What’s your background?

I grew up ski racing. Then I instructed in the mid-west, but never took it too seriously. After graduating from Miami University in 2006, I started instructing both alpine and adaptive skiing full time in Vail. I earned full certification for these specialties with PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America). Then I spent a summer working at Cerro Castor in Ushuaia, Argentina. Searching some work abroad job board won’t turn up a job this cool. (laughs)

How did you get the job?

After the season I worked in Argentina, I traveled through Chile and stopped by the Valle Nevado ski school to ask about work in the future. I got the email of the ski school director and submitted my resume.

What’s a typical day like at Valle Nevado?

I wake up and eat breakfast in the employee cafeteria. Depending on the day, I show up for work at 9 or 10 and check to see if I have any lessons. If there are no lessons booked, I check in at lesson call every hour until I get work. Usually if I don’t get work by 2 pm, I go free skiing. During the slow times I work about 2 hours a day, but during the busy times I work between 4 and 6 hours a day.

La Parva, Chile

What’s your favorite part of the job?

The ability to work and free ski in the same day. In Colorado, you either work all day or play all day, but at Valle Nevado I get to ski at least an hour or two for myself each day. In Chile there is a good balance between work and pleasure.

What’s your least favorite part of the job?

When it’s not busy, I have to show up to lesson call every hour and there usually isn’t any work. It’s hard not knowing when I’ll get work. I blame it on the fact that the ski school is very disorganized.

How’s your Spanish?

I’m told my Spanish is pretty good. I learned in during a year abroad in Argentina suring my junior year of college. It’s a great skill for any ski instructor to have.

What was the visa process like?

Good question. It’s pretty simple. I tried to get a work visa before coming to Chile, but I needed an FBI background check – a 13-week process. Valle Nevado offered me the job at the end of March and I needed to start work mid-June. When I left for Chile, the background check hadn’t come back and I arrived without a work visa. Luckily, it was easy to change my visa status after I arrived. I downloaded a few forms them snail-mailed in my work contract, copies of my passport, and visa photos. I still need to visit the ministerio de extranjeria to complete the process.

Is it strange always living in winter?

I love the winter, but it gets old. The last time I did a double winter in Ushuaia, it was basically dark all the time because it was so far south. Here in Chile it’s nice 95% of the time, which makes it easier. I get to travel to the beaches of Brazil and Chile in the off-season. It’s super important to go someplace warm between ski seasons. It keeps me sane.

Are there lots of jobs available? How can I find one?

There aren’t as many jobs in Chilean ski schools compared to Argentina. Chile wants fully certified instructors with lots of experience. In Argentina it’s easier to find work as a ski instructor. I’d guess it’s because there are more resorts and bigger ski schools.

Do you have any advice for people who want to work abroad?

Get your FBI background check done ASAP! Whenever you work abroad, be flexible and willing to adapt. Things aren’t always what they appear when you work abroad, but it’s always an adventure.

‘So, I’ve got my visa, now I need to organise a job…Where am I going to stay? I’d better book somewhere…’

These tend to be the thoughts that go through a first time traveler’s mind – certainly did with me anyway! I left school at 18 and got ready to spend 12 months away, travelling and working. With a work visa for New Zealand and a return flight to Australia, I wanted to try and be organized and slightly planned, because it not only puts your mind at rest, but also reassures the family and friends you are leaving behind. However, once you set off you realize one of the wonders of traveling is that you really do not need to plan!

Organic Farming Jobs in Australia

I began my travels in New Zealand and before I left I organized work in a vineyard for a few weeks, after seeing an advert on a website. One of the joys of working around a country such as New Zealand is that it caters perfectly for casual, seasonal workers, due to the number of farms and exported produce. No work came from the vineyard, so I found a job in a bar and worked there for a week.

You shouldn’t just wait for notices in windows of shops/cafés advertising vacancies – walk in, smile, be confident and you will be more likely to come out with a job than if you hang back. What you must remember is that employers have a high turn-over of staff, especially in popular places, and so tend to employ more people than usual.

Working Hostels

One top tip to those wanting to work and travel down under is to find a ‘working hostel.’ They are scattered around both Australia and New Zealand, and they help you to realize you do not need to organize jobs before you reach your destination. Have a peek in a Lonely Planet guide or travelers’ websites, so you can contact the hostels before arrival if you need peace of mind. The owners have contacts in the local area, so always have jobs available. Check which season you are visiting though because the vacancies often get filled quickly during low-season. Here’s a piece about youth hostels in Australia that you might find helpful.

The best thing about the hostels is the socializing. In any hostel, you will meet lots of people but at working hostels almost everyone is in the same boat as you, so when you come home after a hard day picking peas, or pruning apple trees, you can chill out with others. You also get the benefits of eating the produce, from pineapples to asparagus! Many people say that they would hate work like fruit-picking, but I feel that you should always have a go – it’s fun, sociable, and you keep fit whilst topping up your tan! If you do not like the job that you have been given, or you feel you are being mistreated or underpaid, don’t be afraid to voice your thoughts! Many people keep quiet and inevitably do not have such a good time. The owners are on your side, and they are always willing to help or find you another job.

