SnowSkool Blog

What to expect on a SnowSkool instructor course

What is a snowboard or ski instructor course actually like? Well, we offer courses in five incredible (but quite different) locations – so it’s tricky to answer. We’ve put together this guide, so you can compare and contrast courses in the five locations we currently offer, and get a feel of what to expect. You’ll find details on the towns, the resorts, the terrain, the accommodation, the SnowSkool course, the qualifications, and the people.

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Gear you’ll reach for on and off the mountain

Get the best ski and snowboard gear that will pull double duty. These picks look as good on the mountain as they do out on the town. What's more, double-duty kit will save you packing space and save you money - both key when you're heading aborad and investing in a ski or snowboard instructor training course.

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What’s the difference: SnowSkool Banff or SnowSkool Big White?!

It may come as no surprise that Canada is SnowSkool’s most popular destination for our customers looking to become a ski instructor or spend the season training to pass their snowboard instructor qualifications! We offer two distinctive courses in Canada that have been designed to appeal to a different target market. So how do you choose between SnowSkool Banff and SnowSkool Big White? Here are some pointers for you …

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The kit we love in winter 2020/2021

If you’re about to do an instructor course – or a ski season at all – this ace kit list is full of amazing deals and stuff that will look legit, while lasting you long into the future. Find it in the black Friday sales, or ask Father Christmas nicely!

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Coronavirus: How Méribel is preparing

We’ll endeavour to keep you updated, with the latest information from a wide range of sources in the industry. Please check this page often. (Latest update: October)

Below is what we know so far, about Coronavirus measures in Méribel and The Three Valleys: in airports, on transfers, buses, lifts, in shops, accommodation, restaurants, bars etc.

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The reasons why you should do a ski or snowboard instructor course in New Zealand

The quick and short answer is because New Zealand is the best country in the world.

But that’s not nearly enough for a blog post so here are some longer explanations on why training as a ski or snowboard instructor in New Zealand is the opportunity of a lifetime:

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What qualifications do you need to be a ski instructor?

Thinking of doing a ski instructor course? Here's the info on how to get started, the qualifications you'll gain and how to get work.

To become a ski instructor, the first qualification you will need is a Level 1 ski instructor qualification. Once you have the qualification, you are slightly limited with where you can teach, but it is the first step on the route to becoming an internationally-recognised snowsports teacher. The course aims to provide you with the information and skills that will enable you to instruct other skiers to a basic level on dry ski slopes and at indoor ski slopes... 

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Ski Instructor Salaries - How much do Instructors earn?

If the SnowSkool FAQ page were a team-sheet and questions were names, the first name on that team-sheet would be: How much does an instructor earn? So we've spoken to SnowSkool graduates accross the globe to get you the guideline figures. 

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Life as a Ski or Snowboard Instructor

Most of you will have whiled away the two-hour flight home from Geneva, Chambery or Innsbruck asking yourself why on earth you are not living in the mountains, skiing or snowboarding every day... It is just the way it should be for you.

Yeah you’d be happy to wash pots, shovel snow or help people on and off lifts, just to be out there, but we all know that the Kings & Queens of the hill are the instructors.

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How not to be a Punter on the slopes - 5 Tips

A beginner should not expect to be laughed at for asking Jean-Baptiste, the tanned demi-God ski instructor, if there is a right ski and a left ski before setting off downhill. But, should he ask which way the skis should point or indeed clip into skis with the tips at the tail and the tails at the tip, he should absolutely expect to be laughed off the slopes and taken in a taxi to the nearest airport. For a PUNTER he most certainly is… Here’s SnowSkool’s guide on to how not to be one this season…

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