mista rippa

I'm a 19 year old American (Seattle, WA) and have been snowboarding for about 8 years. I decided I want to go to New Zealand in the summer (so I can get two seasons in one year) and I want to work as a snowboard instructor while I'm there. I have never instructed before and I was wondering if there are any other Americans who have gone to New Zealand to instruct and I am curious what it takes to become an instructor there. Do I have to go to an expensive instructing training course at a ski resort to get certified or is it possible to just gain experience teaching at my local mountain and then get hired in NZ based on the experience I gain here in the USA.

Any info on becoming an instructor in NZ is much appreciated! Thanks!

nzboardlife

you need to get a basic instructors certificate either here or where you are, if you decide to get it in america make sure it will work here, and having previous experience before coming never hurt anyone.

"The NZ Stage 1 is most closely compared to the American P.S.I.A. (ski) or A.A.S.I. (snowboard) Cert II and the Canadian C.A.S.I. Level 2."

mista rippa

so if I completed A.A.S.I. Cert II training or C.A.S.I. Level 2 training then I would be set for consideration for jobs in NZ that require the "NZ Stage 1" certification?

nzboardlife

I think so, not so sure... if you want i can email some of the major mountains, what area are you looking at working in?

Snowjoe

Dont know how they look at aasi but casi level 2 would get you a job over there if you have your own visa. If you want a sponsored one you'll need some experience aswell.

mista rippa

I haven't really looked at any individual resorts very much, still in the early stages of figuring out what I have to do just to get to NZ. I did email Cardrona but the reply I received was very vague and didn't really help me figure much out.

nzboardlife if you emailed some resorts asking what Americans must do to become instructors over there that would be a huge help! you would probably be able to word questions better than me.

Snowjoe, you said that if I get CASI Level 2 certified I would probably get a job in NZ, what about just a CASI Level 1?

If possible I'd be thrilled to avoid having to go through an expensive training course (especially because I don't think I could get any CASI certification at my local mountain, Summit at Snoqualmie, here in the NorthWest) but if that is the only way then I guess that's what I have to do.

Also, would it make sense to get hired in NZ at a resort restaurant (or some other job) one summer, go through the NZ instructing training course, and then return during the following summers as an instructor?

thanks for all the help!!!

Snowjoe

With a CASI level 1 you would probably struggle as there is a large amount of level 2 instructors out there looking for jobs and would obviously get preference over a level 1. The only chance you would have really as a level 1 is if you had your own work permit.

One thing to bear in mind is that the NZ stage 1 actually still requires you to sit 2 exams. They have whats called a CSI before the stage one. So if you went for CASI or NZ you still would have to sit 2 exams.

Probably the best bet for you is to try and find out whether they will hire AASI (I don't see why not) and maybe look into that a little closer to home. Then you can have a bit of experience teaching and a certification to go abroad with.

nzboardlife

I'll do some emailing wednesday, got alot on my university plate over the next two nights.