prepared and planed exactly what I was going to teach and I was so sure that it would be the perfect lesson. When I arrived at the top of the mountain there was 10cm of new snow, thick fog and howling winds – needless to say, with 10 cold, frightened, screaming children it wasn’t the perfect lesson! I’m pleased to say it only got better after that. A typical working day for me was to take the first lift up at 9am then free ski or train with my fellow instructors for an hour. From 10am-12pm I was teaching, then depending on the work I would either have 30 minutes to an hour for lunch, into which I usually fitted an extra half hour of training or free skiing. After that I’d teach from 1.30pm-3.30pm, then I was done for the day. Quite the life, if I do say so myself!

So, it’s obvious the job was pretty awesome, but the pay is dependent on your qualification and the country of employment. While training towards your full qualifications, money is sometimes tight but it’s definitely worth the hard work once you get there as, once fully certified, you can expect to earn a good wage and not have to work between seasons. But whatever the wage you are still getting paid to do what you love, which is a pretty sweet deal! I spent three years training for my Level 4 exam and since then I’ve found it hard to set the next goal.  I presently work at a skiing academy in Austria where the training and the skiing is fantastic, so I think I’m going to stay here.

Since completing the Nonstop course I’ve been lucky enough to work in Australia, Japan, Canada and Austria.  For me Austria is the best, it combines the fun of Australia, with the mountains of Canada and sometimes the powder of Japan.  My advice would be to travel to a resort that is not so well known by English tourists. Stepping away from typical English resorts like St. Anton or Val d’Isere, and travelling to places like Japan is a real adventure.  If you are going to work in a non-English speaking country then really try to learn the language.  This means learning more than “Guten morgen” or “Une bière, s’il vous plait”.  Once you can laugh and joke with the locals in their own language it’s so much fun, and if you are 0n a gap year, learning another language could really enhance your employability in the future.

Despite what an awesome opportunity it is, initially, starting a winter season can be a bit of a shock to the system, not only working with, but also living with the same people can be an adjustment.  However, it doesn’t take long before it feels totally normal.  The culture of instructors also varies; for some people ‘doing a season’ is a gap year before university or a break from studying. For others it’s a career choice and the chance to become fully qualified in something that they love doing.  Whilst everybody wears the same red uniform, you would be amazed at the variety of instructors out there. This makes for a wide and varied group of friends from all walks of life.

My advice to those thinking about doing a Nonstop course is: do it.  I haven’t looked back since my Nonstop experience, for me it was quite simply the best thing I ever did.

If you’ve decided to take Sam’s advice, take your first step towards becoming a ski instructor and book on to one of our 11 Week Ski Instructor courses.

The post Samuel Tomlin-Kedge – Advice for those considering a career change. appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Imi took part in our Fernie ski instructor training course back in 2007 and went on to work for several seasons as an instructor. Here’s how an amazing chapter in her life unfolded…

When I made the decision to make a break from my university plans, I never imagined that one thought, one little change in my life would bring me right back to where I had left off.

I was 19 in 2007, and had deferred university for a year to work full time. This wasn’t exciting me as much as I had hoped so began researching what else I could do. I’d always wanted to be a ski instructor since my first lessons as an impressionable 5 year old. Having found Nonstop online and spent hours gazing at page after page of great pictures; stunning mountain shots with similarly stunning riders in them! I was hooked.

The next thing I knew I was at the airport. Not knowing anyone, flying solo and, in hindsight, with too much baggage!

That initial winter was a blur of amazing instruction and exhilarating experiences such as cat-skiing, winter camping and snowshoeing. I made more friends in that 4 months than in a year of work. And of those friends I made, I am still close to many of them 6 years on.

I left Nonstop with my CSIA level 1, 2 and CSCF race 1 qualifications and the thirst for more. I came back to Fernie in November of ’08 and moved in with 7 previous Nonstoppers. I had come to Fernie without a job offer but with a visa. I met with supervisors and tagged along at daily line-ups knowing that if my face was seen enough, eventually I would be noticed and given the chance to work. Within 2 weeks this was the case. Interviewed and fitted for uniform I was out there shadowing my first lesson.

Teaching skiing blew my mind! This is a career? I get to teach a sport I love, to instil my passion in others and give people the holiday of their dreams. Since that first winter of teaching, I have had returning clients, bringing with them family and friends to come and relive their fantastic experiences, and I was part of that. It’s a great job with great perks. The number one thing that kept me going back for 6 years was the social aspect. I found myself a support network of like minded souls; a friendship where age has no importance, only your passion for life and what you did with it.

In my years at Fernie winter sports school I have taught kids, adults and entire families! I became a trainer for rookie instructors and been given some of ski schools unique products to run: First trax and Ladies free-ride to name a couple. I have supervised and been involved in employee relations. More recently I have been involved in the media and was asked to feature in promotional material! It certainly was bizarre to see myself skiing across a billboard in Calgary!

I have also worked in NZ, Cardrona more specifically. The ski and snowboard industry is a small one, the more people you meet and work with, the quicker you will come to realise! Managers and ski school directors will more often than not have worked in other countries too. So with a stunning reference from Fernie, I was welcomed to Cardrona, where my referee had previously worked.

Working in Canada has opened my eyes to a whole world of opportunities. I have met people who have inspired me in so many ways. I have made changes, such as how I see and live my life.

One season with Nonstop meant that I had the tools to get a job I had dreamed about. Each year that I went back for a ski season, I would stay longer until 2011, I just never came home. Winters turned to summers and my Canadian adventure became a year round one.

April 2013 saw me coming back to the UK. I have just started university (I told you this would bring me full circle…) but this time, I am confident in what I am doing. I have a passion and a focus to my learning and that is to continue my travelling and aid me in moving to Canada permanently.

My question to you, if you are thinking about partaking in a Nonstop program is why wouldn’t you? It’s an adventure where no previous experience is necessary but experience is just the thing you will leave with.

Stay up to date with Nonstop’s ski and snowboard instructor trainees of the past, present and future by following us on Twitter and liking us on Facebook.

Check out more of Nonstop’s success stories here.

The post A why, where and with whom story of becoming a ski bum appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Becoming dual certified is a golden nugget for ski and snowboard instructors. It can make you a very valued member of any snow school, with the opportunity to get a lot more work. Craig’s story below goes into his path to success as an instructor at Lake Louise ski school.

So, back in the day I was sitting in a call centre bored out my mind looking at pictures online of far off and wonderful places, mainly New Zealand and Canada. As my mind wandered, I started looking into what it would take to move to either of these countries. With Canada it seemed I would need a trade to immigrate and likewise for New Zealand, at least until I dug a little deeper.  Amongst the list of jobs required to emigrate to NZ was snowboard instructor. It was pretty sure I could do that, so I started to do a little research. When given the choice between going to college/uni for 3+ years to get a trade, or do a 3 week snowboarding course, snowboarding clearly won! So I searched around a few different companies, Nonstop sent me an ultra cool DVD, showing the courses and the lifestyle in each of the different towns. That sealed the deal there and then: “Mum, Dad, I’m gong to be a snowboard instructor!”

I opted for the shorter 3 week course, mainly due to money and getting time off work. As it turned out though 3 weeks was 1 week too long for me. When freeriding at Sunshine Village a day or two before the level 1 exam, I connecting with a tree – POP – a fractured and dislocated wrist. I stayed around for the last week though, even tried to do the level 1 exam but the course conductor told me I wasn’t allowed to. Geez, who can’t snowboard without using their hands? But no, he definitely wouldn’t let me risk it.

I had plenty of fun on the course before my injury though. There were at least 2-4 days that really stand out where our instructors Tanguay and Baker would take us on one of their ‘adventures’. Having worked in the industry now I understand that this is done partly to test your group, but also just to have fun!

Anyway, back on track. So there I was, my arm in a cast from my knuckles to my shoulder for ten weeks. Cast came off and I started physio, which halfway through I announced to her I would be missing the next week’s session as I had booked a flight, and CASI course, and would be in Canada snowboarding instead. So roughly three months since breaking my arm, having never been back on a board since, I headed out to Banff and did my level 1 at Lake Louise, which I passed.

I came back home having made that first step, then looked into the whole visa process. I had missed out for that year, but made sure I was waiting for the following year’s batch to open up. I sent away all the stuff and got my visa approved, so I then emailed pretty much the whole of Canada saying that I had my level 1, my own visa, and that I had completed the Nonstop course. A lot of places didn’t get back to me, but I kept track of when I sent my emails, who to, any responses, etc. and followed up with each resort 2-3 weeks after my initial email. Eventually Lake Louise gave me an interview over the phone. Awesome, I did my level 1 there! Interview came and went, it was all a blur and I had to keep sitting down as I was getting short of breath I was so excited/nervous. Then shortly afterwards I was offered a job for the upcoming season!

I found out that I would be able to get far more work if I could instruct skiing as well as snowboarding, so I came over and sat my level 1 ski at the start of the season. BANG! Not even a month into my first season and I was a 1-1 duel cert. The first season was all about teaching kids, but even then, when you’re standing there with six little people all around you wanting to play and not listen, it can be tough. For my first lesson I had all of this knowledge inside my head that I just wanted to blurt out. Instead though I took them for a quick ‘free ski’ down the magic carpet, watched each of them follow me then decided what I was going to work on. It all seemed to go by super quickly but the main thing was when the parents came to collect the kids they were all smiling and said how much fun they had. Plus I didn’t break any of them so that’s always a good way to end a lesson!

