Become a Ski Instructor in Spain and Work a Full Winter

BECOME A SKI INSTRUCTOR AND HAVE A WINTER SEASON IN SPAIN

Do you dream of becoming a ski instructor and spending an entire season in Spain? With Snowminds you can have your dream come true when we take you to the magnificent Sierra Nevada area, with approx. 110 km of slopes, the area in Europe with the sunniest days during a season and a long season from November to May! Here you can immerse yourself in the Spanish language and get internationally certified! Working in the language will ensure fluency in no time!

INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED SKI INSTRUCTOR COURSE

We have designed a ski instructor course in collaboration with the Instituto Superior de Enseñanzas en Deportes de Invierno y Montaña (ISEDI). The goal of the course is simple: to ensure you the best training and preparation so you can pass your instructor exam, and subsequently be ready for your season as a ski instructor in sunny Spain.

The Spanish TD1 education is demanding and recognised worldwide. During your online training you will have the support of Snowminds and the other instructors who are going to Spain.

Before beginning the TD1 training, you’ll first take an entrance exam to ensure you’re ready for the course. The TD1 itself is combined with prácticas (an internship), forming a complete training pathway. During the TD1 course, you’ll be taught by ISEDI in both English and Spanish – so the more Spanish you’ve practiced beforehand, the better prepared you’ll be. Throughout the training, you’ll learn how to teach everyone from beginners to advanced skiers, while also gaining valuable knowledge in team building, ski equipment, the alpine environment, teaching techniques, ski training, and ski safety.

Once you’ve (hopefully!) passed the TD1 course, it’s time to celebrate with a little fiesta, before moving on to the practical part of your training: the internship. This phase typically lasts about a month and takes place at your designated ski school. During the internship, you’ll shadow experienced instructors, gradually start teaching on your own, and continue improving your Spanish ski vocabulary. It’s a fantastic chance to bond with your ski school team and gain hands-on experience.

After successfully completing both the course and the internship, you’ll officially be a TD1-certified ski instructor and ready to begin working at your ski school. With our program, you’ll be fully prepared for an unforgettable season teaching skiing in Spain.

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

Our Spanish ski instructor course is designed so that you can pass the Spanish TD1 exam and get a job as a ski instructor in Spain. We are proud to say that 100% of our instructors have gotten jobs after successfully completing their Snowminds course since we started in 2012!

What is included in the Level 1 ski instructor course in Spain:

An entire winter season in Spain
18 training days (technical prep + TD1 course sessions)
5 days of professional ski training before the TD1 education
Ski school-oriented training during the course
Practical instructor preparation (prácticas)
Exam fees for the TD1 certification
90 hours internship at a local ski school
City tour and sightseeing
Assistance with necessary paperwork
A guaranteed job in Sierra Nevada or Baqueira Beret after passing TD1
Accommodation during the course
Help finding accommodation for the full season
Seasonal lift pass
Access to pro-deals at local shops and the Snowminds Store
Social events throughout the season
Kick-off team-building event in September
Support with packing, insurance, and visa preparation
A strong community of fellow Snowminders
24-hour emergency phone line during the course and season
Invitation to the Snowminds Reunion Party after your season
A dedicated support team before, during, and after winter
Snowminds Team Leader to support you during the course

The following are not included in the trip:

Transport to and from Granada, Spain
Housing expenses after the course, and any costs related to ski school (uniform, deposits, etc.)
Travel and cancellation insurance
Visa and any necessary documents required to complete the TD1 and work in Spain
Pocket money, equipment, and all other items not explicitly mentioned above

* We are happy to help with airline tickets and transfers from the airport. Contact us if you are interested.

** Please note that the Spanish TD1 is issued by the Spanish government and that it is your own responsibility to provide the necessary paperwork e.g. translation of diploma to Volanten, for which we will guide you with.

WHO CAN APPLY TO BECOME A SKI INSTRUCTOR IN SPAIN?

