Turn your Love for Skiing into a Career: Become a Ski Instructor
Have you ever dreamed of being a ski instructor? If so, then this blog post is for you! Here we’ll cover how to become a ski instructor, from the necessary skills to the best way to get qualified. So whether you’re just curious about becoming a ski instructor, or are already on your way to making your dream a reality, read on for everything you need to know.
Why Become a Ski Instructor?
If you’re considering becoming a ski instructor, you almost certainly love skiing. We bet you can pinpoint that one moment when you knew you never wanted to leave the mountains.
Becoming a ski instructor was a clear path for many of us at New Generation. We all love skiing and being outdoors. Nothing beats the crisp cold morning air and sense of awe as you look up at the peaks.
But there’s more to it than that. It’s about defying the norm and challenging the status quo. Not settling for an ordinary office job. Never being cooped up indoors or glued to a screen.
We all want to turn our passion into a career – to do a job that doesn’t feel like a chore but instead brings immense joy.
We realised that we could spread the love we have for skiing by teaching others, by helping them conquer their fears, and by guiding them to achieve things they thought they couldn’t.
What makes a great Ski Instructor?
A ski instructor is a dynamic blend of athlete, teacher, and explorer.
You have to be skilled on the slopes but also in the art of teaching. Your job is to help students build confidence and skill with every word.
Becoming a ski instructor is about helping yourself, and others overcome personal and professional barriers. It’s a journey that involves constant self-improvement. With each hurdle they overcome, they enhance their expertise and become better equipped to help their students overcome similar obstacles.
In essence, a ski instructor is a passionate individual who thrives on sharing the thrill of skiing, takes joy in their student’s progress, and never stops learning and improving. They’re always up for a challenge, ready to conquer the next peak, and eager to help their students do the same.
Do you need to be able to speak a second language to be a Ski Instructor?
No. You can find ski instructor courses and exams in almost every language. Earning your level 2 or equivalent Qualification without a language exam is possible. However, ski schools and employers will prefer instructors who speak two or even three languages, and you’re often paid more if you speak multiple languages. You must sit a second language exam to get some qualifications, such as the BASI Level 4 certification.
The Ski Instructor Journey
The Six Key Steps to Becoming a Ski Instructor
1. Think about where you want to work.
Whether you’re looking to teach skiing in Europe, Canada, the United States or elsewhere, research is the key to ensuring your ski instructor qualifications and certifications meet local requirements and regulations.
Taking the time to find out which qualifications are required in each country will ensure that you’re well prepared for any opportunity presented as a ski instructor, wherever it might take you. Contact our Coaching Team if you want some advice.
Only a few qualifications are recognised worldwide, and the different governing bodies don’t always let you convert your Qualification.
Researching the difference between the British Association of Snowsports Instructors (BASI) and the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA) or other governing bodies ahead of time can help ensure you have an unforgettable experience where every season brings new challenges and thrills as you help others develop their skill on the slopes. You don’t want to worry about having to re-qualify.
Most Ski Instructor qualification systems are split into four levels. What each level allows you to teach varies slightly by the system and can change further depending on local law, but broadly speaking:
- Level 1 – The Entry Level Ski Instructor Qualification. You will only be allowed to teach indoors or on a dry slope in some places. Where you can teach in the mountains, you will only teach young children and beginners. This level of Qualification is often only recognised in the country it is issued.
- Level 2 – The minimum level of Qualification we recommend aiming for and generally accepted to be the first rung on the ladder for those making a career in snowsports. You will be able to teach beginners and intermediate skiers on the piste. This level of Qualification is the first to be broadly recognised in multiple countries.
- Level 3 or ISIA – In most Countries, the Level 3 Qualification aligns with the Internation Ski Instructor Association (ISIA) criteria. This is the first Qualification to have formal International Recognition and standardised criteria. You can start teaching advanced skiers and, in some countries, start leading groups off-piste.
- Level 4 – Primarily only found in European Systems, this is the final rung of the ladder. It will allow you to start teaching in France and give you far greater freedom instructing off-piste in European Ski Resorts. Once you are qualified at this level, the world is your oyster, and you can make more than the UK average annual salary in just five months of the year.