In this type of work the wages vary enormously, and tend to be contract rather than hourly.

Contract work is the best if you are a hard worker, because you are paid by how much you pick or how many rows you prune, for example. Employers often have people that do not speak great English, so that they can take advantage of them easily. I found I became the spokesperson for my group, because what they can sometimes do is change the pay halfway through the jobs. As soon as they realize you have your wits about you, they tend not to mess you about again.

If you are only staying in a place for a couple of weeks, then this sort of work is ideal as employers follow the seasons and harvesting can sometimes only last two weeks. You could find yourself working with the locals, who vary from farmers who’ve been there for years, to young teenagers filling their summer holidays. This makes it really nice, because you feel more like a local, rather than a tourist.

When I was working in the awesome town of Queenstown, in New Zealand, I spent 6 months living in a hostel that was just like home, with a log-fire and young owners. I worked in a restaurant and a café, and got to know many of the locals so bagged a free hang-glide trip and cheap snowboarding equipment. When working in a town like Queenstown, you get a locals rate when booking onto adventure activities. The trick when working out how much you will get paid is not to convert it into English pounds! I was being paid NZ$12-13 (£4.50), which was a good rate for that time. You have to remember that it is all relative. The cost of living is so much cheaper, so you spend less.

New Zealand Ski Season Jobs

Many people love the idea of working a ski season in another country, and I was no exception. I bought my season pass for the mountains around Queenstown for £100, all my snowboarding kit for another £100 and I was set for 3 months of fun! If you are prepared to work hard and play hard then this is the life for you. Hitch-hiking up the mountain after a day at work is brilliant. New Zealanders are great people to work for and will always give you lifts up the mountain. The main tip, in contradiction to the rest of this article, is to plan and know by March whether you are going to be spending the winter season in the area. This will ensure you get the season pass cheaply, because from March onwards they steadily increase in price. The town is backpacker central, so after June it is virtually impossible to find a job because everybody else has got there first! The trick is to visit earlier in the year, spend the summer there or simply just get contacts, then travel the country and go back once the winter season begins.

Whitsunday Islands

Anyone who has visited Australia will know about the amazing Whitsunday Islands-Australia’s version of Paradise. Almost all backpackers spend 3 days on a boat, traveling around, snorkelling, diving and visiting the stunning beaches. Every boat has a skipper, a deckhand, and a host (i.e., cook), and often a volunteer that helps in all areas too. For those who love being on the water or simply want a challenge, I suggest volunteering on one of the many boats that do regular trips. I paid to go on one trip, loved it, and then visited companies in Airlie Beach (the gateway to the Whitsundays) until I found a boat to join. It is perfectly legal to work on the boats because you are getting food and accommodation in return, rather than money. The work is hard but you play hard too, so it’s well worth it. There are not many opportunities in life to wake up every morning to clear blue sea and turtles swimming around you!

If you have time to hang around, confidence and a basic knowledge of sailing, you’re probably ideally suited for a crewing job on a boat up the coast, or from one pacific island to another. The best place to look for a job such as this is on notice boards in yacht clubs.

Willing Workers on Organic Farms

Many travellers decide to WWOOF around the world (funny name I know, but it stands for Willing Workers on Organic Farms). If you are interested, you can become a member for a small cost, and you receive a booklet listing all the hosts in a specific country. Members do not need a work visa for the country, and can spend as little as a weekend with a household, or even a few months working from 2 to 6 hours a day, in return for food and accommodation. It is worth being wary of some places though, because they can take advantage of volunteers by making them work longer than 6 hours, so make sure you put your foot down! The best way is to commit to a short period of time, and then only extend your stay if you are truly happy.

Jobs Abroad in New Zealand

In Byron Bay in Australia, I WWOOFed for a really cool couple, working in their café for 4 hours a day. What is nice about this type of work is that you get your dose of home-life, as when you’ve been away for a while you tend to miss the cosiness of home.

When you travel you meet so many people along the way that it is easier if you can be flexible with your plans. If you are traveling solo, working abroad is a great way to meet potential traveling partners for a part of your trip.

Overall, I believe that it is so beneficial working in a country, rather than simply traveling around, taking pictures, and leaving. You feel more at home, make more friends (who you can visit another time!), whilst getting experience in varying fields of work.

The most important thing is to be confident and not be scared of not knowing exactly where you will be working, or what you will be doing, two weeks down the line.

My advice is to be spontaneous, and enjoy all that a new and exciting country can offer you! Talk to me through my Facebook page or join the Working Abroad Magazine group on Facebook where there is a discussion board, and people who have worked in Oz and New Zealand can tell you more about what it’s really like!

Have Fun!

Winter Season Jobs - Ski the French Alps

Why did you decide to work in a ski resort?

I met some boys the previous year that had worked in a ski resort, and it looked like fun!

