Hello, I’m Jules, 24 years old, and this past winter I had the time of my life working as a ski instructor in Austria. I completed my 5-week Anwärter training in Kaprun with Snowminds and then worked in the Dachstein-West ski area at the Freeride Alpin ski school in Annaberg im Lammertal. Two things have always been clear to me: I want to stand in front of a classroom, and skiing is in my blood. I had never really thought about combining the two, or that it was even possible. I was in the final year of my studies and looking for something to do during my gap year. Then I came across Snowminds. After doing a bit of research, I was immediately sold.
The start of the training
After months of waiting and preparation, it was finally time: I got to start the training to become a ski instructor in Austria. We took a bus from the Netherlands and headed to Kaprun with the Snowminders. During my Anwärter training, we stayed in a hotel reserved just for Snowminds participants, which was amazing. There were young people from all sorts of countries and age groups. I noticed that I was a bit older compared to some of the other Dutch participants, but that didn’t stop me from meeting new people. I ended up spending a lot of time with a group of Danes, and I think I learned almost as much Danish as I did German!
Every day we hit the slopes to improve both our ski technique and our teaching skills – learning how to instruct a class clearly and confidently. One of the great things about staying in the same hotel was how easy it was to gather in the evenings to review what we’d learned or prepare for the next day. Everyone helped each other, and we could always go to one of the trainers if we needed extra help or had questions. Of course, the training involved a lot of learning and practice, but we also had plenty of time to enjoy the après-ski culture.
Time to get to work
After passing my Anwärter with Snowminds, the real adventure began. Before heading to Austria, I had already been assigned a ski area and a spot at a ski school. Of course, everyone dreams of the biggest slopes, the wildest après-ski, and the best snow guarantee. I wouldn’t have minded those either, but having grown up skiing with my family in small resorts, I know that you don’t need all that to have an amazing time.
Once I found out I’d be working for Freeride Alpin in Dachstein-West, I looked into the area. I quickly realized it wasn’t the largest or highest resort in Austria. That was reflected in the number of slopes, après-ski options, and the size of the ski school. At first, I had some doubts about how this might affect my season – but luckily, I was able to let those go right away.
My first day started the moment I arrived. I quickly put on my bright red uniform and joined the other instructors on the slopes to explore the area. The next day was my first real teaching day. I was paired with an experienced instructor in the kids’ area. I’ll be honest, it was a bit nerve-wracking. But thanks to my training and the support of my colleagues, I quickly got the hang of it, and everything started running smoothly in no time.
Because the ski area wasn’t too big, I quickly got to know all the runs and how difficult or easy they were. This turned out to be really useful, as I taught different skill levels each time.
Life as a ski instructor in Austria
During my time at Freeride Alpin, I lived in a shared house with eight other instructors. We had breakfast together every morning before heading to the ski school around 8:00 a.m. There, we’d have a team meeting to go over the day’s schedule and any slope updates. Then we’d set up the kids’ area. This was something we did every morning and packed away each evening. That way, the snow groomers could do their work. Sometimes, if the schedule allowed, we had a chance to ski on our own afterward. The days varied, one day I’d have a kids’ group and the next day a private lesson. Sometimes I also taught a class of school students. I can’t speak for the other instructors, but my season was incredibly varied. As a result, I never felt like I was doing the same thing every week.
Around midday, we’d have lunch with the kids in the Kids Club. Then we’d head back out to the slopes. On our blue run, we had a timed slalom course. We also had a Kids Run with jumps and bumps – which the kids absolutely loved. At the end of the day, parents picked up their kids. After that, we cleaned everything up.
Then it was après-ski time! Almost every night, we’d head to our go-to bar with all the instructors and we’d enjoy a drink and listen to music. We met new people every time – locals, fellow instructors, and tourists. Around 7:00 p.m., we’d head back to the house for dinner. Then we tried to get to bed at a decent hour to do it all again the next day.
Looking back
Looking back on the season, I’m incredibly happy with the ski school I was placed at. I had the time of my life, learned so much about skiing, about myself, and made amazing new friends.
What I took away most is this: the location might be beautiful, but it’s the people you’re with who make the experience truly special. I hope to go back again next year – and this time, get my Landes 1 as a ski instructor in Austria.