At Snowminds, we take pride in selecting the right candidates for our team of ski instructors. We are known among our ski school partners for training skilled, energetic and highly motivated ski instructors. You do not have to be a ski expert, and regardless of level, our course is tailored so that you get optimal ski training before the ski instructor exam, and thus you can fulfil your dream to become a ski instructor and have a winter season in Spain! The most important thing is that you are positive, cheerful, adventurous and ready to work hard to have an experience of a lifetime with Snowminds.

Basically, we expect you to:

Have been skiing for a minimum of 3-4 weeks
Speak both Spanish and English at conversational level and be motivated to improve your Spanish
Be outgoing, positive and cheerful
Be serious, responsible and highly motivated
Be good with both children, young people and adults
Like to teach and is excited to teach in multiple languages
Be at least 18 years old and have completed high school education in your home country (requirements for TD1 participation)

Once you have submitted your application, we give you a call whereby we might. invite you to an interview. It is an opportunity to hear more about our courses and the experience as a ski instructor in Spain. We will then assess your application and get back to you with info on whether we can offer you a place on the team.

We receive a lot of interest in our courses and our spots fill up quickly. Therefore, we also run a “first-come-first-served” principle, where we have an application deadline of approx. every month. This means that the sooner you apply, the greater your chance of joining the team AND getting a job at your dream destination.

Please use our application form to submit your application.

Details about the course

The Spanish Language

If you don’t feel that your Spanish skills are good enough yet, do not worry. There are lots of possibilities to improve your Spanish before the course with summer camps and evening classes. If you have experience with languages and a good deal of willpower, then it should not be a problem to be able to speak Spanish at the conversational level by mid-January, when your working hours begin, but it requires effort on your part. We can also recommend online training via apps such as Duolingo.

THE SPANISH LEVEL 1 EDUCATION

We work with the Instituto Superior de Enseñanzas en Deportes de Invierno y Montaña (ISEDI), who teaches the Spanish level 1 ski instructor training, which is recognised worldwide.

The TD1 course is level 1 in the Spanish ski instructor system. You will be trained to instruct beginners, intermediates and experienced skiers. After completing the course and the internship period at your ski school, you will be ready to start working for your employer.

The Spanish TD1 ski instructor training will give you the opportunity to work as a ski instructor in most of the world, and for example do a summer season in Argentina or Chile.

INTERNSHIP

As part of your education, you will complete an internship at a Spanish ski school. The internship period is one of the reasons why the Spanish ski instructor education is so recognised worldwide. In addition, it is regulated by the Spanish Government. The duration of the internship hours can vary depending on the snowfall and the amount of guests in December and January.

The internship period is divided into 3 parts.

Part: Here you must follow a ski school class teaching and observe, as well as help.
Part: Consists of team building and teamwork.
Part: Here it is you who will teach a ski school class where you will be observed by an experienced ski instructor.

The internship prepares you as best possible to teach on your own.

JOB GUARANTEE

The job guarantee is conditional on you passing your ski instructor training. Employment conditions are agreed between you and your future ski school. Should it happen that you do not pass, we will do everything in our power to secure you a job anyway, so you can have a wonderful seasonal experience and then take a re-examination during the season. We are proud to say that we have never been in a situation where we have not been able to help with a job after completing a Snowminds course.

SALARY

You will be employed directly by the ski school, which pays you a salary. At most Spanish ski schools you get a salary per hour one works. With the Spanish level 1, you typically get an hourly wage of approx. 16-18€, which varies from ski school to ski school. Being a ski instructor does not make you rich, but the hourly wage in Spain is generally higher than other destinations with a level 1 instructor education. A working week can vary depending on snowfall and time of season.

Please note that you will have to pay for accommodation yourself after the course is over.

TRANSPORT

It is your own responsibility to arrange your transport to and from Spain. We are happy to assist with bookings and similar.

ACCOMMODATION

When you arrive in Granada, we have arranged for a hostel where you will stay with the other Snowminds instructors. In Sierra Nevada we have a partnership with a hostel where you will stay during the course. If you wish, it is possible to stay in the same hostel for the rest of the season. After the course, you will pay for accommodation at the hostel, which includes ski storage, breakfast, dinner and room cleaning.

If you do wish to stay at the hostel in the Sierra Nevada for the full season, you commit to pay for the entire period. Contact us if you prefer to find your own accommodation.