For me, a typical day usually involves changing my boots at least once. I’m probably the main duel certified instructor at my resort who is used for both skiing and snowboarding. I’ve even had days where I’ve gone from board, to skis and back to board again, all back to back with no breaks. Typically though I get in early to check my schedule. I’ll then either have a lesson at 8:30 or get to chill until 10:30, when the groups and more lessons go out. I then teach until lunchtime, have 30 mins to an hour lunch, then get back out for 1pm for another lesson, generally up until 3pm. I then get my boots off and catch the bus home.

I’m now certified as a Level 2 snowboard instructor and Level 2 ski instructor, so I get around $14 an hour. Its not great pay, but its not about the money doing this job. Tips come and go – my best was $100 from a lady for a beginner ski lesson. I’ve also had a better tip in a way – I kept in touch with one of my clients who offered me her flat to stay in for a few days in Calgary before I flew home – not only that but she also insisted on picking up the tab for anything we ate/drank, so the job definitely has its perks if you’re a likeable person.

I’ve done two seasons now at Lake Louise, both of which have been amazing, which is why I’m going back again! Each morning, if you’re not teaching, there are training sessions run by the senior instructors. Then later on in the morning and the afternoons, if a senior instructor isn’t teaching, another session will go out. Sessions focus either on a specific goal, general riding, or even sometimes just mountain exploration so that you’ve got extra ideas of where to take a class. After-all we’re all in it together so the better our staff are the better it is for everyone on and off the snow.

For the future though, I’m going to keep on climbing, 2 – 2 won’t be as far as I reach! This year I’m going to start working towards Level 3, I don’t know whether it will be skiing or snowboarding yet though. I’ll hopefully also get in my CASI park certificate.

As for anyone out there currently thinking if they should do it or not, don’t think too much, just go for it and it’ll be the best time you’ll ever have in your life! Even if your not wanting to actually work in the industry, the time spent on the course with the Nonstop instructors will improve your skiing/riding more than you can imagine. Even if you don’t do it for a job, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll get that snow bug and nothing will be the same again!

Check out more success stories from Nonstop’s graduates here.

The post How Craig became a dual certified ski & snowboard instructor appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Dan spent last winter out in Fernie on our 3 Week Level 1 Instructor Course, before scoring a job as an instructor. We caught up with him to find out what it was like making the jump from student to working life in the mountains…

What were you doing before Fernie and why did you decide to take a Nonstop course?

Before Fernie I’d mainly been focusing on my education.  I finished school after A-levels and went to the University of Bristol to study Physics after that summer, without taking a gap year or anything like that.  I remember it was sometime around Christmas of that first year that I decided I really wanted to do a ski season, having heard about some of the amazing experiences my friends had had whilst skiing on their gap years; so I decided I was going to make it happen before I got too involved in a career.  When the three years of my degree were up, I got a job the day after I got home and worked full time until two days before my flight out to Canada.  It certainly wasn’t a glamorous job, I just packaged and sent orders from a warehouse, but as a means to an end it served its purpose because six months later I was in Fernie ready to start skiing.

What was your first day on the course like?

Well, it was so much fun I still remember it all in detail even now, six months down the road!

There was a lovely cooked breakfast first thing (which I managed to miss the majority of because I was sleeping…fail!) and after that we took one of the Nonstop buses to get to Fernie Alpine Resort itself, which is about a five minute drive from the Red Tree Lodge.  I was one of about a dozen people on the 3 Week Instructor course and we were split into two groups – as far as I could tell this was based on our skiing experience so there were no huge differences in the abilities of people in the groups.  The first lesson (in fact every lesson) began at 10am, so that gave us time to get a couple of runs in and warm up beforehand.  I found the lesson extremely eye-opening, I couldn’t believe how much I’d learnt by the end of the day compared to the amount I’d tried to learn in my first three weeks skiing in Fernie.  It was pretty intense but not overly so, and our instructor, Wendy, was such an amazing skier and a genuniely lovely person – it was an absolute joy having her teach us all day!

By the end of it, we were all pretty tired and ready to call it a day and grab a beer in the bar.  Then we were given what must have been the best cooked meal I had in Fernie throughout the entire season, followed by more socialising and sleep so that we’d be prepared for lessons the next day.

Tell us a bit about your Nonstop course experience? What are the days or experiences you particularly remember?

New Years’ Eve was one of my favourite experiences – even though I was ill at the time (I drank past that to deal with it)!, It was literally all-you-can-drink champagne at the Red Tree which is always good.  Then we went out to a bar called The Northern and proceeded to have just a generally amazing night out together.

One of my favourite memories has to be of the hot tub.  Just about every day after skiing it is so relaxing to be able to go and chill out in the hot tub with a beer (no glasses but cans are fine!).  It was a part of the daily routine for a good eight or so of us.  Also, sadly some people left before my course finished (those on the two-week programmes) and I remember the leaving party for one of my roommates, Kieran, just being an absolutely hilarious time at The Fernie’s Industry Night. Another great moment would be when we all got our results from the exams – it was a complete success as every single person on the Nonstop courses passed!

Finally I’d say one of the best days was doing catskiing with Fernie Wilderness Adventures.  The views were absolutely stunning, as we were lucky enough to go on a bluebird day after great snow, so it was just perfect.  There’s a particular moment that stands out in my mind: getting first tracks down untouched powder (as in you can’t even see tracks if you look for them) between tight trees on the final run.  Just that single run alone made the whole day worth it but we had nine of them, it was such an incredible day!

How did you get hired as an instructor? Was there an interview process?

I was actually pretty shocked at just how easy it was to get hired, but that’s probably all because of the Nonstop program.  Generally there is an interview process, and in fact for those of us that hadn’t already had an interview (people doing the FernieUniversity course with guaranteed jobs had to do an interview already with the ski school) there was a group chat with our future supervisor, Kelly.  However, all of the Nonstop instructors are well-respected senior instructors within the Fernie Winter Sports School and had already spoken to Kelly about us.  They clearly said very nice things because we all got hired just minutes after receiving our certificates and becoming qualified ski instructors.  So, effectively, the exam was our interview process, and the ski school wanted to hire us as soon as we were qualified!  Honestly, it couldn’t have been any easier.

What was your first lesson as an instructor like?

I remember it being nerve-wracking, but after a few minutes I was well into it.  Because I wanted to do the cat-skiing and the dates just didn’t quite align, I started a week after the other Nonstoppers that had continued on to be ski instructors.  That meant I was lucky enough to be able to shadow one of my friends, Roddy, before I started teaching.  Together we did two one-hour lessons with daycare (skiing for kids aged three to five); Roddy led the first lesson and I led the second lesson.  We had such a good time!  Basically, teaching kids is like being paid to play on your skis, and I can’t fault that at all because it’s all I want to do, personally!  We just shouted and messed around whilst actually teaching the kids a thing or two (pizza became French fries), and at the end of it all me and Roddy were grinning as much as the kids, who had clearly all had a great time.

How did you find accommodation for the season?

That was one of the advantages of arriving in Fernie before the course started, it gave me a chance to meet people I’d potentially live with for the rest of the season.  There’s a hostel in Fernie I thoroughly recommend called The Raging Elk, it costs $500 per month and has all the facilities you could possibly need.  That’s where I first met most of the people I shared a house with after the course also.  So I booked accommodation for a month before the course started as well as the month afterwards (the month afterwards so that I had time to sort out housing after the course) and then lived with friends of mine I’d met over the season until I left Fernie.  I was staying at the Red Tree Lodge with the rest of the Nonstoppers during the course, and that was just awesome.  I loved all the meals provided as well as having facilities like a hot tub, cinema and bar all within twenty meters of my room, and it was really convenient to have a bus take me to the hill every day.

What did you think of Fernie as a resort/town?

Fernie is an incredible, beautiful place and easily the friendliest place I’ve ever lived too.  You have a stunning view of the surrounding mountains everywhere you are in the town (technically it’s a city, but it has a population of 10,000 so I’m sceptical…), and it’s absolutely beautiful with all the snow around you.

The best thing about the place, I found, is the small-town feel I got from the place.  By the end of the season, having met people from Nonstop, the hostel and the ski school, I don’t think there was a single night out where I didn’t feel like I knew half the people there, which is something I really enjoyed.  For the majority of the season every weekend there was an U20 ice hockey match which was also great fun and really felt like a good community get-together; considering they were kids it was pretty brutal, with lots of swearing and some very mean chants from the crowd (harassing our rival team’s goalkeeper with five minute chants of “Miiiiiitchell!  Miiiiiitchell!” goes down as one of my favourite memories of the season).

Also, the bars in Fernie are great, offering many different types of music as well as open-mic nights.  Depending on where you go some places can be absolutely crazy and others really chilled out, industry night at the Fernie on Sundays is great because the only people there are seasonnaires so it’s like a night out at a bar where everyone’s your mate, and bingo night at The Northern (yeah, bingo) every Tuesday is probably the most fun routine night out I think I’ll ever experience!

Of course the main thing about Fernie is the snow.  The temperature is never too cold in Fernie, it seems really quite different to other Canadian ski resorts in that respect as it was barely ever below -20°C, and its temperature range gives it ideal conditions for snow. The terrain available (in-bounds, side-country and back-country) can give you whatever you want, it’s phenomenal.  Overall, I really think if you want to do some serious skiing, Fernie is the most sensible choice – but perhaps I’m a little biased!

And finally what advice do you have for people thinking of taking a course/gap year?

