Introduction To Part Time Or Seasonal Snowboard And Ski Instructor Jobs

Are you a naturally active or sporty person who loves the idea of finding a part time job that won’t see you tied to a desk and a laptop for much of the time? If so, we have given you lots of ideas in the past for different types of part time outdoor jobs you could do and also part time job ideas where you can make use of your sporting skills and knowledge. In this article, we have come up with another suggestion that could well suit you down to the ground. Part time snowboard and ski instructor jobs in the UK!

If you have ever been on ski holidays and you now have the ski or snowboard bug, why not consider part time roles as a ski instructor working in the UK? It’s easy to automatically assume that to become a ski instructor or snowboard instructor and work as one, you need to head to the slopes of Europe, North America or elsewhere to both train and work.

If you have commitments in the UK and spending a ski season working abroad is not an option, then you might well have ruled out the idea of becoming a ski instructor. However, ski and snowboard enthusiasts will be pleased to know that seasonal and part time instructor roles can also be done around the UK. These can be both outdoor opportunities and indoors, too.

Let’s take a closer look at the opportunities out there for those of you who are interested in working in the UK doing part time ski instructor jobs and snowboard instructor roles.

How Do I Become A Part Time Snowboard Or Ski Instructor In The UK?

Do you need to be an expert with a set of skis or a snowboard attached to your feet in order to become an instructor? Well, it’s not going to harm any job application if you have brushed up on your skiing skills whilst on holiday or in one of the snow centres around the UK. Enthusiasm for your sport is always beneficial, isn’t it, when applying for part time jobs around that sport.

The good news is, however, if you haven’t had much time with a pair of skis or a snowboard, you could still become a really successful instructor. There are courses offered in the UK where you can book yourself a bit of pre-course training and make sure you have good grasp of the basics of skiing.

Now, let’s assume you are ready to go and chomping at the bit to begin your journey to becoming a ski instructor in the UK.

Across the UK, there is a number of dry ski slopes and an increasing number of indoor snow centres where you can gain the relevant qualifications to teach skiing or snowboarding. A BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors), IASI (Irish Association of Snowsports Instructors) or SSE (Snowsport England) Level 1 qualification is what you will need to achieve to help visitors to these centres learn in a safe environment.

A Level 1 snowsports instructor qualification is an entry level qualification and can take 5 days to complete. Whilst the course might seem costly, it will qualify you to begin your career as a snowsports instructor.

The cost often includes your lift pass for the duration of the course, registration with the association you have chosen to do your course with and 35 hours of shadowing another instructor. You will be qualified to teach beginners and intermediate skiers or snowboarders at indoor centres and on dry ski slopes around the UK once you have received your licence..

Because you will be working with children or perhaps vulnerable people, part time snowsports instructor jobs in the UK will also need you to have a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. You will also need to do some first aid training as part of your training. Depending on where you do your training and the type of package you purchase for your snowboard and ski instructor training, the fees for these may not be included in your course.

What Are The Duties Of A Snowboard Or Ski Instructor?

Okay, so you love to be out on the slopes, skiing and snowboarding along the various runs so the job of a part time or seasonal snowsports instructır sounds perfect, right? Well, let’s take a look at your duties of a snowboard or ski instructor in the UK and then you can decide if it is the right job for you. If you love skiing and snowboarding, there are lots of pros and cons to the role of snowsports instructors in the UK.

Being a seasonal or part time ski instructor, wherever you work, is not all about enjoying your time whizzing down the slopes. Wherever you work in the UK, whether it’s dry ski slopes, indoor snow centres or the slopes of the Scottish ranges, you are responsible for the people in your particular group at any given time. That includes their safety and their confidence.

