Hello everyone, I need some advice.

Currently I'm moving to Canada on the 28th September and I wanted to spend this new year boarding in Whistler, before enrolling on a 3 month instructor course the following winter season.

However I'd much sooner work in Whistler (or other big Canadian resorts) this winter (2006-2007), maybe then do a shorter length course the following season, before working as a guide and instructor.

Has anyone done this?

Because I'll have the legal paperwork and at 31 (with IT and office background) I'll be a little more mature than the 20 somethings, I'm hoping I might be of more interest to the tour agencies. I'd be looking at a career rather than a short fix.

I've been on the Whistler website and seen the sort of jobs they advertise and I've also found a web site called www.natives.co.UK, but I'm keen to hear advice or gain contacts from people who have gone down, or are going that route.

I can adjust my arrival if I can find a route to my chosen lifestyle. I also enjoy mountain biking and I'd also like to train to be a guide if I can get my foot in the door and get summer employment as well.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Thank you

I can't offer any advice, but I just wanted to say "good for you" in using your move to Canada to leave the "hum-drum" and do something exciting.

Good luck.

Indeed, I don't want to spend my life chained to the desk punching a keyboard!

I have a house in BC near a ski area and spent 3 months there last winter.

Whilst I was there I did the CASI level 1 instructor's course which is 3 days in duration. This allows me to teach up to a standard beyond that required by most recreational snowboarders.

With this in mind, why would you want to do a 3 month course?

Obviously this course must take you to at least level 2, but I doubt level 3 because YOU would have to be level 4 standard which I doubt would be possible in 3 months.

I haven't used my qualification "commercially" but have taught two nephews and a couple of friends so can't say much about what it's like working in the business but if you want to find out more then chat to instructors when you are out there, I have always found them very helpful.

There is quite a lot of info on the CASI website (http://www.casi-acms.com) including jobs, course dates and what is required for each of the levels.

You may be aware that being an instructor doesn't pay well and often the work is erratic. The upside of course is it's great fun; hardly work at all

You may want to consider other resports such as Kicking Horse, Fernie, Kimberley, Lake Louise, Sunshine etc.

Cheers,

Ian.

Ian

I'm still new to boarding, spent 18 months learning at Milton Keynes and a couple of weeks in the Alps last season. The 3 month course would suit my current lack of experience.

If I could spend a season working and boarding then I could improve my standard and reduce the length of course I require in order to pass the exam. If not then I'd have a 2 week holiday to enjoy and enroll on the course the following season.

I'm not simply looking at being a guide / instructor but to have many strings to my bow. As I stated in my original post, I'm looking for a career rather than a quick fix. Either way I want to feel the rush!

I heard good things about Kicking Horse by the way, deep powder among other things.

Cheers

Wayne,

Best of luck with your new career direction !
My 2c....remember there is a relatively long off season, so worth finding something which will fit well to make a full 12 month employable season, have you considered tourist/hospitality/event management ? It fits nicely with the leisure sector you already want to work in, and it doesn't have to be 'mainstreanm/commercial' as there is a wide range of alt-things in hedonistic BC to try out (kayaking, hiking tours etc to name just two).

Another thing which is growing is for the resorts to use their ski lifts for the mountain bike sector. Silver Star and Sun Peaks in BC both have great trails which are used mainly for the hardcore downhill extreme riding scene but also do have entry level trails for kids and families and all skill levels. Also, the downhilling does have pro- and semi-pro riding plus events, races, tours, sponsorship happenings etc, so there is plenty going on there needing skills and experise to make it succeed (event management, for starters). If you see the numbers which are involved in the summer pass boom it's substantial and it's easy to see why the ski reorts are getting into it big style. There is a mountain biking cenrre near Nelson in the Kootenays which launched a while ago and is hoping to do well this year. Whistler and Siler Star I know for sure absolutely rock in summer. Also, there's a close fit between the moves in mountain biking (drop-offs, air etc) and boarding and a lot of dudes do both to keep their crazy hedonistic 12 month BC lifestyle happening.

As mentioned before the best option is to talk with a few dudes once here, you'll perhaps find there is a bit of snowboarding clique/snobbery attitude (more of a Whistler thing) mixed with a more open laid-back friendly vibe, so it's important to find what is right for you and the best way to get help/advice and make a few friends in the process.

Good luck,

Rich. [mountain biking bum]

I'm no expert on the ski business but if I were you I would book a CASI level 1 course and spend a couple of solid weeks immediately before hand working up to it. Hire a CASI instructor for a day to teach you the CASI system and then work on your technique. If you are a moderate snowboarder now then you will be fine with the course.

I had around 11 weeks 'boarding experience (plus X-Scape sessions!) before doing the instructor's course and was easily up to standard but it was still difficult! This was primarily due to lack of formal training i.e. like most people I had the minimum number of lessons I could get away with then self-taught from there. This is why I would say get some lessons/pointers before.

Anyway, to get back to "the business" I would suggest you do a season, do the level 1 (and maybe 2 if you can), get to know other instructors and your chosen ski hill. Make contacts, shadow other instructors to get experience, improve your 'boarding and launch your carreer the following year.

Depending on you financial situation you could consider buying a house and settling down there.

Bear in mind of course the ski season is 5 months and the spring/autumn pretty much dead. Summer there are other things to do such as MTBing, hiking, whitewater rafting etc. so you could get involved with these, but again there isn't a lot of money dished out. I know that a lot of instructors, lifties etc. do forest fire fighting in the summer. I've heard this pays quite well is good fun.

If you are after a full-blown career in the ski instructing arena then that may prove difficult as you will be competing with people that have spent their whole adult lives with the same goal. Senior ski school staff will be a highly experienced ski and/or snowboard instructors probably with formal leisure management qualifications.

I don't mean to put a damper on your plans because they sound great (not dissimilar to my thinking a year or so ago), just be realistic.

As chance would have it I was in IT for 20 years doing Windows/C++ stuff mostly but had that up to my eyeballs and my financial situation is strong enough that I can leave all that behind me and set up a new life in the Canadian Rockies

If you want more details about my plans, situation and experiences I am happy to share them via PM.

Cheers,

Ian.

Which course were you looking at doing? I know Pro-Ride have a good record in getting people through their Casi tests. And you can just do a week or two with them here and there rather than 3 months (which will be pricey!). I'd recommend doing the Level 1, and then they will advise you what you need to do to pass Level 2 and then you can go from there.

Whistler is great. Have you been here before? Mountain biking is huge in the summer now too with a large park at the base of Whistler. They have mountain bike instruction too but I expect competition is quite high for that as they don't have that many.

Good luck with it all. Let me know if you have any questions. I'm on season 3 here.