Stop thinking and do!  If you’re already thinking about it, it’s probably something you really want to do – don’t put it off so that it turns into one of those things you always wish you’d done.  You will inevitably have a great time on a year abroad whatever it is you’re doing, but a course with Nonstop I think has to be one of the best ways to do it.  You’re guaranteed to meet people you’ll love, and I’ve never had a better time in my life – in fact I’m going back for another season (along with a fair few of my coursemates).  Until then, I’m living in Canada with my girlfriend – as chance would have it we met for the first time on the flight over here, talk about a great seating allocation! – which is just an awesome icing on the cake.  Go get yourself booked onto a course and I look forward to seeing you in Fernie!

If you’re interested in following in Dan’s footsteps, check out our Fernie 3-5 Week Instructor Courses here.

The post DAN – FROM STUDENT TO INSTRUCTOR IN 3 WEEKS appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Ben joined us in 2009 on the 11-Week Instructor Course, and has since gone on to instruct all over the world, including Australia, Japan & Austria. We caught up with him to  find out how a season in Canada can lead to a career following the snow all year round…

What were you doing before the course and why did you decide to take a Nonstop course?

I was working in an investment bank before I went on the Nonstop course. I had been skiing only a few times but had instantly fallen in love with it. I wasn’t enjoying my job and decided I wanted to travel. So I did a season in Tignes, France as a ski-bum, I saw that the best skiers on the mountain were the instructors and I wanted to be the best so I went back to banking, saved some money to go on a course to become an instructor. I chose Nonstop partly on the recommendation of a friend (Lance Woodbridge) and partly because I liked the look and feel of the company when I came to an open day in London. I was keen at this stage but I had no idea what I’d begun. I simply thought I could combine skiing with traveling and get out of banking, and in hindsight the timing couldn’t have been better.

Tell us a bit about your Nonstop course experience? What are the days or experiences you particularly remember?

I remember arriving in Canada, somewhere I’d never been before. I stayed a night with friends in Squamish, half way between Vancouver and Whistler. In the morning whilst eating my cornflakes in the back garden I saw bald eagles flying in the sky above and was amazed, I think this is when I first realised just how different this was going to be to anything I had experienced before. Arriving in Whistler was a day full of firsts, I got dropped off at a petrol station with all my gear and waited nervously for the course rep to come get me. She had a little car and we just about fit everything in! We arrived at my house on the other side of a town, an amazing place, better than I could have ever imagined and because I was first there I got the best room, and it turns out I was living next door to Gene Simmons from Kiss! That first day I went skiing and the ski area was massive! I remember meeting up with everyone for the first day of the course, all those nervous faces, I had the most ridiculous pair of skis, really fat centre-mounted twin tips, totally inappropriate for the course and was quickly encouraged to get something else, and rightly so. During the course we forged friendships that are still going strong today, with our fellow students and with our trainer/examiners. It was hard work but always fun, even when you fell over, and I learned so much that I still use today on a daily basis on the slopes. We skied hard, and partied hard, there was a really interesting and diverse mix of people and everyone got on pretty well, there was so much to do we were never bored, I really loved it, I felt like this was where I belonged and I knew that I’d made the best decision of my life to drastically change my lifestyle. I remember skiing some pretty tough off piste with our trainer Jason Simpson, hiking out into the back bowls of Whistler and dropping in off some cornices as a big group but still getting fresh lines. Boot-skiing on icy pistes, yes there was plenty of ice even in Whistler the famous powder mountain. I remember doing a thousand million javelin turns and Tim Creak, who loved leg turning more than anything else, skiing us in short turns all the way down the super long Peak to Creak run! The examiners were always going the extra mile to help us if you showed enthusiasm and a genuine willingness to learn and improve. They truly inspired me.

How did you go about getting an instructing job?

I had it in my head that I was going to go to New Zealand in the summer but was having no luck with my applications when Tim Creak from Australia suggested we came to work with him in Oz at Falls Creek. He put in a word for us with the Ski School Director and we were accepted onto the Hiring Clinic there, a week long intensive course where the best get offered work for the season with ski school. I went with Sam Kedge, a fellow Nonstop graduate, and we were nervous! A lot was riding on our success over the next week. We need not have worried, as we totally aced the course, thanks entirely to our Nonstop training, and were given full time employment for the season. During this first season we were invited to go to Japan by our supervisor from ski school to help set up a brand new ski school there. It was a real honour, we couldn’t believe this was happening to us! From Japan, it was back to Falls, this time without having to do any hiring clinic and since then I’ve moved around to different ski schools around the world and had plenty of job offers from people I’m working with in different places…one season always seems to lead to the next, building relationships and contacts up quickly helps in this industry and once you’re in the possibilities are endless.

What’s a typical day instructing like?

I’m not sure there is a typical day instructing, part of the beauty of the job is that it’s so varied. However sometimes you do know what’s coming; for example, working as a race coach always means an early start! Racing is done on firm snow and there is a lot of preparation required even just for training sessions so you’re up early and out of the house before it’s light outside, which means some truly amazing sunrises! You have to be fully kitted up for almost anything and often carrying a lot of extra equipment- gates, timing stuff, radios and such like. This is often twinned with using snowmobiles, which is awesome fun! You tend to get cold hands videoing your racers in the gates and the mid-morning coffee has never tasted so good! This can be followed up with afternoon indoor sessions for video analysis and maybe some gym time with your racers or ski tuning ready for the next day, and finally the infamous paperwork that no one warned me I’d be doing!

Normal instructing is much more varied, usually I’m up and on the lift early for a few laps training my skiing before work. As you become more qualified you tend to work more with private guests and with better skiers, hence your schedule is a little more tailored to their needs, often starting early with short lunch breaks, so you get to do lots of skiing which is great, some days it doesn’t even feel like work, as you’d do exactly the same thing if you had a day off! Meeting lots of people, learning lots of names and lots of small talk as well as ski instructing, it certainly helps if you are a people person…

What pay, tips, perks, training, etc does the job offer you?

The pay is basic, tips vary greatly depending on where you are, which resort and in which country but you’ll never be able to retire early in this job. However you earn enough to get by and if you’re careful with your money you can afford not to have to work for the month or so in between seasons. The training, however, is second to none and I’ve never experienced such focus on professional development before in any job. There is often ski school organized training 2 or 3 times a week on snow, and indoor sessions on skier analysis, personal fitness for skiing and ski technique. The trainers are people who love what they do and instil the same passion in you, which you hopefully can pass on to your guests. If you are prepared to work at it you will find your trainer will put in as much effort as you do to your improvement. Other perks include meeting thousands of people who are enjoying themselves on their holiday and getting to share it with them whilst being able to ski everyday in a breathtaking environment.

There is real camaraderie between the resort staff and you make life long friends. I’ve built relationships with some of my guests where we’ve now become friends and do things like ride motorbikes or visit each other in different countries when we are not skiing, which is fantastic! Also, working with people with a disability on snow gives you an experience unlike any other, the impact you can have on their lives and on their families is impossible to describe, it can be infinitely tough and challenging at times, but it’s by far the most rewarding work I’ve ever done and I love it.

Do you have any particularly special stories from your seasons instructing?

After tearing my MCL spinning in the park during my first season in France I was scared to do anything like that again but last year in Falls Creek I had a very talented teenager who was desperate to learn how to do more tricks, we had built a good relationship over the week and in order to deliver what he wanted from his lessons I had to face my fears, which I did, and we had a great last day together spinning off jumps and doing tricks. So with the help of my guest I was able to lay some demons to rest that day.

Passing the exam for my full certification was a special memory for me. Unsurprisingly I was surrounded by 2 other Nonstoppers that day who’d been with me since the beginning in Canada. After a very short 3 and half years since starting out as an instructor I was faced with the worst conditions possible for a ski exam in rain, cold, immense fog and slushy snow and despite all that passed with flying colours, on a day where only one other person passed the exam-no surprises that it was one of the other Nonstoppers, Jack Bentley!

I’ve worked with a child in Australia every year since 2009 (my first season there) who has Hemiplegia, a condition bought about by a stroke during birth. He and his family are lovely people and we get on very well. Two years ago my sister had a son who was born with the same condition; we were all very sad to hear there were complications but my family and I are also very encouraged by the progress I see every year from my guest in Falls Creek and look forward to seeing the same from my nephew. I feel very lucky to be a part of his life and development and it has brought both of our families closer together.

Working as a course worker during the Hannenkham race in Kitzbuhel is an unforgettable experience. Being so close to the best skiers in the world and seeing just how fast they go is amazing. I got to ski the course in between racers, with Jack Bentley, for a whole week ! It was fantastic, the racers are such aggressive skiers and it made us want to improve our own skiing and racing skills.

What’s it like “doing seasons”?

It can be a little bit like living in a goldfish bowl, everyone knows everyone and everything but that can be a good thing. There are so many like minded people that you get on well with almost everyone and end up with loads of friends and plenty of stuff to do. It’s a great place to be for active people. Each resort is slightly different and local knowledge is valuable, there is often so much more to see and do than just skiing when the lifts are open.  The skiing world is small too, at the end of the season often people are sad but there is no need as you know you will see your friends again somewhere, sometime, and there is a real sense of community. Because you are always moving around you never get bored, there is plenty of time to do what you want to do and to look forward to what’s just around the corner.

Tell us about the resort(s) you worked at – any tips or advice?

In Australia, despite visiting other resorts for exams or training, I’ve only ever worked at Falls Creek, but I believe it’s the best teaching mountain anywhere in the world. The terrain could not be better for progressing your guests and consequently you see huge improvements in a very short space of time; this also helps you look like the best instructor ever and keeps the guests happy!

The powder in Japan more than lives up to all the hype, head to the north island and Niseko for a slightly westernised version of Japanese culture, or try the south island and Myoko for a more traditional cultural experience (be sure to check out the snow monkeys)!