So take some time and do your homework – this is the start of a fantastic adventure, and it’s good to check you’re going in the right direction.
2. Get Some Experience – Optional
Volunteer at a local ski school to see if you enjoy teaching.
If you’ve always wanted to see if teaching skiing is the right fit for you, there is no better way to get started than by volunteering at a local ski school or dry slope. You’ll get the chance to experience the rewarding feeling of teaching people a new skill and helping them become as passionate about skiing as you are.
You can start building experience as a ski instructor and connect with coaches, ski instructors, and mentors that could further your career.
Being surrounded by like-minded people can help you fast-track your career. Nothing beats advice and guidance from those already in the industry and on the same journey as you.
There’s no need to get experience before doing a ski instructor course, but teaching skiing is different to skiing. To become a great instructor, you must love teaching as much as skiing.
3. Join a Ski Instructor Course and get Qualified.
Get the skills and knowledge to teach others how to ski.
Attending a ski instructor course is the best way to make your dream a reality. Ski instructor courses provide aspiring ski instructors with the necessary skills, techniques and exams to become qualified ski instructors.
These courses take place in ski resorts worldwide and on some artificial slopes. They’re incredibly popular with young people and can be a great way to do a season while earning internationally recognised qualifications.
Most courses are between 8 and 11 weeks long and focus on achieving the BASI Alpine Level 2 qualification or the local equivalent.
Depending on your chosen course, the package can include everything from training, accommodation and catering to exam-only packages for more experienced skiers.
Our team can help you find the perfect course for you.
4. Start Teaching Others
Once you’ve got your first qualifications, you can start delivering ski lessons.
Starting your career as a ski instructor is an exciting time. You can share your passion for the sport with others and help them grow. First, you’ll mainly teach beginners, children and those learning to make parallel turns.
Teaching at this entry-level is incredibly rewarding. You’ll see quick improvements and can impart valuable skills that will give your students an excellent foundation to confidently hit the slopes.
5. Keep Training
Building on your skills and qualifications is essential as a ski instructor.
There are multiple levels of ski instructor qualification, so even once you’ve got your first qualifications, there is always more to learn.
Progressing through these higher-level qualifications requires teaching experience and a higher skiing level. It’s normal for new ski instructors to join teach and train programmes that mix paid and work and personal performance training as they work towards the top level of ski instructor qualification.
Each Qualification you earn will open the door to new and exciting opportunities such as teaching advanced-level skiers, teaching people to ski off-piste, coaching racers and eventually training new ski instructors.
You’ll be paid more as you progress to these more advanced ski instructor qualifications. So you get to teach a greater variety of students and earn more.
6. Have Fun
Skiing is supposed to be enjoyable, so ensure you enjoy yourself while training and teaching.
Teaching skiing lets you create sincredible memories while working in the best office possible. You can share new experiences with others and pass on your skills while teaching them how to ski.
That’s why it’s important to ensure that even though you’re teaching someone else how to ski, you don’t forget to have fun yourself.
A little downtime and skiing for yourself are essential – being a great teacher doesn’t mean sacrificing your enjoyment of skiing.
How good do you need to be to become a Ski Instructor?
Attitude is as important as ability when starting your training to become a ski instructor. We regularly see people who have skied for years trip themselves up because they think they’re good and don’t listen to instructions. In contrast, others who have skied for weeks fly through the training and exams.
If you’re considering joining one of the 8 – 10 week long Level 1 and 2 Ski Instructor courses, we suggest you should already be able to make linked short turns on a red run without gaining speed or losing control.
If you can do this and carve on blue runs, then you’ll be in an excellent position to start training and become a ski instructor.
Don’t panic if you’re not there yet. 10 Weeks is a long time. You’ll be in a great position if you’re athletic and can perform at a high level in other sports. We once had a surfer who had only skied for a week become the strongest skier in the group by the middle of the course because his balance and coordination were so good.
