When snowboarding takes a hold of you, the thirst for riding becomes unquenchable. As soon as winter comes and snow reports tease you from the Alps, Canada, Japan and the US, life can get pretty frustrating.
More and more people are breaking free and are giving up the grind to spend full seasons in the mountains. Of course, the classic bar and chalet jobs are always an option, but the number one 'dream' job has got to be snowboard instructing. Being paid to ride and to have the pride of wearing a red instructor jacket doesn’t get any better.
There are several routes to qualify as a snowboard instructor, the three most popular for UK riders are CASI (Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors), NZSIA (New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance), AASI (American Association of Snowboard Instructors) and BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors). Although there are minor differences between the instructing techniques within each of those bodies, they are all very similar in terms of respect and employability. Each system has qualifications numbered from 1 (being the lowest) to 4 (the highest). Once you have reached Level 2 in any of those systems you will be able to apply for jobs in most mountains around the world: Canada, Japan, Europe, New Zealand, etc. The only exception to that is France, where you’ll need to qualify as a ski instructor first (which in itself is a massive challenge) or qualify at a very high level under one of the other bodies. Generally it’s best for snowboarders to write off instructing in France and look to the other countries instead.
There are many instructor training options out there, with the most popular in Canada under the CASI system. There are a variety of programmes available, from 3 week level 1 courses to 11 week courses that will allow you qualify as a level 1 and 2 instructor as well as get some valuable work experience. Spending a season training, working on your technique (and of course having a lot of fun) is advisable, so the longer courses are best. However choosing a shorter course and going straight into work is a possibility and the course provider should be able to help you with that.
Choosing the right resort to train as an instructor is key. Of course, you want to pick a location that will be fun for you and will continue to challenge you for the whole season. Qualifying in the more challenging resorts will also demonstrate to employers that you’re a first class candidate. So, if you’re looking at Canada, it would be worth considering the likes of Fernie and Red Mountain. Both of which are powder heavy and are renowned for epic freeriding. If you’re more interested in Freestyle, maybe consider Banff, where there are three resorts, each with their own amazing park: Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Mount Norquay. However, if you choose Banff, make sure that your course provider trains in all three mountains, otherwise it might get a little samey.
"Being paid to ride and to have the pride of wearing a red instructor jacket doesn’t get any better."
Photo credit: © Kalpesh Patel
Written by Peter Rees from Nonstop Ski and Snowboard. Nonstop run ski instructor courses and snowboard instructor courses in Canada, New Zealand and France.