What can ski instructors do for work in the summer off-season?

During the ski season, there is a great demand for instructors in ski resorts all over the world. However, as the off-season approaches the demand reduces and vanishes. So, what should ski instructors do during the summer to keep a paycheck coming in while waiting for the ski season to start again?

Have a giggle at our latest infographic in which we compare which is best; working from home or working as a ski instructor!

Here are a few ideas for jobs that ski instructors typically pursue during the off season – to satisfy the craving for adventure while simultaneously earning a living.

1. FOLLOW THE SNOW

If you, like many others, get to the end of the winter season and dread the thought of not being able to snowboard or ski all day, everyday, the Southern Hemisphere may be for you. Many ski resorts in New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Chile plunge into winter as we enter into summer.

Southern-hemisphere ski seasons typically run from mid-June to September. But applications are received as early as January, so it’s recommended to apply early.

You can find out more about how to become a ski instructor in a few Southern Hemisphere regions, in our guides below:

How to become a ski instructor in Chile, South America

How to become a ski instructor in New Zealand

How to become a ski instructor in Australia

2. SUMMER INSTRUCTOR

Choose a popular summer sport and you could be instructing outdoors all year. Mountain biking, kayaking, scuba diving, surfing and even yoga are a few of the most popular sports that you could instruct in the off-season.

If you’re looking at teaching a sport in the summer, the decision should take the lifestyle into consideration as well as how much you love that sport - just like you did when you chose to become a ski or snowboard instructor.

3. SUMMER GUIDING

Guiding is a fantastic way to be able to keep your outdoor adventures going - sailing, rafting, fishing and mountain guiding offer great job opportunities. To become a fishing guide or a riverboat guide requires little to no experience or qualifications. However, to become a mountain guide takes both time, experience and commitment.

It’s worth it though, as once you’re qualified work can be endless in year-round resorts. Major resorts like Chamonix, Zermatt, and Whistler are just as busy in the summer as they are in the winter and demand for mountain guides is high.

4. TRAVEL

The winter season can be an intense time for an instructor. Often, ski instructors can go weeks without a day off. It can be both physically and mentally exhausting, as well as rewarding, so sometimes it’s a good idea to take time out to travel and explore.

Where you choose to go will affect how far your budget will go and long you can travel for. A small budget will go a long way In regions like South America or South-East Asia, whereas somewhere like Australia will cost you more.

Most of the time ski instructing will take you to new parts of the world anyway, so why not take the option to explore the country while you’re already in it to save on flight costs?

5.WORK FROM HOME

Sometimes, it’s good to avoid burnout by working in an entirely different field - and the trend for remote working offers opportunities for off-season instructors as well as digital nomads.

Experience is often needed to get started but a lot of ski and snowboard instructors have past experience outside of instructing, creative hobbies and varied skills. The most popular careers that are great for fitting in over summer seasons (or topping up your winter income) are creatively focused like freelance writing and photography, or web focused such as web design or digital marketing.

Teaching English as a foreign language is another good option, especially if you have an accredited qualification like TEFL.