Ski Season

Work in Ski Resorts

Working the course of a ski season can be a fantastic experience that you should remember for the rest of your life. It can mean working long hours with relatively low pay but those who work hard get to play hard! However, it is essential to plan ahead if you are to enjoy it fully and avoid an early plane home.

Many British operators can secure work for you before you leave although you may wish to spend your time abroad qualifying as an instructor with the plan to teach in the future. Many companies offer courses designed for persons who want to become instructors that can take up a relatively short part of your ski season. It has even been known for people to set up there own money making venture at the resort in order to fund a wintersports season.

In some European resorts it can be hard to gain work due to legal and language reasons, so we would advise that it is probably a good idea to arrange your working commitments before you leave. Many recruitment agencies offer work abroad in ski resorts and can be easily found on search engines such as Google. You may also find adverts in both local and national newspapers and there are even specialist magazines, such as the Overseas Job Express which can prove extremely useful.

If you can get a job working with a tour operator the huge bonus is that in almost all cases your food and accommodation will be paid for, which gives you a much better chance of lasting the season. You shouldn’t base your decision on what you have seen on holiday as the work is often hard and may be for long hours at a time. You will meet a huge group of like minded people, many who will have experience and excellent knowledge of the resort and the best areas of mountain to enjoy your free time.

If you are successful and gain employment abroad the early part of the season will be the toughest. Holidaymakers will expect the resort to be fully up and running no matter how early in the season it is. Obviously this goes for your employer as well. Specialist staff can often find themselves mucking in and helping with menial set up duties such as the cleaning of toilets and apartments so be aware! Don’t let this put you off though, these early days soon pass and as you settle in you should find that you’ll have the time of your life!