The last few years I’ve been in Austria, where the mountains are big and steep. I like Kitzbuhel as a resort for a good mix between skiing and social life, plus race week is insane with up to 80,000 people coming for the Mens Downhill! Skiing is the national sport for Austria and it shows.

What are your plans for the future?

My journey won’t be complete until I’ve taught a Nonstop gap program and completed the circle. In the meantime I want to pass the Eurotest, a challenging race test, which when combined with an avalanche safety and first aid course would give me equivalent full certification in Europe. But long run I plan to further my race coaching qualifications and work with a professional racing team.

And finally what advice do you have for people thinking of taking a course?

Do it. You will never regret it. Even if it’s the only season you ever do you will gain valuable experiences which will help you in your everyday life, and if you end up with a career as a ski instructor at the end of it then well done, you’ve got the best job on earth!

Its not always easy, but its always worth it.

If you’re interested in following Ben and making a career out of your time on the mountain, our 11 Week Instructor Courses are an ideal place to start…

The post BEN – SWAPPING THE OFFICE FOR THE MOUNTAINS appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

In the first of three blogs from Wanaka, New Zealand, Nonstop graduate James Vause looks back at how he ended up living and instructing skiing in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Essential reading for anyone thinking of a career in the snowsports industry.

The view from Treble Cone

It doesn’t seem so long ago that I was sat where perhaps you are sitting right now, in front of a computer, browsing the Nonstop website and assessing the pros and cons of doing a season in Canada. I can vividly remember being sat at my desk in my university house, acutely aware that my time as a student was quickly coming to an end and I was facing the age old conundrum that terrifies most graduates: “What next?”

I’d known for some time that staying in the UK and looking for a ‘regular’ job just wasn’t an option for me – at 21, I wasn’t ready to go out and be an adult just yet. The notion of becoming a ski instructor and traveling the world was one that I used to only entertain half-heartedly. I’d skied in Europe a few times but, whilst absolutely loving every minute I spent on snow, I wasn’t exactly Franz Klammer and figured I’d need much more experience before going on to become an instructor. That all changed when I stumbled across Nonstop. This was a company who were able to provide me with all the tools I’d need to become an instructor and see the world. So when my time at Uni came to an end, I decided to indulge the little voice in the back of my head that had been telling me to just get out there and do it! I headed off to Fernie with no real plans to return home and fully intending, though not altogether expecting, to go on and “live the dream” as a ski instructor.

The 2012/13 Nonstop 11-week Course Participants

You don’t need me to tell you what an incredible experience the 11-week instructor course with Nonstop was. There are plenty of blogs, videos and testimonies of past clients on this website to explain all that for me. All I can add to those is that it truly was the life changing experience I hoped it would be.

After the course, me and a bunch of Nonstoppers travelled to Vancouver for a few days to see some more of what had quickly become our favourite country – we also managed to catch the last 4 days of the World Ski and Snowboard Festival at Whistler which was awesome! Amongst our group were seasoned travellers, those who were just starting out on their adventure and even some who’d caught the travelling bug and decided not to board their return flight to the UK!  Over the 11 weeks we’d been transformed from average skiers, and strangers to each other, to a close-knit group who were now all fully qualified to teach others how to ski (CSIA Level 2 and Adaptive Ski Level 1 in my case).

Towards the end of our time in Fernie, Nonstop had helpfully put on a “Working as an Instructor” workshop, providing those who were interested with some useful information regarding ski schools in the southern hemisphere. The message was pretty clear: applying to ski schools online wasn’t likely to bring much success, it’s much easier to find work if you turn up in person. I was quite taken with the idea of going to New Zealand, particularly the South island – I’d heard great things about the scenery, skiing and the Kiwi people – but travelling to the furthest point on the globe from home without the guarantee of a job was, to put it mildly, somewhat of a gamble. Still, I knew I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t give it a go and the fact that a few of my friends were thinking about doing the same thing definitely helped me make up my mind. We parted ways in Vancouver; We all had separate travelling plans and things we wanted to do, but a few of us vowed to meet up in New Zealand just in time for winter.

Walking around Wanaka

Helpfully, I wasn’t the first Nonstop graduate to arrive in New Zealand. Me and my friend had spent the last month road tripping down the West coast of America and so we were beaten to it by a couple of mates who had made the trip halfway across the globe directly from Vancouver almost a month earlier. One had already managed to secure an instructor job on the North island and one had based himself in the little South Island town of Wanaka, possibly the most beautiful place on earth. I opted for Wanaka, knowing it was surrounded by 4 ski resorts all within 90 minutes drive of the town.

I should’ve been worried about getting a job but, to be honest, it was hard to be worried about anything in a town like Wanaka. The people were so relaxed, the nightlife was lively and the stunning scenery made me realise I’d made the right choice in coming to New Zealand, regardless of whether I went on to be a ski instructor or not.

Beautiful Lake Wanaka

A bit of research revealed that the nearest ski mountain of Treble Cone was running a snow sports instructor hiring clinic in late June to fill their remaining job vacancies – a chance for all those aspiring instructors who fancied their chances in what was to be, essentially, a three day long interview on snow. After a short time deliberating on what to do, I decided to pay my $250 and book a place on the clinic.

Over 30 people turned up in he hopes of filling, we were told, only 12 job vacancies. The clinic was structured so that the first day focused on teaching children, the second day on adult lessons and the third day was an assessment of our skiing and our ability to give sound demonstrations. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a nerve wracking, intense and ultimately exhausting three days. There were people who had years of teaching and coaching experience and some who could ski to an incredibly high standard. The sessions were led by the senior instructors at the resort and the ski school director would occasionally drop in to observe you teaching a practice lesson which only added to the pressure we were all under. At the end of the three days I felt sure I hadn’t done enough, especially in the face of such stiff competition. Nothing had been disastrous, I’d just tried to apply the skills I’d been taught with Nonstop, but I felt my lack of teaching experience would ultimately be my downfall. You can probably imagine my shock and elation when my name was called out as one of the successful candidates! I can remember someone patting me on the back and saying: “Congratulatons… You’re a ski instructor!”. Wow, I’d done it!

I can still remember the names of my first ever students. My supervisor had handed me a tricky first assignment – a high end adult beginner group who were looking for an instructor to help them make the transition from skiing the nursery slope to heading up the main chairlift and skiing their first ever green run on the mountain – a run I was barely familiar with myself! With more than a little apprehension; me, Carol, Amy, Diane and Tanya headed up the chair.

Ski Instructor James

From the top of the run I pointed out the incredible views from up here and it suddenly dawned on me just how awesome it was that someone was paying me to do this! 20 minutes into the lesson was all it took for me to get really into the swing of things and by the time the two hours had come to an end I was absolutely ecstatic with how things had gone. I was happy, my supervisor was happy and, most importantly, the students had an awesome time. It was a really rewarding moment and one I’ll probably never forget. I learnt so much in that first week as I was asked to teach a varying range of ages and abilities, each day presented a fresh challenge and I absolutely loved it. I couldn’t believe I was finally living the dream!

In the coming weeks James will be sending more reports from his season in New Zealand including a guide to the life of a seasonaire in Wanaka and what it’s like to work as a ski instructor at Treble Cone.

While you wait for those, check out other blogs from people who are now instructing around the world having completed a Nonstop course.

The post Life after Nonstop – Instructing in New Zealand appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

In 2005 Adam Bowcutt took our 11 week snowboard instructor course in Banff. Since then he’s spent 14 seasons in the mountains of either New Zealand, USA or Canada. He has competed at both the NZ and Canadian Snowboard Opens, he’s taught thousands of people to snowboard and lately he’s been training people to become CASI snowboard instructors. Adam’s passion for snowboarding is as authentic and infectious as it gets – and this energy is evident in the following blog where Adam uses his impressive experience, alongside beautiful photographs, to advise on how to become a snowboarder in five steps (plus a final bonus tip!)…

The Beautiful “Remarkables”, New Zealand

STEP 1:
Stand sideways.

My name is Adam and I’m a snowboarder.  I wasn’t always one.  It’s a process.  But now I would proudly call myself, a snowboarder. It all started when I was a teenager in Great Malvern, Worcestershire, home of the Malvern Hills in England. It was an older boy named Radley who taught me to Ollie on my skateboard. Ever since that day I’ve been hooked to boardsports and any kind of sideways action sport.

360 kickflip, Queenstown, NZ 2010

I used to eat, drink and breathe skateboarding.  I’d dream day and night about learning and doing new tricks; so much fun.  The visualisation of a new trick, let’s say a kickflip, would mean spending hours and even days trying again and again to perfect that one trick.  The Ollie (photos below) is the foundation of, and creates a path to, all other skateboard tricks.  I had to perfect this one.

STEP 2:
Be willing to take a risk.

At 19 I took a trip to Tamworth indoor snow-dome. I booked a lesson because it made sense to learn properly how to do it.  A cool instructor dude taught me the basics.  I learned how to get up, sideslip and change direction on my snowboard.  I was snowboarding for the very first time in England, albeit in a big fridge. The one thing I remember about the instructor was that he was wearing a stud earring on the fleshy inside bit of his ear. What’s that part called? I’m not sure but it stood out.  I thought to myself, hmm that’s pretty different. Being a snowboarder in a sense is pretty different, pretty cool.  I know this may seem like a tenuous link, but it’s true.  Being a snowboarder means taking risks and willing to be slightly different.  I wanted to be a snowboarder.  Do you?

Frontboard ‘Hurricane’ 2009 – Hemel, London

STEP 3:
Commit! 

