Dual Discipline Internship with Guaranteed Job

Course Type Ski Internship | Snowboard Internship
Dates 26th Nov-26th March
Price From £5700
Venue Canada - Panorama
Qualifications CSIA/CASI Level 1 Instructor Certification
Add Flights? Add flights for £550

About the course

A completely unique Canadian winter experience. Combining a ski instructor and snowboard instructor internship. Dual certification to Level 1 standard in both CASI & CSIA governing bodies. A combination of a big mountain training ground; hosted by Panorama in British Colombia taking you to a Level 1 qualification in your stronger discipline and learning to Ski or Snowboard in your weaker or non-existent discipline at a family-based popular Canadian ski hill. This venue will employ and pay you to train for dual certification.

Gaining invaluable knowledge in all areas of the ski resort, incorporating lift attendance, boot fitting, ski and snowboard rental and of course lots of on-slope experience as an incredibly well-paid Ski & Snowboard Instructor.

A “breeder & feeder” for the bigger resorts, this all-encompassing true Canadian experience will not only leave you with good savings but the credentials and experience to work in any big mountain resort the following year.

Add on a Level 2 training program to strengthen your resume and finish your ski season at the mighty Panorama Mountain resort.

Features

Level 1 WSC training with CSIA exam and membership.

Shared Accommodation and meal package while training.

Guaranteed Ski & Snowboard Instructor job once you pass your Level 1’s.

Level 2 training bolt on

Avalanche Skills  Level 1 included.

Benefits

7 Day per week visa assistance  with our in-house visa expert.

Guidance from start to finish with insurance, certification, equipment, banking, communication & clothing.

Guaranteed positions BEFORE you have your visa secured.

2  Instructor Qualifications

Strong future employment

Click to see what the fuss is about!
Panorama Resort
Panorama Mountain
Accommodation
Hidden Valley

Slope-side Accommodation

Accommodation is included with your internship during the initial training phase. We use slope-side apartments with comfortable surroundings. They are an ideal base for training during the internship and have everything you need to make it a home-from-home. In addition, the resort is a lively place with a central hub around the bar & eateries of Altos, Jake Pine, T-bar, Grand Hall and Fireside Cafe.

Accommodation is based on 2-3 sharing, but single rooms are available on request for a supplement.

Meals

During your initial training, you’ll receive four dinners and breakfast per week, leaving time to concentrate on skiing or riding. You’ll get many options to keep you full and satisfied. Our accommodation all has kitchenettes, spacious lounges and dining areas as a minimum. This means for lunch or during the rest of the week. You can quickly cook for yourself in the self-catered apartments.

Huge Vertical!

The mountain is nestled in the Purcell Mountain range in British Colombia. It is fiercely independent and growing in popularity every year. Now hosting Red bull events in the summer and the Junior World Championships last winter, it will not be long before this venue overshadows its neighbours and becomes a #1 big mountain resort.

Powerful snow-making facilities with overwhelming statistics guarantee a snow-sure venue for our interns and international race teams that occupy its slopes. Our intern’s training starts before the resort officially opens as the push is on to qualify their staff and make a strong instructor tribe for the winter holidaymakers.

With the biggest thermal hot pools in a BC resort and a 2 min walk to the bar, it’s quite a special set-up. There are various degrees of accommodation,  3000 beds in total vs 3000 acres of incredible skiing terrain, we’ll let you do the maths, but that’s a lot of space per person. This is a perfect training ground for our interns, for the international race scene and for anyone wanting something a little different.

Elkwater Accommodation

You’ll live in the small community of Elkwater. Staff houses allow each instructor the luxury of their own room for very low monthly rental or for more privacy and an entire 1-bed apartment for a monthly supplement fee. 13 weeks of consistent work, a minimum of 24hrs per week, will provide more than enough to pay for your very affordable accommodation, allow you to comfortably shop in the city of Medicine Hat, Alberta and still take home a healthy saving.

Elkwater has a simple cafe, a restaurant in the hotel, a convenience store,
and a village hall with a Pool table and Fuzzball.

Transportation is provided to and from the resort and into Medicine Hat weekly.

Road trips to other resorts-With this being a popular pastime, there is frequently an opportunity to visit the big Mountain of Castle Mountain, Norquay and Lake Louise on your time off through a car share agreement with your fellow instructors.

The Resort

A small resort in the Cypress Hills Provincial Park near Elkwater, Alberta, this is a local’s ski hill. You’ll live and work with like-minded people. Since the resort is closed 2 days a week, you’ll have the chance to explore as a group in other areas, such as Castle Mountain, to get that big mountain fix.

