Employment as a snowboard instructor at a local ski school

A season as a snowboard instructor remains a lifelong dream for most people, but now you have the chance to make that dream come true. At Snowminds we have many years of experience working as snowboard instructors and through our carefully organized courses and large network among the world’s ski schools, we guarantee you a job.

Employment is conditional on you passing your snowboard instructor course in Austria, which about 90% of our students do. If you do not pass, but have done your absolute best to take the education seriously, we will do everything we can to help you get a job anyway, so you can have a great season experience and take a re-examination as soon as possible. We are proud to say that we have never been in a situation where we have not been able to help you find a job after graduation!

Salaries and expenses during the season

We have top professional partners all over the world and together with them we ensure that you have your lift pass, accommodation and uniform when you arrive at your destination. Please note that there is an extra charge for e.g. seasonal accommodation at several destinations, which varies from destination to destination depending on the ski school’s salary structure.

You will be employed directly by the ski school, which will pay you a salary depending on your performance. Some ski schools pay you a fixed salary, others pay you by the hour. You won’t get rich being a snowboard instructor, but as a rule of thumb you’ll earn around €12 per hour, and around €600-800 per month if you work a full month. A working week is typically up to 6 days a week from Sunday to Friday, but can vary according to high and low season periods.

During the conversation with us, we will assess your motivation, qualifications and wishes for your experience, among other things to assess which ski school and destination can give you the perfect experience. You will know early on in the process and long before departure which ski school you will be working for. Once you have passed your training, you will be transported directly to your ski school and the adventure can begin.

During the season

All our ski school partners are carefully selected and we have a close relationship with all of them. This also means that should any problems arise during the season, you will be able to turn to us at any time. We are here to give you the experience of a lifetime and will do everything we can to help you, should the need arise.

Season kick-off event in Denmark

In September, the Snowminds Kick-off event typically takes place. It’s a great day where we do a lot of team building, talk about the snowboard instructor program and the season, and generally get the opportunity to get answers to all your questions. We also talk about snowboard equipment and you get the opportunity to buy great equipment at super prices. One of the highlights is meeting the other Snowminders that you are going on the season with, as there will always be at least one other Snowminds instructor at your destination, so you have others to share the experience with.

Team events during the season

Team events throughout the season Therefore, we organize a big Snowminds Team Event during the season. Here we gather the entire Snowminds team in a secret place in Austria to have an experience out of the ordinary and see everyone again. For example, we have been to Kitzbühel in January to watch the World Cup skiing at the legendary Hahnenkamm Rennen and experience the iconic town.

Snowminds Reunion Party in Denmark after the season

Vores Snowminds Reunion Party ligger typisk i maj/juni måned, hvor de sidste er kommet hjem, og inden mange tager med os videre ud i verden til bl.a. New Zealand.

Snowminds Reunion Party’et er frivilligt og koster et mindre beløb, men er en super mulighed for at gense gamle venner og snakke røverhistorier fra en skøn sæson.

Snowminds Social

Since 2012, we at Snowminds have trained hundreds of skilled Danish instructors. All are part of the network “Snowminds Social”, which we have founded to offer all our instructors more unique experiences, networks and benefits with Snowminds, as well as networking across years. In this way, you can get sparring and help with everything from questions about the season, study choices, career, equipment choices and much more from more experienced instructors. Snowminds Social is your access to Denmark’s largest network of young ski and snowboard enthusiasts.

Security, community and experiences for life

From your first meeting with us to the interview in Denmark, you will be followed, supported and guided by our experienced team, all of whom have been former instructors with us. This way, you will always be able to get help and sparring, whether you need advice on packing before departure, a good advice on how to develop your snowboarding during our course, sparring on German words in the program or a comforting shoulder during the season. In short; whatever you need, we are there for you ALL THE WAY!

Before departure, you will be invited to our Facebook group, where you can put a face to all the other instructors you will be spending the winter with. We prepare Danish preparation for the program, so you can come well prepared and at the same time you have the opportunity to book a German course, so your German can sit right in the closet.