Sign up to do a gap program in Canada. The reason I took the plunge to become fully entrenched into a snowboarder lifestyle began at Nonstop. It was a way I could spend a season snowboarding and learning how to be better at it. I also gained a valuable certification that would enable me to earn some cash and sustain my addiction, wherever that took me.  Canada was calling.

Why did I choose Nonstop?  To be honest, it was their website. It had a simple, crisp & clean feel to it; just like Canada turned out to be. After chatting with the friendly staff I immediately felt at ease choosing them for my structured winter adventure.  The other programs out there appeared slightly inferior.

Backside 5 indy – 2010 Sunshine Village Terrain Park: progression sessions with friends.

So the winter of 2005 brought me to Banff, Canada.  My very first season as a snowboarder began.  Nothing prepares your senses for Canada, especially the Banff National Park.  This place is beautiful. SEE for yourself:

Springtime view of Banff Springs Golf course from Tunnel mountain, I took this photo! Stoked!

STEP 4:
Learn fun tricks on your snowboard.

The trick I’d love to perfect is ‘The Method’.  Why? Because it’s a trick that can define a rider.

My method at Lake Louise 2010, I’m still working on it. I’d love to tweak it out just a little more.

The Back one. Why do I like the backside 180 so much? Well, you see it’s the feeling of it.  It’s the closest to flying through the air I’ve ever felt.  The rotation is super slow, unrushed.  Time slows down.  With this trick, the couple of seconds of hang-time you get off a biggish jump is inexplicable.  You need to feel it for yourself.  The word I like to use as a lame attempt at explaining this is ‘visceral’.  It feels awesome! You know that warm butterfly feeling you get in your stomach when you’re so excited about something? It’s not even close to that.  Way more intense. The worse part about this trick is landing as that means it’s over! Oh well, we’ll just have to do it all over again!

The back one is my favourite trick. Why? Because it FEELS so good. So simple. You don’t even have to grab sometimes.

The Ollie. You MUST learn this one. It’s part of being a legitimate snowboarder.

A little vid of me doing a backside 5 stale:

STEP 5:
Be willing to travel & make new friends.

The photos do all the talking…

Living the life with friends

Beautiful Coronet Peak

There will always be risks

Kink rails… you need full focus and commitment on these terrain park features.  Rail fail! Also, it might be cool (at the moment) to wear sunglasses lapping the park at springtime. But, if you faceplant, you could end up like me in this picture.  I was wearing Rayban Wayfarer sunglasses.  What I later discovered was that RayBan lenses are made of glass.  They simply shattered and cut my face in the process.  I was soooo lucky not to cut my eye.  Lesson learned.  Wear goggles! Not as cool, but way safer) Word of wisdom:  FOCUS.  Full focus is needed when taking risks snowboarding.  If your concentration or focus lapses even for a split second, injuries can easily occur.

You’ll meet many friends on your snowboarding journey.  One thing to remember is that we all will die.  Hopefully, this’ll give perspective when you’re alive.  It’s cliché to say, but treat your friends and loved ones as if it’s the last time you’ll ever see them.  This way you’ll appreciate their friendship and love daily.

R.I.P Carter Antilla (white hoody in front), such a cool dude. He died way too young.

BONUS STEP:
Be a teacher.

Lake Tahoe, USA, California Powder

I read somewhere that if you teach someone then you’ll live forever.  When you die your memory will live on.  For example, I taught a guy named Matt to Ollie for the first time on his snowboard.  If I died tomorrow, Matt would still be able to Ollie and have fun snowboarding.  With friends he does a pretty sweet Ollie off drop at his local mountain resort.  “Hey, Matt, where did you learn how to Ollie like that!? That was sick!” Stoked by the compliment-infused question, Matt replies “an English snowboarder called Adam, he was rad! He taught me that the Ollie was the foundation trick in snowboarding.  That it leads to almost all other tricks in snowboarding.  Tomorrow I’m going to learn a backside 180, yeowwww!!”

‘If you think you know everything, then you probably know the least of all.’

I love learning.  Every time I learn a new thing it sparks my interest in another thing.  Snowboarding and being a snowboarder has been a huge passion in my life.  Business, Psychology, Social Media, Investing, Reading and above all, learning, are my passions.  I figure if I commit to learning something new every single day.  Then, I’ll stay young at heart. In 34 years when I’m 68 years young,  I hope to still love learning and still call myself a snowboarder.  We’ll see.  The 8 great years from 2005 to now (2013) have been nonstop adventure.  The key is learning. Learning and teaching.  Teaching and learning.  It’s cyclical.  Just like a backside 360 on your snowboard.

If you follow step 1 through to 5 then you’ll undoubtedly become a snowboarder.  That’s not a fact.  That’s my opinion.  It worked for me.  It may or may not work for you.  However, I highly recommend you try it.  You won’t regret it!

If you’re keen to follow in Adam’s footsteps get in touch with us and we’ll help advise you on the training, certifications, and work visas you’ll need to lead the life of a snowboard instructor.

The post How to be a snowboarder in 5 steps appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

In the last of a three part series, former Nonstop client James Vause runs us through his daily life as a ski instructor in Treble Cone, NZ. Following the 2012/13 season in Fernie as part of the 11 week Canadian ski instructor course, he has now completed his first rookie season as a ski instructor in the ski fields of Wanaka. Some may call him lucky living the seasonnaire lifestyle in New Zealand, James prefers brave…and asks what are you waiting for?

Friends For Life at Treble Cone, New Zealand

Since my last blog was published I’ve had to field a lot of emails, texts and Facebook messages from people telling me just how jealous they are of my lifestyle. I actually find it’s quite nice to get some perspective on what my life used to be like compared to what it is now. One thing that did get me thinking, though, was when a friend called me “lucky” – I didn’t really know how to respond to that one, but putting it all down to good fortune just didn’t feel right. Thanks to companies like Nonstop, luck doesn’t need to play a part in creating an enjoyable way of living. All it takes is the right attitude, the “just do it” mentality that makes you get up and go for it rather than sat around wondering what could have been. So bravery, perhaps… but definitely not luck. I’ve yet to have someone tell me how brave I am!

Having said all of that, I understand that my last blog was probably a little bit light on the details of my actual job – the real reason I came out to New Zealand in the first place. So, allow me to walk you through a typical day in the life of a Treble Cone ski instructor.

On some mornings, it’s quite a relief to see the staff bus turn up at 7:45am so you can get inside and out of the cold! I can’t imagine there are many people on earth that have a more spectacular journey to work than those of us that work at Treble Cone. Once up on the hill, your first responsibility is to get yourself down to the 8:50am morning meeting where you’re given a rough idea of what to expect from the day; Are any local school groups in for lessons? What events are going on around the mountain? Are there any conditions you need to be aware of when taking a group of clients out skiing? From there the day really starts to get going.

Nine till quarter past 10 is staff training, where the senior coaches on the mountain run clinics on both ski improvement and instructor training. These training sessions are extremely valuable and I know a lot of the rookie instructors, myself included, find it helpful to be taught by fully certified trainers from a host of different ski systems from around the world. I found it particularly useful, having come from a training program ran solely by Canadian certified trainers, to see how the Austrians, British, New Zealanders and French approach their skiing and I now feel like I have a much better understanding of the sport as a whole. It’s also been particularly useful to shamelessly steal other instructor’s drills/development tactics and use them in my own lessons!

Staff Training Drill – Walking The Turn

At 10:15, all instructors are required to turn up for morning line-up, quite often the most hectic yet important part of the day. This is a chance for the ski school to demonstrate how professional, friendly and helpful we all are as the customers begin to arrive for their 10:30 lessons. After speaking to the clients and separating them according to their relative abilities, we are left completely at the mercy of our supervisor who assigns us to different groups.

“James, can you take the advanced group this morning please? Yes, the two 21-year-old female models that are here for a lesson”

… Okay, so that hasn’t happened yet, but you learn pretty quickly that ski instructing really is a job in which you look after yourself. The experienced and high cert instructors naturally take the more advanced lessons and also tend to be the ones assigned to private lessons but, even as a rookie, if you get your head down and do well in your beginner and intermediate lessons then you will be rewarded. I feel pretty happy with the range of customers I’ve taught this season. Just last week my supervisor gave me a lesson with the advanced kids group. I spent two  hours skiing red runs, black runs and plenty of off-piste terrain – it was almost like being paid to go ski wherever I wanted on the mountain and it turned out to be one of my best days on the hill.

Unless you were good enough to get your guests to book you again for a PM lesson (which is quite often!), afternoon line-up is at 1:15 and the whole process is repeated. Business tends to be slower in the afternoon and a lot of instructors use the spare time to go freeskiing, training, or head down the mountain early. A typical day at Treble Cone isn’t just about instructing, either. I’ve made plenty of friends at work and sometimes I’m quite happy to not be assigned lessons so I can go relax in the staff room with my colleagues.

One of the perks of being a Treble Cone employee, of which there are many, is that you’re given a free season pass so that you can explore the hill on your days off. The mountain here has a reputation of being one of the steepest and most advanced mountains in the country. This presents a huge challenge for us as ski instructors when trying to teach beginners and intermediates, but it also presents us with awesome terrain to ski when we have time off. From spending 20 minutes hiking to the summit of Treble Cone for a few awesome powder turns, skiing some steep backcountry runs in the Motatapu Chutes (YouTube it!) or even hitting the steep groomed trails where you’ll often find professional race teams training – there’s always something different to try out.

