Those of you who have been to some of the best ski resorts in the world may have contemplated the option of not going back to your typical day to day life. Who can blame you? Life on the slopes is truly grand. When you are wearing your snow gear and surrounded by pristine slopes of snow and breathe the clean mountain air, you will struggle to find reasons to go back to the hustle and bustle of city life. If you have at one point in your life looked at a snowboard or ski instructor and thought that perhaps you could do that for a living too, then read on to know what life is really like for ski and snowboard instructors

Do snowboard instructors make good money? 

Anyone who wants to become a snowboard instructor must have thought about the payoff. Realistically, a snowboard instructor receives fair enough wages according to their skill level and where they work. If you are a beginner working at a European ski resort, the pay is around 20 EUR per hour, but this can vary depending on the resort. In the US or Canada, an excellent starting pay for snowboard instructors is about USD 15. Expect to receive higher wages if you work in the Swiss Alps where new instructors receive around 37 EUR per hour.

But instructors can also earn money in other ways. For example, if a student asks for one-on-one instruction, you’ll get paid more. In countries like the US and Canada where tipping is a custom, instructors receive handsome tips and gifts from clients who are impressed by their work.

What about the work hours? 

Every new instructor in a ski resort should expect to get picked last for lessons. What will help get you more work is your years of experience and your progression in the instructor levels. In general, rookie instructors get assigned at least 20 hours of work every week. When it is peak season such as winter holidays, expect to work at least 40 hours or more.

Which country is the best to work in as a snowboard instructor? 

There is no right or wrong place if you want to work as a snowboard instructor. But, the general rule is that each country has a regulatory board, and if you’re going to work there, you need to qualify. For example, if you are eyeing a career on the famous slopes of Canada, you need to take qualifying exams administered by the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance.

What kind of lessons do beginners teach? 

When you do sign-up for snowboard instructor courses, it is best to diversify your skills. However, when you begin working as a beginner, it is likely that you will spend the first few years of your career teaching first-timers and children. Although some instructors dread having to deal with kids, there is always something rewarding about empowering young minds to learn an exciting new sport. Don’t get discouraged by this prospect because the happier your students, the more you will earn in tips!

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