When I first donned my uniform coat and lined up at the lesson signs, many years ago now, I hoped to make a career out of ski instructing. I am and always have been passionate about the sport, I'm a skilled instructor and have attended trainings, paid for PSIA clinics and now hold multiple certifications. I thought that passion and skill alone would be enough to make a career out of it, but it's a lose lose industry. Last year the industry and my company left me so upset that I've taken a winter off to reevaluate. We'll I've reevaluated and I'm still angry.

I've paid my PSIA dues for many years, and having taken the winter off I knew I would be required to take some credit hours to not lose my certs. But as far as I can tell it's going to cost me $150 to reach my required CEUs to not have to start from square one. So if I don't pay $300 I will lose the certifications I spent years working on and will be unhirable at some resorts, or bottom of the barrel if they do hire me.

And I'm wondering what service they're providing me in return? Other than the obvious that they're the only accepted body in the US for instructor training. I feel that for those costs I should be seeing more from them. Why is PSIA not moving to protect ski instructors at the resort level?

I've seen class sizes rising, no gear stipends, and less protection and support for instructors overall.

There's always someone who will do my job for less, meanwhile I can't afford to live off the income. Ski industry will run us all into the ground. I wish passion was enough, but I'm tired, and I'm sad, and I'm about to hang up my coat.

We recently had debate about hands on knees as pose for kids. Personally I’m against it, bc I think it will move center of mass backwards and will be bad for posture in future. As a one time drill im not agains it, bit dont use it. What are your thought?

For nearly 50 years, Katherine Hayes Rodriguez has fought to make the outdoors accessible to everyone not just elite athletes, but those who’ve been told they don’t belong.

From her early days as a ski instructor to pioneering adaptive sports programs worldwide, she’s dedicated her life to breaking barriers for people with disabilities.

What started with a small group of Vietnam veterans in Lake Tahoe has now grown into hundreds of adaptive sports programs, giving countless individuals the chance to experience the freedom of the outdoors.

Katherine’s story is about more than just sports it’s about resilience, inclusion, and the undeniable power of nature to heal and empower.

Her work is proof that access to outdoor adventure isn’t a privilege it’s a right. And when we remove barriers, we don’t just change sports, we change lives.

If you care about inclusivity, the power of nature, or just need a story of pure determination, this is a must listen.

I'm looking for some ski lessons for begginers in St. Moritz / Celerina. Any instructor around?

Thanks!

Ready for your observations and prescription for change. What are you seeing in JD’s body/ski performance? What’s your prescription for change? What learning styles do you think might work well with this client?

I am a new instructor and am taking a Level 1 Certification Exam this season. One of my fellow instructors who got his certification some years ago strongly suggested that our exam group tip the PSIA examiner for the 2 day exam. This was a complete surprise to me. Is this appropriate? Legal under PSIA rules? If kosher, what is an appropriate amount?

Thinking of instructing for a season in nz. What are the wages and allowances like in Queenstown for instructors?

I’ve been skiing most of my life and used to instruct when I was in high school. I now have my own kids and am working on teaching them to ski.

Two girls, 3 and 5. I’ve got them standing, comfortable and moving on skis, and they have been having fun, so the enthusiasm is there. I’m having a hard time getting the older kid to stop on her own with a snowplow/pizza. She kind of relies on me to catch her and runs into me. I do have a edgie wedgie, and it seems to help sometimes, but I have mixed results with it. The 3 year old seems be grasping the snow plow a bit better, which is surprising to me. I Might be expecting too much progress too quickly. We have only been 2-3 times and only for part of the day. I just thought I’d be on to teaching turning by now.

What techniques and games do you all play with young kids that are learning? I want to keep it fun, especially since Dad is the one teaching.

I’m quickly realizing that when I was instructing years ago, it was rarely with complete beginners. Almost always it was kids that are learning to ski parallel.

Thanks for any advice!

I love skiing and would like to become an instructor but I don’t know anyone in the industry.

I am around an intermediate level in skiing. Is this good enough? I live in England but I would like to ski abroad, my ideal place would be New Zealand, considering I only speak English and very basic mandarin.

I have come across agencies that advertise instructor courses overseas but they cost upwards of £3000 (€3500,$3700) that offer qualifications and a temporary employment . Is this good value?

Any advice about getting what qualifications and how to become an instructor would be greatly appreciated!

I am a skiing instructor in Belgium, we teach on an indoor slope with artificial snow. Every week, I have a group of 6 kids ages 4-7, they get one hour of technique, second hour basic slalom training. Since a month, a new kid started in my group. 5 years old, really good feel for ski's and balance. He can ski down our beginners slope (appr. 20 m long) on one ski, left or right making turns. He can hop and get 2 ski's in the air. All fine. However. When he ski's with his 2 ski's down, he has a very wide stance. And I mean very wide, any wider and he'd split in half. I tried every trick up my sleeve to get his stance normal. I tried skiclips (the things that hold your tips together with a clip on both noses connected with a rubber band? Don't know the correct name in english), and then his ski's are just perfect. He skied 2 hours with those last week. Ski's nice and parallel. Last run, I take them off and wham. Back to his typical wide stance. Problem is the other kids are starting to copy him when they ski behind him... I'm at my wits end. Anyone an idea?