During the training, we are there to help with everything from learning material, the language, the exercises and not least to answer all the questions you may have about snowboard technique, as well as your exams. This also means that you are not always dependent on getting things answered by your instructor or in the group. You can always catch a member of the Snowminds team.

At the same time, we make an extreme effort to put together teams that can work and that consist of wonderful, happy and motivated snowboard enthusiasts. Thus, you will undeniably form close bonds with your roommates, snowboarders in your group on the slopes and of course your colleagues at destinations. All of which is something that our former snowboard instructors often cite as unique to the experience. This community is not only important from a social point of view, but worth its weight in gold during the training and exams, where the support of your friends can be just that extra something that carries you through and gives you a snowboard instructor certificate in hand.

With us, you are not a number, but a human being, a snowboard instructor, and our only goal and hope is to give you a unique experience as a snowboard instructor that you can look back on with joy and longing for the rest of your life. These are big words, but they come from the heart; and that’s what Snowminds is all about.

2 weeks in a hotel with 1/2 board

“We take care of our own” and during an intensive snowboard instructor course in Austria you have to eat and live well! In all our hotels there will be WiFi and you will be accommodated in 2-6 person rooms or apartments where you will stay with the other Snowminders. Our hotels are located with easy access to the ski bus or the slopes.

We take pride in ensuring quality throughout the experience, which is also why we work with hotels that provide good, filling and nutritious breakfasts and dinners. Breakfast typically consists of a nutritious buffet and dinner of either 3 courses or a buffet with soup, salad, main course and dessert.

A Second Chance

If you happen to fail your exam or some parts of it, there’s no need to worry. We have you covered with a second opportunity if you have completed your Anwärter exams in Salzburgerland (Altenmarkt & Kaprun) in November or December. You’ll have the chance to join a 3-day Wiederholungscamp from December 18th – 20th, 2023. The third day will be the “Prüfungs”-day (test day).

The camp costs 275 euros and includes training only. You will be responsible for arranging transportation, lift tickets, hotel accommodations, and other expenses. However, this unique opportunity allows you to retake your exams shortly after a previous failure, ensuring you have the chance to start working as soon as possible.

2 week snowboard instructor course

During the first two days of your stay in Austria, our preparation course will provide you with top-quality training on snowboard and thus give you the most necessary preparation for the 9-day intensive snowboard instructor training.

In the evenings we will organize fun events, activities and presentations, all of which will make your experience unique.

The culmination of the 2 weeks is the exam in the program, after which we hold a big closing party. After this, your season will start as an Austrian trained snowboard instructor at a ski school in Austria.

With Snowmind’s 2 week course in January, the exam ends just before the Austrian high season, so your snowboarding adventure starts at full speed when you arrive at your destination.

2 week lift pass during the snowboard instructor course

Upon arrival, you will be given a lift pass so that you can give it full throttle on the slopes for the next 3 weeks. This lift pass can of course also be used on your days off, i.e. when there are no lessons, if you want to go up and give it gas on the snowboard on your own.

The internationally recognized Austrian level 1 snowboard instructor training

To ensure that all our instructors receive the highest quality training, we work with the Salzburger Berufskilehrer & Snowboardlehrer Verband, one of the world’s most recognized ski and snowboard instructor associations.

For the last 9 days of your course, their trainers will take you through the Anwärter training, which is level 1 of their training system. Here you will be trained to teach beginners and intermediates how to snowboard, and upon graduation you will be ready to start working for your employer.

The program is one of the most recognized in the world and will not only look great on your CV, but can also be used at many of Snowmind’s other destinations around the world afterwards.
The snowboard instructor exam consists of three elements. A written, theoretical test, where the topics are e.g. first aid, snowboard technique and teaching. In addition, you have to demonstrate your skills on the snowboard in 6 different turns on a flat slope. The third exam is an oral teaching test in German, where you show your “censor” what you have learned during the course. You will be fully prepared for all of this during the preparation days and training!