Hidden Valley employees benefit from a higher wage and regular hours. You can expect 24-30hrs per week. You will also enjoy benefits such as reciprocal  lift passes for other resorts (Castle Mountain, Norquay, Lake Louise)

Part of Alberta Parks and the only government-owned resort in Canada, this comes with its perks and thrives on giving eager individuals the opportunity to train and be paid to gain the 2nd qualification in another discipline. Whilst dual certification is not compulsory; it is encouraged.

Training Package

Level 1 Training

On Snow Training is provided at Panorama 4 days a week by CSIA level 3 & 4 instructors, with an extra day scheduled for shadow teaching with the school. As you approach the exams, Level 1 course conductors will provide one-to-one feedback and training.

 

Guaranteed Job

Upon completing the level 1 exam, you will transfer to Hidden Valley, enrol with the Sports School, and begin working for the rest of the season. Working as a ski or Snowboard instructor, you will receive a full uniform, a staff season pass, a place in staff accommodation and other benefits such as discounts across the resort as well as discounts and reciprocal lift passes at partner resorts in Canada (varies for each resort).

 

Further Training

During your time in Hidden Valley, you will be paid to train towards Level 1 in your 2nd discipline.

Hidden Valley interns receive eight days of dedicated level 2 training throughout the season from the WSC if bought as a Bolt-On. This is spread across both venues. The cost for this training & self-catered accommodation is £900 for the final two weeks at Panorama.

 

CSIA & CASI Level 1 instructor exam

Your first level 1 course exam at Panorama is included in the price.

A nominal fee of $150CAD is required by each student who wants to go for their second optional exam. This is paid directly to the Ski School.

 

CSIA & CASI Level 2 instructor exam

Your CASI Level 2 exam is approximately $600CAD

Your CSIA Level 2 exam is roughly $1040CAD

 

CSIA Membership & Instructor Licence

As part of your course, we enrol you with the CSIA. Membership for the year is included, and you will be provided with a login to the CSIA website, where you
can sign up for other exams. Upon completion of level 1, you will be a licenced instructor.

 

Shadow Teaching

Shadowing real lessons is integral to training as an instructor and helps prepare trainees for exams. Working closely with the sports school,
participants can use free-ski days during training and once working on shadowing instructors.

 

Additional Training Option

Further certifications are available during the internship. Additional courses vary depending on the resort and include Avalanche Skills Training and Adaptive Ski.
Instructor Qualification, Race Coaching certification and Park course.

 

Visa Assistance & Guaranteed Work Interview

We have partnerships and connections with several sports schools across the world and offer a guaranteed interview with Panorama for the following season after the successful completion of your Level 2. We also provide two further guaranteed interviews at resorts in Canada and Japan. In addition, comprehensive advice and assistance are given to all Winter Sports clients when applying for working holiday visas.

Snow Ready Fitness Plan

Created for Winter Sports by a personal trainer, a Physical therapist, nutritionist & snowboard instructor, this 8-week pre-season fitness programme targets the muscle groups used in skiing & snowboarding and will make sure you are snow-fit in time for the start of your course.

Weekly Schedule

Professional coaching is provided 4-5 days a week typically Monday – Friday.
Securing a Visa: Comprehensive visa application advice & support from a Working Holiday Visa specialist

Before you depart: We put you in touch with the resort to get your official job offer & accommodation in place before you travel
This schedule is a guide and may change. Full support and guidance is provided during immigration and setting up documentation to work in Canada. Training is provided by experienced level 3 & 4 CSIA instructors who work closely with each individual and tailor the programme to the group. Video analysis is provided throughout the course.

Week 1

Settling in, activating work permit & Social Insurance Number, and setting up a bank account. Introduction to ski instructing. Calming any egos and getting rid of any bad “holiday skiing habits”

Week 2

Ski improvement and technique the CSIA way – including video analysis. Looking after your kit – Ski Tuning workshop. Consolidating the new technique.
Avalanche Skills Training Level 1

Week 3

Final week level 1 training. Making the drills and technique consistent. Strengthening the building blocks for Level 2 preparation. Following into the CSIA Level 1 exam before starting work for the Snow School.

Week 4

Ski school enrolment, staff Orientation, & move to allocated staff accommodation with your new besties!

Week 5-18+

Work for the ski school, additional Level 2 training & an option to take CSIA Level 2 modules & exams towards the end of the season.