There was a time early in the season when I wasn’t sure it was all going to work out so well for me. It was my first day of work and I turned up sporting, what I considered to be, “designer stubble” on my face. The ski school here takes a lot pride in how the instructors present themselves and it soon became apparent that not being clean shaven wasn’t going to be acceptable. Instead of teaching skiing that day I was asked to dress up as TC Cat, the big furry mountain mascot, and go around at lunchtime entertaining the kids. I couldn’t believe all that time, effort and money I’d spent on training to become a ski instructor so that I could parade around as a giant feline. My parents and friends found it hilarious when I told them and I can see the funny side of things now (I’ve been TC Cat a few times this season since then!), but I certainly didn’t have a sense of humour about it at the time.

James Dressed as TC Cat

Also, in my second week of teaching, I took my beginner group down a blue run by accident… It was foggy and I still wasn’t 100% familiar with the lay-out of the mountain! Once I realised my mistake, I quickly turned the focus of the lesson into how the basics of a good turn can be applied to a variety of different gradients. The students survived, had a great time and were none the wiser at the end… phew!

Fortunately, I’ve spent many more days instructing than I have being a giant cat or endangering lives over the past few months and I can honestly say that I have loved my job. The season finished yesterday (it’s late September at the time of writing) and I feel pretty devastated that it’s all over. My skiing has improved tremendously, I’ve made some friends for life and I’ve also managed to secure a job offer to come back here next year – not bad for someone who wasn’t even a ski instructor 9 months ago. As for what next? Who knows. I’m about to spend the next month touring New Zealand in a camper van before heading on to Australia and South East Asia. It’s hard to say for certain, but I can’t imagine a life for myself that doesn’t involve skiing and, after having read these blogs, you can probably understand why. Just like before I left for Fernie, I have that nagging voice inside my head again, telling me to go and be brave and make another life changing decision such as the one to start a life of back-to-back winters… We’ll see I guess.  Sometimes, an event occurs in your life of such huge significance that time is forever divided into “before” and “after”. It seems like the post-Nonstop era of my life is shaping up to be pretty incredible. So, all that remains to be asked is: what are you waiting for?

James Now Living the Dream With Ski School at Treble Cone

The post Working as a ski instructor after Nonstop – Lucky, Brave or Both? appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Fancy instructing for a week in Italy? TM Ski & Travel, who run school trips to Livingo, are looking for Nonstop graduates to instruct 14-17 year olds during February half term (13th to 21st and 15th to 22nd).

Teaching in Livigno, Italy

Founder of TM Ski & Travel, Marcus Bishop, has hired many Nonstop graduates over the past few winters. The skills that the Nonstop graduates are able to demonstrate in skiing, teaching enthusiasm, instructing and their general energy have really impressed Marcus and his team. It is no surprise he has asked for Nonstop alumni to complete his team of instructors again this winter!

Harriet, who recently spent her placement year with us here at Nonstop, worked for a week with TM Ski and Travel a few years ago. Here is what she has to say about her experience…

‘Working for TM Ski was a great way to sneak away from University for a week, touch up my instructor skills and get paid to be on the slopes!

I taught the Level 1 and Level 4 groups, so I was utilizing all the techniques I learnt on my Nonstop course.  The beginners were keen to learn and loved all the drills and games. Having them every morning throughout the week meant I was quickly noticing a huge improvement in their skiing. The top group were awesome! Their skiing was to a high standard meaning I could ski wherever I wanted, with them on my tail! The feedback was specific, so their technique improved impressively…always a good sight at the end of a busy week. The teachers tagged along sometimes, which took some of the pressure off controlling the class of 10 adrenaline pumped teenagers!

Harriet (second from right) during her Nonstop training

The other instructors were such fun as well! I actually went with Matt, who I had done my Nonstop course with and lived with for the rest of the season, but there were plenty of other instructors my age teaching school groups so at lunch and in the evenings we were able to hang out together.

In the evenings, the instructors would usually eat with their schools before heading back to the staff accommodation to watch a film. On a few occasions we headed out with our schools to go for pizza, hit the ice skating rink and one night we went to the school ‘disco’…which actually turned out to be quite fun!

If my dissertation hand in date wasn’t the week after February half term, I would definitely be going back again this season!’

If you like the sound of Harriet’s experience, have your CSIA/CASI Level 2 qualification and are interested in working in Italy during February half term, please contact Marcus Bishop on info@tmskiandtravel.com or 07920 097 418 for more information and how to apply.

Lessons typically last for six hours a day (with a lunch break of one hour) and you will also be expected to help out with evening activities.

In exchange for your instructing services you’ll benefit from: Return travel to the Alps by coach, accommodation on a full-board basis, your ski pass, ski equipment if needed (but we suspect you have your own!) and between €180 and €250 for the week which is paid in Livigno.

If you’re reading this blog and aren’t yet qualified as an instructor then check out our ski instructor training and snowboard instructor training courses to find out how you can qualify and how much fun you can have doing it!

The post Follow in Harriet’s Footsteps – Ski Instructing in Italy appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Paul Clarke came to Nonstop to fulfil his dream of making a living as a ski instructor. Here he shares his success story of graduating from gap year instructor trainee in Fernie to Snowsports School Director in RED Mountain.

Paul Clarke in RED Mountain

My love for Canada started after two family holidays to Whistler and Lake Louise. When I turned 18, I was determined to take a gap year before university and become a ski instructor. I had been skiing since the age of 3 and couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do than have that red jacket and teach skiing for a living!

I found Nonstop online and swiftly signed up for a 3 week course in Fernie. The course was amazing; full of great instruction, backcountry tours, cat skiing, avalanche training and social outings. I particularly enjoyed the backcountry over-night trip that included sleeping in a snow hole! This was a great experience and something that I would do again at university on a winter survival expedition in Finland. The day cat skiing was also another great highlight as we experienced endless deep powder runs and my first sighting of a moose!

At the end of the course in January, I was thrilled to pass my CSIA Level 1. Being a gap year, I thought this would be the only opportunity to gain employment and teach for the season- so I applied for jobs at most resorts in British Columbia and was lucky enough to be offered a job at Red Mountain Resort.

RED’s breathtaking scenery

Red Mountain is located in Rossland, BC, a small scenic mining town dating back to 1898. It is the oldest ski area in Western Canada! Over the last 10 years, RED has really excelled and we have been rewarded in our efforts with the following statistics and awards:

• Ranked 8th best place in the world to visit in 2013 (New York Times)
• #1 Ski Town (Powder Magazine- Ski Town Throwdown 2012)
• Most underrated ski resort (Skiing Magazine)
• Raters was awarded “Best Ski Resort Bar 2012”
• Most Improved Resort (World Snow Awards 2013)

This season 2013/14 we have a brand new chairlift opening up Grey Mountain. This is increasing our skiing terrain by 1,000 acres and 22 new runs! This now puts RED in the Top 20 of all North American Ski resorts by terrain scale and makes RED the 8th largest ski resort in Canada! A huge expansion that we are very proud of and excited to ski.

Following my Nonstop course I taught for the remainder of the 2003-4 season and made some life-long friends and contacts in the snow sports industry. Teaching my first lesson was very daunting. I remember being very nervous and I had to teach a group of school kids aged 9 or 10. I was lucky to have a supportive group of peers around me that were always on hand for tips and advice. Staff training was also a great way to encourage one another and learn from the other instructors. Practice really does make perfect!

Not a bad office!

A typical day instructing usually starts around 8.30am with a morning meeting followed by a training run on the chair lift to warm up before you start teaching. There are many different types of lessons you can teach from groups, privates, camps, clubs, schools, kinders (3-5yrs), kids or adults. I like having a variety of lessons as it really helps develop you as an instructor and keeps you on your game! I would normally have a 2-3 hour lesson in the morning followed by another 2-3 hours in the afternoon.

Working at RED the instructors have quite a few perks. Apart from the obvious uniform and seasons pass they also get 25% off around the resort, an equipment bonus at the end of the season (calculated by the amount of hours worked) and course reimbursement. If a staff member returns to work the following season after passing a qualification, they are refunded the course fees.  This is a great incentive for the instructors to further their education and gain qualifications.

I returned to the UK in 2004 and graduated from Buckinghamshire University in 2007 with a BA(Hons) degree in Sport & Leisure Management & Outdoor Studies.

I returned to RED in 2007 to teach skiing full-time and I have never looked back. I’ve now been in Canada for 6 years, completing my CSIA 3, SnowPark, Race Official and CADS (Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing) qualifications.

After teaching full-time for 3 years I gained promotion to Assistant Director in 2010 and in 2012 was offered the Director of Snowsports position at RED. This was a fantastic opportunity and one that really helped me to develop my career within the ski industry. It is a challenging role, but one that I enjoy immensely. I have a great team of instructors, at one of the best ski resorts in North America. I am one of the few people who can honestly say they enjoy going to work each day! Sharing your passion for skiing and working in a fun and vibrant work force is like no other.

I have now applied for permanent residence and hope to make Canada my home forever and hope to continue in my role as Director for many years to come.

Paul in action in RED’s powder

Tips & Advice for Aspiring Ski or Snowboard Instructors:

• Don’t worry about coming to Canada on your own. I did the same and met so many great people and made life-long friends.  People here in Canada are so friendly and approachable.
• If you are trying to gain employment, apply for a work visa as early as possible! These things go like hot cakes. Keep an eye on the IEC website and have paperwork ready for when it opens as they are in high demand and are distributed on a first come, first served basis.
• It is best to apply for jobs via phone or in person. Don’t give up or be afraid to call multiple times. It shows you are keen and passionate about gaining employment.
• Pack light as you will buy gear when you are here! You won’t be able to resist.