With the different qualification levels and the format of the exams, you don’t have to ski perfectly from day one. You can earn your entry-level qualifications first, then train towards the more advanced coaching qualifications.
Anyone can train to become a ski instructor with the right coaching and support.
How much can you earn as a Ski Instructor?
A ski instructor’s salary varies depending on the country you work in, your qualifications, and the competition in a ski resort. Some countries, like France, require a very high level of Qualification before you can teach, but wages are among the best in the world.
As an entry-level ski instructor, you’ll earn enough to cover your day-to-day expenditure and training fees but won’t make a fortune. If you plan to make a long-term career in snowsports, you should be aiming for your Level 3 or ISIA qualification. You’ll be able to live comfortably in most countries, provided you have a summer job.
You’re unlikely to make millions as a ski instructor, but as the saying goes, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”.
How long does it take to become a Ski Instructor?
One of the questions we get asked most often and the hardest to answer. Strong skiers can sit their Level 1 exam without training and have their first Qualification in less than a week. Most people take longer though.
The most common way people start their careers is on a Level 1 & 2 ski instructor course. These are usually between 10 and 12 weeks long and are a great way to start your career. They can also be a great way to spend a gap year but don’t be surprised if you have so much fun your gap year never ends. It happened to most of our team.
Experienced skiers and ex-racers can achieve their level 2 or equivalent within only four weeks with the proper ski instructor training and exam plan.
There isn’t a one size fits all answer, but our team can help design the perfect plan for you.
All of these courses are just the start. Becoming a fully qualified Level 4 or equivalent ski instructor takes between 3 and 5 years.
A Look at Life as a Ski Instructor
We would love to tell you that life as a ski instructor is all powder days, blue skies and Apres Ski, but that would be stretching the truth.
As a young instructor, you’ll work with a wide variety of guests. You will teach everyone from first-time skiers to experienced kids who see the whole mountain as a playground.
During the School Holidays, you’ll work at least six hours a day for six days a week. These weeks are full on, it will feel like your feet never touch the ground, but they pay the bills.
In the quieter weeks, you’ll work roughly 4 hours a day, five days a week. Mornings are always the busiest.
These are the weeks we all live for. It’s when you can explore the resort and ski for yourself.
Getting Started: Applying for Your First Ski Instructor Job
The best way to get your first job as an instructor is by completing an instructor course with a ski school. Schools have to be able to trust their instructors not just to teach children and beginners but to keep them safe. If you’ve spent time coaching an instructor and have trained them yourself, it is far easier to place your trust in them.
Don’t panic though. If you’re applying to work with a school you’ve not trained with, a few tweaks to your CV and application can make a huge difference.
- Adapt your CV for each school or ski resort you apply to.
- Elaborate on why you love ski instructing.
- List all your experiences, especially if you’ve taught on dry or artificial slopes. You have to be an imaginative instructor to teach in these environments.
- Talk about your aspirations for the future. Becoming a ski instructor is a journey, and schools love to be able to develop young instructors.
About Us
New Generation is an award-winning Ski School and Ski Instructor Training Centre. We have been training ski instructors since 2001 and know there is no one size fits all solution to achieving your goals.
Our team consists of Instructors and Examiners from multiple qualification systems. We have combined our knowledge and understanding of all the instructor qualification systems into our training programmes. Hand Picking the best ideas and techniques to help build great ski instructors.
Over the last 20 years, we have done everything possible to create a supportive training pathway for new Ski Instructors.
One of the most challenging parts of becoming a Ski Instructor is landing your first job. To help make this less stressful, we have set up training schools across the Alps, where our students can combine paid work and training. We want to make it far easier to take that next step.
We’re still here for you as you move past those first few qualifications and work towards your level 3 and 4. We subsidise training for our team and have flexible work options to fit around your exams.
We manage our entire programme in-house and don’t rely on external providers. Unlike most Ski Instructor Courses companies, we aren’t just travel agents who outsource everything to other companies, all while taking a hefty commission.
Creating talented new ski instructors isn’t something we do for profit. They’re our future colleagues and friends, the future of our business and the Ski Industry.