Snowboard and ski instructors in the UK will often be working with:

• Children – In UK ski centres, whether indoors or outdoors, you could be working with school groups, community youth club groups and other children’s groups. Sometimes, these could be children from backgrounds that have resulted in them being in residential facilities.
• Families – Family groups could book sessions with you so you could have a mixture of adults and children of varying ages.
• Adult Groups – Adult groups could be work groups who are doing team building or socialising. You could be doing some taster training for adults going on stag parties or hen parties on the ski slopes abroad.
• Individuals – You could be working with individuals who want to learn some basics on the ski slopes. This could be a pre ski holiday session, for example so that they can get the most out of their holiday.

Whatever type of people you are working with in part time and seasonal snowsports instructor jobs in the UK, you will need to be able to teach then the basics of skiing or snowboarding so that they are safe and competent on certain slopes. You need to be able to instill confidence in all who you teach.

As well as teaching people in your groups to a certain level of competency, depending on the centre you are working in, you might have additional responsibilities such as directing visitors and guests to their relevant groups.You will also be responsible for keeping your skills up to date and attending relevant training and courses as and when the opportunity or requirement arises.

Who Becomes A Ski Instructor?

• Part time and seasonal snowsports instructor jobs require you to be a real people person. You need to enjoy working with both groups and individuals of all ages and abilities and be able to make them feel confident and relaxed.
• Snowsports instructors need to be patient. There could be times when one of your pupils is really struggling to grasp a skill that you might think is very simple. You need to be able to be patient with your pupil and encourage them until they grasp the new skill.
• Excellent communication skills are also a necessary attribute for ski instructors. You need to be able to communicate your instructions to pupils and also converse with them on a relaxed level.
• Lots of energy is needed to be a good snowsports instructor. There might be times when you are itching to hit the slopes yourself, enjoying a ski or snowboard fix but you are stuck on the nursery slopes with your beginners. You still need to be full of energy and enthusiasm at these times.
• Snowsports instructors also need to be flexible. Whether you are working indoors in a snow centre or on the Scottish slopes, there will be busier periods than others where you might need to work extra hours.
• People who are genuinely passionate about skiing and snowboarding become instructors. You need to be passionate so that you can pass this on to your pupils and also be motivated to keep yourself up to date with latest developments in the snowsports world. This could be more training, more safety training or learning about other types of snowsports, for example. A genuine passion for your chosen snowsport also means you will have the motivation to work through long sessions where you might be starting to feel tired.

How Can I Develop My Career As A Snowboard or Ski Instructor?

Whilst you only need to be qualifies to BASI (or similar) Level 1 to do part time and seasonal jobs in an indoor snowsports centre or a dry ski slope, if you want to hit the ski slopes of the mountains and work a ski season, you will need to be qualified to at least Level 2. If you are looking to do seasonal work in Scotland, you will also be able to do your Level 2 qualification there.

If you want to develop your snowboard or ski instructor further, then you could go on to do ski seasons abroad and do higher level qualifications. There are also courses you could do in Scotland to broaden your skills and knowledge of the mountains. These could be courses and qualifications such as ski touring, mountain leader or mountain instructor courses. BASP (British Association of Ski Patrollers) qualifications and course mean you could expand your skills and work as a responder, dealing with mountain safety incidents. Qualifications like this mean you could do part time seasonal work in the future on a freelance basis, as well as working for ski centres.

The more qualifications you have, the better your chances of securing seasonal and part time work in the UK in the future. If you are interested in going to ski resorts abroad to advance your ski and snowboard instructor qualifications, you can find information about what courses are on offer with various snowsport companies so that you can match one to your personal needs.

Apply For Seasonal & Part Time Snowsports Instructor Jobs

So, do you think working as a snowboard or ski instructor in one of the UK’s indoor centres, dry ski slopes or the ski slopes of Scotland could suit you? If so, take a look at our current part time vacancies to see if there is something to suit you. You might also consider other roles such as activity instructors in day camps or residential camps. Some Scottish ski slopes remain open year round as activity centres so there could be opportunities there as well as elsewhere in camps and centres around the UK.