My experience with the Winter Sports Company

George Bates- June 2020
My experience with winter sports Last November I joined winter sports on a journey to Canada. I got my level 1 at panorama ski resort then headed over to hidden valley ski resort in Alberta Medicine Hat. Winter sports not only not get you your skiing qualifications they basically set you up in Canada. I am still living in Canada and now have a guarantied job back at the hidden valley ski resort for next season. If you want the coolest 5 months of your life a recommend you stop what your doing and book on with winter sports. Thanks Rik and Steve you have turned my life around!

Bolt on courses

The Bolt-ons are the point where you can turn your already stellar winter season into something truly unforgettable. Whilst some are devised to improve your CV, some enhance your smile. The Heliski experience will have you grinning from ear to way all the way back home through your front door. So decide what is critical for you, an adrenaline ride?  A gap year? Career-breaking-mid-life crisis-soothing adventure? Or something that will put another few dollars on your wages and make your instructor resume stand out?

These are ancillary offerings to our clients once onboarded. It is a simple, transparent method so you can cherry-pick what you want and, more importantly, not be forced into paying over the odds for something you do not want.

Avalanche Skills Training Level 1

Learn and equip yourselves with the knowledge and confidence to understand the conditions ahead and to make that often critical decision.

CASI Park Level 1

Candidates on the course will spend time exploring snowboarding techniques and teaching methods as they relate to introductory terrain park and freestyle snowboarding.

ACA-CSC Entry Level Race Coach

Entry Level certification enables the holder to be hired by a club or ski school to start coaching in an entry-level ski racing program.

Introduction to Back Country Touring

New to backcountry touring, looking to escape the crowds, this is the course for you!

Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of safe backcountry travel, including terrain assessment, hazard analysis, companion rescue, equipment familiarization, and backcountry touring techniques.

Basic First Aid Course

For the 1-day Emergency First Aid at Work Course, attendees are taught a mixture of both practical and theory. You’ll learn how to examine a casualty, familiarize yourself with essential life support and learn how to control bleeding and trauma.

Non Urban Emergency Care Level 1

Designed for individuals who operate or recreate in isolated and/or remote locations (essentially day-trips) where accessing emergency medical and rescue services may be delayed.

Monster Cat X

Cat skiing is a form of backcountry exploration, taking you away from the borders of controlled ski areas to ride through untouched powder. Take a ride to the top of The Taynton Bowl.

Revelstoke Steep & Deep

Make the Pilgrimage, learn to ski deep on the most vertical mountain resort in North America, with over 1,700 metres of elevation, filled with pure heaven to enjoy. A genuine bucket list item

Heli-Ski/Board (1 day experience)

Landing on top of the world in a deserted, pristine snowfield with endless untouched slopes will, without a doubt, be one of the best feelings you will ever experience.

Nordic Skiing

The silence of the wilderness and the almost spiritual experience of gliding through a winter world, leaving nothing but tracks in the snow is an irresistible combination.

Paragliding

This fantastic experience combines the air and the snow, an original and extremely fun experience – with both a wing and skis you can carve down the slopes and then take to the air.

Ski-Mobile

Enhance your CV and give the resort director another reason to hire you. Gain your BCSF smart sledding course certificate and use it for future employment.

Banff Blow Off

It’s not quite Ibiza but it’s a good night out and access to some new terrain for the days we are there, taking in the new runs on Sunshine, Norquay or Lake Louise.

Ski & Board Tech Tips

This course covers routine tuning, maintenance, fitting and essential repair work. Learn to get the most out of your equipment.

Ice Hockey Night

Watch the Kamloops Blazers in action. Great night out.

Ice Skating

At over 30km in length, the Whiteway is the largest ice rink in the world, offering ice-skating, groomed skate, and classic cross-country ski trails.

WSC Blueprint

Lots of valuable information in one action-packed, fast-paced day guiding around the lesser-known parts of the mountain. Find out some great runs even some of the locals don’t know!  Understand what areas work in certain conditions and find the trainer’s best-kept secrets. A real gem of a day without any lesson constraints to slow you down.

What is included

Panorama & Hidden Valley Skiing

Panorama: enjoys regular snowfall over four months, which delivers light, dry powder. As a result, skiers and snowboarders can ski extensive vertical, tree-lined areas and powder bowls from early December to mid-April. That includes beginner and intermediate trails, epic double-black diamond zones, and the Rockstar terrain park if it’s good enough for RedBull and the Junior World Championships it’s good enough for us!

Hidden Valley: It gets the cold winter systems rolling across the interior and giving Hidden Valley a generous blanket of snow that gets topped up throughout the season until the end of March. It has 65 acres of terrain, 17 runs and 2km being the longest run, it’s certainly not the biggest on the scene, but the charm of the place is enough to bring families, school groups and interns returning for the following season.