What job did you do?

Chalet Host

How exactly did you find the job?

I did a Google search of ski resort jobs and found it there. It took about a month from the time I applied to being offered the job?

What was your day to day routine?

Wake up at 7, in chalet by half 7, lay out breakfast, make afternoon cake, do any food prep for evening meal, clear away breakfast, set out afternoon tea, clean up kitchen, hoover everywhere, make beds, clean bathrooms…Out of chalet by 11ish…up on the mountain with everyone by 12, ski till 4.30, back in chalet by 5, children’s high tea made and served at 5.30. Then prepare adults’ evening meal – canapés, starters, mains and dessert, clean up kitchen, out of chalet by 9. Then out for the evening!

What was the salary like?

I earned about 100 quid a week. Not much considering the amount of hard work we did, but we did get our accommodation, food, ski hire and lift pass paid for!

Would you recommend this type of job?

Absolutely, it’s the best job if you want to get a lot of time on the mountain.

Do you need to be qualified?

A cookery course is ideal, but not essential, I didn’t do one.

Did you find accommodation easily and was it expensive?

The company found it for us, I worked for Esprit and we were really lucky, we got a nice house!

What’s the night life like in a ski resort?

Quite different to English night life, but we loved it because everyone knew each other, plus as a worker you get seasonnaire’s discounts, etc.

Are there other things to do like sports/tourist attractions? Loads, my favourite was an outdoor ice skating rink, you get to play ice hockey matches with your mates.

Are there any negatives about Courchevel?

Not that I can think of!

Did you make some new Friends?

YES, made some of the best friends I’ve ever had!

Tell us the 3 best and worst things about the experience.

Best:

1. I met my boyfriend!
2. I’ve never laughed so much!
3. It was the best thing I’ve ever done!

Worst:

1. The early starts – having to get up having had 3 hours sleep is not fun!
2. Having to go back to work after a day off!
3. It didn’t last longer!

Do you feel this experience will help you in your future career?

Yes, it taught me a lot about myself, I have matured and changed a lot. I have gained valuable experience dealing with people.

Any tips for our readers?

Just go for it, don’t hold back, you only have five months and will regret not doing certain things when you come home!

Useful Ski Job Websites

www.markwarner-recruitment.co.uk
www.yseski.co.uk
www.inghams.co.uk
www.skifamille.co.uk
Alpine Cookery Course

Talk to Cara through our work abroad Facebook group Working Abroad Magazine and find out more…

Teach Snowboarding this Winter

As a private family-run business, All Tracks Academy implies a more personal approach than some of the bigger organisations, promising small-scale groups that match students together according to ability. 4 – 11 week Instructor courses and 3 week Ski/Snowboard improvement camps are in a hassle-free complete package, including central Whistler accommodation, food, and extra modules in backcountry and avalanche safety training. Yet the prices are competitive, from £2995 to £7995, as the costs reflect Whistler’s notoriously high cost of living. The real perk is that if you learn in Whistler, you can indeed earn in Whistler, as successful students from the Academy are put in touch with an extensive list of contacts and qualified students with an enthusiastic attitude can use help from ski/snowboard directors to find instructor work in Canada or jobs at ski resorts elsewhere.

There are many smaller privately owned businesses that are being set up from certified powder nuts that have indeed been there, done that. RTM Snowboarding is a pertinent example of one of these organisations that concentrate on teaching snowboarding techniques in the simplest way possible. Based solely in Courchevel and Meribel in France, a group of highly skilled enthusiasts run far cheaper and also conveniently shorter courses from 95 to 210 Euros over 2 hours to 5 days. Learning with this company may not enable you to immediately become a qualified instructor – yet it is a perfect springboard for getting more into the sport and the background of instructing and taste the snow before making a commitment to take the examinations. RTM’s unique ‘LIFE’ program aims to identify ‘Learners’ from the ‘Explorers’ to ensure students feel at ease when learning the ropes.

Some independent companies appear to offer a more tailored program for candidates looking for a serious career in snow sports. Mountain Lodge is another such company that offers a BASI syllabus package for level 1 and 2 certification; you’d be trained by experienced BASI examiners that ensure that all study topics are relevant to the final exams. Furthermore, accommodation is organised through their ‘in house’ sister company, Skivolution, a Courchevel chalet specialist who ensures a high quality of food and comfortable service. Working potential after getting qualified varies. A Level 1 qualification allows you to work within the UK on dry slopes, snow domes or in a controlled environment like a kindergarten in the Alps. The second level opens up the possibilities of working abroad all over the world. Mountain Lodge also has an agreement with Interski in the Aosta Valley, Italy, where many successful candidates have been transferred straight away to work for the first time as instructors. Candidates from Mountain Lodge have been known to be sent to work far and wide, from Switzerland, Andorra, Canada, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Pay very much depends on the country and the ski school who employs you, but we are told that you are sure to greatly increase your level 1 salary if you achieve the BASI certificate level 2.