Nonstop did a great job and helped give me the foundation needed to become a high end ski instructor. I have remained good friends with the coaches, staff and fellow clients. Canada is such an amazing place to experience and I would suggest anyone passionate about skiing or teaching should come out and join a Nonstop course – you won’t regret it!

If like Paul you would like to try out a gap year that could lead to a career in the snowsports industry, why not check out the gap year courses like the one Paul attended in Fernie. You can also find out more about Nonstop’s ski instructor courses or snowboard instructor courses which provide a great route into the industry.

The post The Journey From Gap Year to Snowschool Sports Director appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

David joined Nonstop’s 11 week snowboard instructor course in 2006/07. Following his university course in furniture design and production, David worked in the trade before deciding to take the break that he hadn’t taken before university. After seasons instructing in Banff and Australia he decided to return to the UK but wanted to keep working in the industry. So he decided to launch DOUK Snowboards, hand making snowboards in the UK with locally sourced materials, combining his furniture design and making trade skills with his passion for the sport. Here is his story…

David (front) enjoying some of Nonstop’s extra activities

Once I finished university doing furniture design and making, I went straight into the industry to work. After a couple of years I had felt that I had never really taken the opportunity to have a gap year during my education. I had always wanted to do a season and was thinking of getting a job working for a chalet company, riding when I had the time off. After talking to a friend who had done a few seasons, they suggested doing an instructor training program “they’re lots of fun and your riding will dramatically improve more than just doing a working season”.

I started to look for courses and the one that stuck out the most to me was the Nonstop program in Banff, somewhere I had wanted to go and there seemed to be a lot on offer the price. I had heard many good things about the quality of riding to be had over Banff’s three mountain resorts, the town itself and the friendly Canadian welcome.

I went out to Banff a week before the course started and met up with 5 others to get some riding in before the course started. From day one I knew I had made the right decision! All 6 of us got on amazingly and the town didn’t disappoint. On the mountains the snow was just endless, I had never experienced snow as good as it was in the Rockies! The slopes were so quiet compared to Europe.

Good times in Banff’s pow

After the week was up the rest of the Nonstop group arrived and we had our proper introduction to the course, accommodation, town and most importantly our instructors that we would be riding with for the next 11 weeks. There were 32 snowboarders doing Nonstop that season, all living together at the same hotel. Everyone got on amazingly well and within a week it was like we were one big family.

From the very first day riding with the instructors you knew that it was so much better than any lesson you had been on before. We were riding all over the mountain doing things you would never think of. Our riding was pushed to a level you didn’t think you were capable of. Even for those who had been riding a lot longer than me found by the end of the first day they were getting so much more from their riding than they thought possible.

For each of the first 5-6 weeks we would get a different instructor. Each had their own way of riding, skill sets and teaching. Every week would be a mix of working on our own riding skills, working on our instructing for the CASI exams and free riding. This was pretty much a mixture of going anywhere and doing anything you wanted to, whilst having an experienced instructor there to guide you.

The weekends were our free time and mostly we would all go up to the mountain and ride in groups. Some would take it easy, some would be in the terrain park and some would work on their teacher training. There would always be someone to ride with or just to chill out with in town. By the time we had all completed our CASI Level 1 we had the option to work on achieving our Level 2 or to focus on our own riding skills. When I first set out to do Nonstop I was doing it mainly to improve my own riding and not too bothered about becoming an instructor. By the time I had to make my decision, instructing was something I decided I would like to do and I wanted to work towards my Level 2.

Celebrating CASI exam success on the Nonstop course (David is second from right)

Having the opportunity to ride every day was the best thing I could ever hope for, but Nonstop also provided many other activities to make the experience in Canada so much more fun and memorable. Having the chance to go cat skiing, snowmobiling and to go ride other mountain resorts just added to the fun. Our evenings were full of entertainment and activities. There was always something to do if we wanted to. We took trips to Calgary and Canmore to see the ice hockey followed by a night out on the town. We also went bowling, curling, climbing, to the cinema or just on a good pub crawl. By the time our eleven weeks were up I had achieved my CASI Level 2 and was already looking for a job as an instructor for the next season.

David (front row, second from left) and some of his Nonstop coursemates on a Snowmobiling trip

I had chosen to stay on until the end of the season with a few others. We wanted to get as much riding in as possible before having to return home. Even before the course was over I knew I would be coming back next season. By the end of the season I knew doing Nonstop had changed my outlook on life and working in the mountains and in the snowboard and ski industry was something I really wanted to keep doing. After doing the course many years ago I am still good friends with some of the people I met on Nonstop and still meet up to go out and go on holiday with them.

During the summer I applied for jobs at almost all the ski schools in Canada and by the end of summer I had been offered a job by Ski Big Three in Banff. I couldn’t wait to get back out there and had planned to get back to Banff as early as I could so I could sort out accommodation for the season ahead with some of the people I had done Nonstop with.

The second season in Banff, this time working as a snowboard instructor, was just as much fun. Doing Nonstop had helped prepare me for mountain life and teaching snowboarding. It made it so much easier to work in the industry rather than just going out there with no experience whatsoever. It didn’t take me long to discover how rewarding it was to teach people the sport you love, getting paid for it and being able to ride with some of the best instructors in Canada.

Rather than go back to the UK once the season finished, I decided to stay for the summer and make the most of my working visa. I had a nice flat with two good Canadian friends I had made over the winter and been lucky enough to get a job with a local small carpentry company. Spending summer in the mountains was just as much fun as the winter. My boss was the most easy going person, I was working with local people and felt like I had been there for years. I was always going climbing, mountain biking and kayaking and there were always a barbeque or a party to go to – summer was so much fun!

Working at Banff’s three resorts with Ski Big 3 (third from right)

During my third season in Banff the world had gone in to recession. It was definitely noticeable on the slopes that there was a lot less work. Luckily I had a second job in town so I could make up some extra money. My second season working was a lot quieter in comparison to my first. I had the opportunity to be able to get so much free riding in and work towards my CASI Level 3. I had great opportunity to do road trips around Canada and to the USA to other ski resorts. It was great to be able to see other places. By the end of the season I had achieved my CASI Level 3. During this second summer, companies had stopped sponsoring people and none of the ski schools were hiring for next season unless you could get your own working visa. By mid-summer I had decided to go back home after 2 ½ years in Banff.

Once back home in the UK I knew I wanted to be back in the mountains so I started to apply for jobs again and got offered one at Mount Hotham in Australia. This was the start of a few back to back seasons between Australia and France. Australian resorts are lot smaller than Canadian and European ones. They’re not well known for their snow but for my first season I was pretty lucky as they had the best snow conditions in 30 years. We were getting about 4 powder days a week at one point in the season! My first season in Australia was so much better than I thought it would be, helped a lot by the great snow conditions. I would definitely recommend anybody to give a season a go over there.

After my Australian season I was unable to secure an instructing job in the northern hemisphere due to recession and visas, but was offered a job helping a friend run his small hotel in the French Alps. The slopes and lifts were right next to the hotel so when I had a bit of free time it was easy to get out and go riding. By the end of the French season I had been offered a job back in Australia. By now with the economy being the way it was, it was harder and harder to get an instructing job especially in the northern hemisphere. So this is where I was starting to think about what else I could do in the industry.

Early that year I had been talking with a friend who had suggested trying to make our own snowboards. So whilst back in Australia I started to look into what it would take to build my own boards. The season started off well with good snow but by the time we were half way through the season the conditions turned. The snow started to disappear quite quickly and so did the work! By the end of the season the snow had almost disappeared and they ended up closing the resort 2 weeks early. I was once again finding it hard to secure a job in the northern hemisphere or anything that would pay enough to live on. I had been offered a really good job in Australia and with this I had made the decision to take it and save as much money as I could to start working towards starting my own business making snowboards. By the summer of 2012 I had done a lot of research into designing and building snowboards and had written a business plan and moved back to the UK.

Shaping the core of DOUK’s snowboards

The main reason for setting up my own business was to keep me in the ski and snowboarding industry. I would be combining my trade as a furniture designer and maker with my skills as a snowboarder and my passion for the sport. I wanted to be able to offer something that wasn’t really available in the UK, to start a small snowboard ski brand offering something individual with custom design options. It would have been easy to get boards designed and produced by a large company in China or Austria and solid them as a UK brand, but that is what most other companies do. I wanted to be better… and different! And so DOUK Snowboards was born.

Lay up in the DOUK workshop

I wanted to design, build and engineer every aspect of the boards here in the UK in our own workshop/factor. My aim was to try and locally source as much of the materials as possible. Everything we do is made in our workshop. The timber comes in as raw planks which we then mill and shape to produce our own unique wood course. We shape and edge our own bases, print our own graphics and assemble them using our custom made equipment that we have had to build ourselves. We also clean them up, grind, wax and package the boards ready to be shipped and ridden anywhere in the world. The opening of our workshop was marked with an article on the Whitelines website.

Hard at work on the next DOUK snowboard

So, where next? The aim is to build a quality reliable brand, producing in the UK were we have full control over every aspect of designing and making the products. This means we can contribute push and develop snowboards and ski design. We hope to be able to work with the British ski and snowboard industry by sponsoring and developing riders, sponsoring and promoting events and helping towards progression of UK winter athletes.

Coming together

DOUK Snowboards are offering a 15% discount to all Nonstoppers past and present. Head on over to their website  and get in touch with us here at nonstop HQ and we will give you the discount code to claim your 15% off.

If you would like learn to become a snowboard instructor in all three of Banff’s awesome resorts, like David did, you can join Nonstop next winter. Find out more about the Banff snowboard instructor course here.

The post From Snowboard Instructor Course to Custom Snowboard Manufacturer – David’s Story appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.