Flights

For maximum flexibility, internships can be booked with or without flights.
Flights normally depart from London, UK. Flights from alternative airports can be arranged, please contact us for a quote for this service.

Transfers

Outbound and return transfers are included from Calgary Airport as standard with all bookings, subject to arrival times if you book your flights.

Season Lift Pass

Your lift pass is season long; this means if you decide to add additional weeks and return to Panorama to complete your level 2 and stay till the end of the season for some continuous Spring blue bird big mountain days, then your lift pass will be valid.

Lift pass benefits include discounts up to 20% in selected shops and restaurants as well as on some activities, equipment rentals, maintenance and repairs.

Shared Hotel Accommodation

Enjoy Slopeside accommodation at the Horsethief & Toby Creek Lodges (Panorama). Bedrooms accommodate 2 per room and benefit from a shared ensuite, TV, high-speed internet and storage. You have access to the large thermal hot pools and all restaurants.

Staff Accommodation

Upon completion of your first level 1, interns move into staff accommodation. Placement in staff accommodation is arranged before the course start date. Staff accommodation is paid for by the intern on a bi-weekly basis once working for the sports school in Hidden Valley.

Meal Plan

During your Level 1 training, your meal plan will include four breakfasts and dinners per week. Once you move into staff accommodation, you will be paying for your food.

Resort Representative

A rep is in the resort to oversee the course. Reps are knowledgeable about the resort, qualifications and training, and have often taken part in the course previously.

Training Package

Includes 20 hours of training per week by Level 3 & 4 instructors, some are straight from the CSIA “Hall of Fame”!

CSIA Level 1 Ski Instructor Exam

CSIA Level 1 is the first big step to becoming a ski instructor. The qualification is split into three main components; your teaching of skiing, your own technical skiing and your people skills. The exam is three days long and you are evaluated on an ongoing basis.

CSIA Level 2 Development Modules and Exams

The Level 2 ski instructor certification is for advanced skiers who have passed the Level 1 certification. The course enables ski instructors to improve their situational teaching skills and better understand CSIA technique and methodology and the role of ski teaching within the ski industry. This is available back at Panorama at the end of the Hidden Valley season and can be purchased as a Bolt On

CSIA Membership

Regular Members enjoy a wide variety of Member Benefits, including Pro Deals, General Liability Insurance, Accident, Death and Disability coverage.

Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 (AST 1)

Learn and equip yourself with the knowledge and confidence to understand the conditions ahead and to make that often critical decision.

Cat Skiing

Cat skiing is a mechanical form of backcountry exploration, taking you away from the borders of controlled ski areas to ride through untouched powder. Take a ride to the top of The Taynton Bowl with the Monster X Cat.

Weekly Socials

From Pool comp night, Campfire socials, or Ice skating on the largest Ice skating trail in the World to the often hilarious and infamous Music Bingo night at the local watering hole before busting shapes on the dance floor, there’s always something going on in or around the resort. Between these and the Bolt-Ons, you will have experiences to remember with new friends for the rest of your life.

Medicine Hat is a small city 40 mins away from Elkwater and has a cinema, a few cool bars, an excellent brewery and plenty of shops to fulfil your needs.

Not Included

FLIGHTS (add flights for an extra £550)
MEALS outside of the Meal Plan (4 breakfasts and dinners)
INSURANCE
ANCILLARY BOLT-ON COURSES
EQUIPMENT OR RENTAL
HELI SKIING (Add Heli Skiing for an extra £600)
BACKCOUNTRY (3-14 day Backcountry experiences are also possible at the end of this course.)

Book Your Course Today

If you are wanting a big mountain experience or partying every night then this isn’t for you. Whilst you will be starting and potentially finishing in Panorama the majority of your season will be at Hidden Valley working with a small group of your team mates and Alberta government employees. You will have a completely different experience, something that you will fondly remember. Our Interns make the season what it is, some return the following year and some chase that next step up the instructing ladder. We guarantee you, this will virtually give you carte blanche around any Canadian resort on your next position the following year. With a character reference from the WSC and a glowing reference from the Ski school director you will come to realise how valuable your season really was. Leaving you with a new found confidence and a glowing start to an instructors career.

Book course

Dates & Prices

Location Dates Accommodation Price Flights

Hidden Valley

26th Nov to 26th March

HorseThief / Elkwater Accommodation

£5700

+£550

Panorama

26th Nov to 26th March

HorseThief / Invermere Apartments

£5700

+£550

FAQ

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