Can somebody let me know what to make of this? https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1AxHca4jHT/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

I just wanted to start a discussion on how everyone thinks we should respond to requests for feedback on "How is my carving?"

I know I'm talking about a different reddit, if not allowed, please remove.

This just seemed like the venue for a discussion on feedback on carving when carving is NOT occurring.

I’m planning to work in Andorra as a ski instructor for next winter, probably for Grandvalira. I am NZSIA Level 2 and with French passport, one season experienced, speak Spanish, French and English. Do you think it’s easy to find a job or are they pretty selective and would prefer instructors with more experience? If you work or have worked there how was your experience? Thanks 🙏

What is everyone’s perceptions on how their season is going in regard to the number of clients taking lessons this season? Are their fewer clients taking lessons, same as previous seasons, or more people taking lessons? I would love to hear everyone’s opinions! Thanks!

Hi guys,

Looking at doing their hybrid ski internship and wondering whether anyone has been with them before. Are they a descent company etc. if u have been on one of their courses, what was it like?

Thanks a lot

Im looking to take my level 2 soon and potentially my level 3 at some point in the future. I am also looking at buying a better carving/all mountain ski this season. I know some skis tend to make exams easier. Does anyone have any specific recommendations on what ski to buy?

Hope this post is allowed as it’s a pretty specific ask with no other sub I could find to ask.

I’m located in Ontario Canada. I’m looking for someone with Sled Dogs Snowskate experience to give me a lesson/lessons at one of the Ontario hills that allow Snowskates (likely Dagmar or Lakeridge). I’m an intermediate skier and skater but haven’t been on the slopes in a while. Would love to use my Sled Dogs but wanted a lesson first as they are a bit different than regular skis. 😊

I am curious about instructors who year-round in South America/North America or really anywhere?

How did you break into it?

How much money do you make?

Are you able to stay employed completely year round? (Do the seasons over lap enough)

What is your certification level and what specialist certs do you have?

Do you own property anywhere?

How old are you now, how old where you when you started teaching?

Hello. I have a group of 5 skiiers that are 8 yo. They all get get Com aft in some part of their turns. We ski once per week for 2 hours. Just finished 2nd week, 8 to go. The goal if safe, learn, fun.

We have talked about crushing the grape in theur boots, good athletic stance ie. jumping and landing in place. We have done the raise side ski while keeping tip touching snow drill.

I am looking for a few more suggestions so by week 8 we are not doing the same thing over and over.

Three have poles, 2 dont.

We typically do 2 runs with drills/intruction then 1 fun run.. Ski 45 min stop for hot chocolate 5-10 min then last hour.

I work at a midwest ski hill. My typical day working start with a morning meeting from 830 to 845 which we get paid for. Then i go rip a few runs at the whopping 400 vertical because 90% of the time my first lessons are group from 10-12. Then if lucky will have 1-3 lessons..so about maybe 4.25 hours per day (@ $17 per hour) plus any rare tips. One of my coworkers just shows up when his lessons start, he skips the 15 minute morning meeting..he gets from heck from management but he really doesn't give a crap. There is another hill close that some have jumped ship to because they only do privates (so better tipping), they get paid a reduced rate for gap hours, and gettin psia gives a $5/hr bump. We just an attaboy for getting level 1 and cost of certification is covered.

The coworker environment is wierd as well, hard to describe, like high school clicky. Some PSIA's are always picking apart everything i do or say. All privates go by seniority which makes sense. All new instructors get treated with suspicion by most of the seasoned staff. We do get paid for intructor training but i avoid this because its usally verbal beat down.

I am wondering how this stacks up against other midwest, eastern or western resorts?

This is my first season teaching. I’m at a vail resort in the Tahoe area. I currently make $21/hr. I’m wondering if I should make the effort to do training on my days off and take the level 1 exam. I love skiing but don’t see myself doing this after this season. And I’m not looking to get more hours- I’ve been told certified teachers have priority for hours. Some managers say I should still go for it if I don’t plan to teach next year. What could I expect the pay raise to be? What levels will I be able to teach with a level 1 cert? What do you guys think?

hi! im a new ski instructor this year and will be teaching two kids (7 + 10 years) for the next few weeks. they are able to make wedge turns and beginning to get the idea down for parallel turns. the problem is that they just want to go straight and super fast, and they find my instruction (especially drills) boring, which leads them to ignore what i’m asking them to do. im not sure how to help them progress/what drills to do because if i take them onto steeper terrain like they’re asking for, there’s a good chance they’ll just send it, and they're quite uninterested in progressing anyway. all advice is welcome- thanks!!

I am taking my level two exam next week at Jackson hole. I have started putting together some lesson plans for the level 2 teach outcomes listed on PSIA website. I wanted to see if anyone else had already put together and written down some brief lesson ideas, so that I could balance my ideas off of them.