Having discovered the joy that is sliding on snow in 2008, Adam knew that this was a turning point in his life. He joined the Nonstop 5 week snowboard instructor course in March 2011 and since qualifying on his course as a CASI Level 1 instructor he has gone on to instruct in Canada at Mount Seymour and Whitewater resorts. Here is his story…

First day of instructing at Mount Seymour

A week in the French Alps in January 2008 was to change my life forever.  It was my first time experiencing the majestic sight of snow-covered mountains, and my first chance to learn how to snowboard, just three months before I was due to turn 21.  Having spent my teenage years on rollerblades at skateparks, rather than on a sketchy skateboard, for some reason I still felt that I would rather snowboard than ski when I’d decided to book this last minute package holiday, and I haven’t lived to regret that decision.  After my third week-long holiday in Europe in March 2010, I knew that just one week a year in the mountain environment was not going to be enough for me, and so I began to look for  a way I could extend that happiness I felt when I was on my snowboard.  After a few weeks of investigating tour company job opportunities and what it would take to go and work a winter season in the Alps, I somehow stumbled upon the Nonstop website, and the rest, as they say, is history….

There was no way I was going to have enough money saved up in time for an 11 week course beginning in January 2011, so after numerous calls and emails with staff in the UK office, I opted for a five week level one snowboard instructor course that ran from early March. I took comfort in the fact that even if I didn’t have what it takes to become an instructor, I was at least going to have a fantastic experience with people of a similar mindset, and hopefully improve my riding!  The seductive offer of deep fresh powder was too much to refuse, so Fernie was the resort that stood out the most for me. Six months later I was there enjoying fresh tracks almost on a daily basis, and not having to worry about trying to learn another language just to get by!

I arrived two weeks before my course was due to begin, and stayed in the hostel in town before a room became available for me in the Red Tree Lodge.  I soon met many of the 11-weekers around town and at the mountain, and had no shortage of people to hang out with after each day of shredding.  Those first two weeks of unguided exploration were eventful to say the least. Who knew you could give yourself whiplash from doing four consecutive backflips down a double black diamond run on a 30cm powder day?!

Thankfully once the course began, the instructors I would ride with quickly pointed out my poor techniques and were able to solidify my riding skills, bringing me up to and above the standard required to pass the CASI Level 1 course.  Standing up in front of strangers and talking or explaining things was something I’d always struggled with, but everyone in my group felt the same and so we had lots of fun ‘teaching’ each other to snowboard as we went through the procedures of how a beginner snowboard lesson should be taught.  Lots of mistakes, stuttering and falling over whilst trying to skate around switch were some of the things that put us all at ease and made us all feel equal.

Group photo following CASI Level 1 results, April 2011 (Adam on far right).

After five weeks of getting to know each other, riding in epic snow, and becoming the best snowboarders we had ever been, all but one of us passed the Level 1 course. I look back on it now as only being the beginning of my new life, which holds a whole new outlook and different priorities from before. I knew that this trip had opened a lot more doors for me, and that travelling around the world, being in the mountains and snowboarding was something I definitely had to pursue further.

As soon as I got back to England, I started to investigate how I was going to go about being in Canada for the next season.  I soon discovered that many Canadian ski resorts do not offer sponsored visas for instructors, and most of those that do only offer them for Level 2 instructors and above.  That moved my attention on to gaining a one year working holiday visa from the Canadian government, which I found I would have to wait until early the next year to apply for, as all of the positions for 2011 quota had been assigned already.  This meant it was time to go get a job, and bide my time whilst saving as much as I could to prepare myself for what I hoped would eventually come. And in July of 2012 it did come, acceptance on to the IEC working holiday program….it was time to start making real plans.

I sent out my CV to every ski resort in BC and Alberta, and detailed my eagerness to get into the industry. I received far fewer replies than I’d anticipated, it seemed none of them were too interested since I was on the wrong side of the pond.  In no way was this a deterrent though, I decided to book myself a flight to Vancouver for early October, and go take a chance on getting hired at the job fairs for the three mountain resorts in North Vancouver. If that didn’t work out then I was going to take myself on a merry trip around BC over winter, and go ride at as many different resorts as possible until I only had enough funds left for a return flight to Manchester….either way I was going to have some fun.

The best ever sunrises from Mount Seymour, North Vancouver

As it turned out, I was fortunate enough to be offered positions at the two resorts I had visited on their job fair days, and was able to pick my favourite.  I had been willing to work in any department, just to get my foot in the door, and chose the best option for me, which was to work on the Snow School desk at Mount Seymour.  This gave me a fantastic insight into how a Snow School operates, from lesson bookings and staff scheduling, to day-to-day organisation.  The management staff took my instructor status into consideration when they chose to hire me, and were able to give me my first chance to gain teaching experience in the New Year. This was when the school groups were to begin, and the crazy Christmas rush was over.  I look back on it now as a huge benefit to have built up a knowledge of ski resort operations, and how I can contribute the most to that sort of company. Had I been a full-time instructor from the start, I would probably never quite have understood how the whole thing works from just turning up at the desk, collecting my lesson card, and going out to find my students.

I also benefitted from a full-time wage….it was an eye-opener to find that despite the glamour we associate with this industry, as an instructor your days can be filled with a lot of waiting around for lesson time slots to gain bookings, and going out to help other departments just to do your hours for the day.  There is much more demand for ski lessons as a whole, and so don’t be surprised if as a full-time snowboard instructor you only teach (and therefore get paid for) two to four hours of lessons each day.  This can be frustrating of course, but you can still take the positives in the form of a free season pass, lots of free time to go ride and an opportunity to make a huge impression on someone’s life by teaching them a new skill and sharing your passion for something you love!

My first winter season was to end on low note. A seemingly innocuous fall in late March resulted in a torn AC ligament in my left shoulder, and was to be my last time on my board that season.  I finished up my last few weeks on the lesson desk, and then had to decide whether to come home for surgery or persevere with pain and physiotherapy.  It was a pretty easy decision in the end because I was living a dream, there was no way was I going to give that up.

The office for summer 2013, a marina resort on BC’s West Coast

I was able to find myself a job at a quaint little holiday resort on the Sunshine Coast for the summer, about three hours north of Vancouver (including a ferry ride).   I was working on the marina there, mooring and refuelling the boats, which was another whole new world for me to enter, and what an amazing summer it was!  A first real summer of consistent sunshine (being a Northerner!), swimming in the lakes, kayaking on the ocean, drinks around open fires at night time…a huge contrast to winter in the mountains, but not at all a worse option!  Adding to that, the news that my application in March for a second IEC visa had been accepted, and I was able to do this all over again, was the icing on the cake!

On top of the world…a hike up The Chief, Squamish, BC in summer 2013

So come August of 2013, as the summer was drawing to a close, I began to send out my updated CV to all the ski resorts of BC and Alberta again, knowing that I wanted to experience something new rather than go back to Mount Seymour, despite it having a special place in my heart.  I knew deep down that I wanted to head back to the Kootenays for the ‘champagne’ powder that the west coast just doesn’t get, and so focused my attention on the resorts in and around the east of BC. Fortunately this time my CV seemed to stand out a little more, since I had some experience in that environment.  Once again I was able to choose my favoured destination, having been offered positions after telephone interviews at three different resorts.  I chose to move to Nelson, BC, which is local to Whitewater Ski Resort. I can honestly say that it has been the best decision of my life!  The people in town, the ethos of the resort, and above all the terrain and snow conditions are way better than I could ever have hoped for.

So far the ’13-’14 season has been one of relatively little snowfall across much of western Canada in comparison to previous years, but that still doesn’t put a downer on things.  This season I work on the Snow School desk here on the weekends and teach on Fridays. Part-time work gives me four days a week to go out and freeride with friends and colleagues, although I do cover my bills with a second job, serving some evenings in a restaurant in town.  I find myself coming home every night with a huge smile on my face. I am satisfied with what I am achieving, happy being where I am and living a life I would never have even dreamed of if you had asked me only three years ago before I had started my Nonstop course.  The way I look at it is that we only get one shot at living this life, and although I may not have too much in mind for the distant future, or have any particular final destination in mind, I’m sure as hell enjoying the journey that can help everything else fall into place!

Knowing that I have now used my two available year-long working holiday visas means that I must find other ways to be allowed to continue working in Canada.  I intend to take my CASI Level 2 course at the end of this season, which if I pass could potentially make sponsored working visas an option in the future, or maybe my amazing Canadian girlfriend might want to contribute to a BC residency application! Then again, I’d love to see what New Zealand has to offer, and check out some southern hemisphere riding.  The beauty of my life right now is that I have so many possible outcomes for the future, and I can take my life in any direction I like.  Before I discovered Nonstop I had worked numerous meaningless jobs that did nothing more for me than to put money in my pockets to allow me to escape real life on holidays, or with fancy gadgets or my car.  This last 16 months it has been honour to work in environments that I love, at times being paid to teach people how to do something that I love doing, and am surrounded by people who share my passion….sliding on snow!!  Who would ever have guessed that something so simple could be so rewarding!?!?

If you would like to follow in Adam’s footsteps, you can join the 5 week snowboard instructor course in Fernie in 2015. You might even consider the same course in Banff, training across all three of the regions fantastic resorts, Lake Louise, Sunshine and Mount Norquay. Or if you have a little longer to spare, why not enjoy a whole season in the mountains with one of the 11 week snowboard instructor courses. If skiing is your thing, don’t worry, there are the ski instructor course equivalents for you too!

The post Snowboard Instructor Success Stories – Adam Lovick appeared first on Nonstop Ski & Snowboard Blog.