Every day's a winter wonderland

Remarkables ski school manager Judy Stevens-Dickerson (left) says Jack Belleby, 17, is the right 'type' to teach skiing. Photo / Supplied

Seasonal snow jobs are highly sought after in New Zealand's commercial ski fields.

For instance, last year NZSki, which operates the South Island ski areas of Coronet Peak, Mt Hutt and The Remarkables, had 5800 applications for 400 vacancies.

The company recruits nearly 1000 snow workers every season to join between June and October. Returning staff are invited back at the end of each season based on performance outcomes for that season.

General recruitment opens the first week of March each year and closes at the end of April. All applications are taken via the company's website.

Kevin Sharpe, Human Resources Manager with NZSki Ltd, says seasonal snow jobs appeal to people because they offer a genuine professional career option, personal growth, shared passion with all in the industry and overseas travel with Northern Hemisphere options. About 63 per cent of the snow workers across the company are New Zealanders

NZSki recognises most people working on the mountain are there because of their love of skiing/boarding and employees get "ride time" during their working day when business levels allow.

On days off, they can ski for free as well as have lessons, rent equipment and access transport up and down the mountain.

"We try to get them out as much as we can - after all, that's what they signed up for," says Kevin.

Perhaps the most coveted roles are boarding and skiing instructors within the Snowsports School but the ski areas have a good variety of seasonal departments including administration, food and beverage, guest services and sales, grooming, snowmaking, patrol, lift operations, maintenance, rentals, retail, race and events, terrain park, transport and creche.

Kevin says his company's retention rate within the Snowsports School is above 80 per cent so standards are very high for new staff members. Instructors need to be competent on the snow, have exceptional service delivery standards, excellent communication skills and a passion for snowsports.

A couple of years ago, skifields would close on days when there wasn't enough snow, winds were high or visibility low.

But now, especially with snowmakers ensuring skifields open on time, there are few days when the southern fields are closed.

However, if instructors are on the rota and available to work but the mountain isn't open, they receive a closed day rate.

Instructors also get a meet-and-greet rate but need to do lessons to get a full day's pay.

Still, there's little downtime, especially during school holidays when instructors often work a six-day week and Kevin says most instructors would average a 40-hour week over the whole season.

NZSki has done a lot of work in the past three years to retain employees season after season and last year won nine awards, including the HRINZ Initiative of the year award and the EEO Trust Supreme Winner award, for its efforts.

Staff can now move into other tourism roles within New Zealand or use their experience and qualification to gain employment in Northern Hemisphere winters.

NZSki offers employees the NZSKI-U qualification, which is NZQA accredited and fully funded.

In the first season employees are asked to complete a compulsory qualification, a level-three National Certificate in Tourism with strands in Snowsports.

Returning staff can then choose from a prospectus of departmental, leadership, event management, fitness and business qualifications.

Within Snowsports School, employees attend a training induction and receive ongoing training, mostly on the snow, during the season. Self-funded opportunities exist in the options of exams for Levels 1 and 2 instructor qualifications.

People with the right attitude who can demonstrate leadership and are customer-centred are in demand. Instructors must be competent on the snow, give exceptional service, have excellent communication skills and a passion for snowsports.

THE EMPLOYEE

Jack Belleby, age 17

Snowboard instructor employed by The Remarkables Snowsports School, NZSki

The job sounded interesting and I was keen for the training, a part-time job, a new experience. I heard about working for NZSki through the Wakatipu High School. I had a job interview at the high school with Toby Arnot and Michel Marchand, Snowsports' training manager and director.

This is my first season working here. I trained for five weeks on the weekends then shadowed a class on a Sunday and started work on the Monday, teaching snowboarding to kids and adults.

With the training you learn teaching progression and customer service skills. I work five hours a day during school holidays and weekends. I would like to work here for another season, but also continue at high school. Maybe I will work weekends.

THE EMPLOYER

Judy Stevens-Dickerson

Manager of the Remarkables Snowsports School (Judy has 25 years' service at The Remarkables Ski Area.)

Jack showed excellence in riding skill as well as excellent knowledge of customer service. He demonstrated patience and confidence in teaching and had the right personality for the task. Important qualities for instructing are patience, skill, knowledge, adaptability and being personable.

His training has allowed him to up-skill through all aspects of the job.

WHAT'S ON OFFER
Qualification: NZSki-U
Age range: From 17 to 55+.
Application dates: Returning staff are invited back at the end of each season based on the season's performance outcomes. General recruitment opens the first week of March each year and closes at the end of April.
Contact: All applications are taken via NZSki's website www.nzski.com
Prerequisites: People who can demonstrate leadership without title and are customer centric.
Starting salaries: Minimum wage for unskilled frontline staff with a review mid-season. Instructors' rate is topped up with mountain and teaching rates.