Careers in the Snow
Hi Guys. Just deciding what i want to do after school. I know that i want to go to university after my gap year (in the snow), however i’m not sure what courses or career paths i can take that will lead me to a life in & around the snow. Cheers.
G’day Matt!
I would say that if you want a lifestyle that means you get to live in the mountains, then I wouldn’t worry toooooo much about going to university just for the sake of it (the increasing cost of university education means this is becoming more and more of an important decision!). If you have something you are really interested in and keen to pursue then by all means go for it….but most of the people I know who live in snow resorts came here and just ended up staying and following interests and opportunities for work as they came up.
Sure it means you start at the bottom, but when you’re fresh out of school on your gap year, you’ll be starting at the bottom anyway!
I agree with cords, if you’re doing a uni course for the purpose of living in the snow, I believe your time and money is better spent actually being there and getting industry experience
Hi Guys. Just deciding what i want to do after school. I know that i want to go to university after my gap year (in the snow), however i’m not sure what courses or career paths i can take that will lead me to a life in & around the snow. Cheers.
Hey mate,
I agree with what the others have said. There are many careers that can keep you in the mountains and snowboarding lots. I travelled for years as a snowboard instructor and I really enjoyed my time doing so. You aren’t going to get a doctor’s salary, but it’s all about the lifestyle.
So tell us… what snow jobs interest you? What can you see yourself doing?
Just some options: instructor, lifty, rental tech, food service, customer service (guest relations), marketing, sales, retail, brand rep… there are a lot of options and many I haven’t mentioned. It comes down to personal interest and what will keep you driven. The most important decision is the decision to make this your lifestyle. It certainly is very rewarding.
Sounds good, cheers for the help.
G’day Matt!
I would say that if you want a lifestyle that means you get to live in the mountains, then I wouldn’t worry toooooo much about going to university just for the sake of it (the increasing cost of university education means this is becoming more and more of an important decision!). If you have something you are really interested in and keen to pursue then by all means go for it….but most of the people I know who live in snow resorts came here and just ended up staying and following interests and opportunities for work as they came up.
Sure it means you start at the bottom, but when you’re fresh out of school on your gap year, you’ll be starting at the bottom anyway!
THIS!!!..... Life experience and a keenness takes over any degree!
For another perspective…
My 2 main points for going to uni are;
1) Yes experience is extremely valuable but a degree is another type of experience. It is also proof of your ability to work hard, learn and apply yourself, something all employers would value. Depending on what you choose you study you will get an introduction to a variety of fields and you will learn some skills whilst developing an overall more professional work manner. I feel a degree gives an advantage against similarly experienced people and will serve as a good stepping stone early in your career
2) Uni (if done well) is awesome!!! Sure there will be times when you are overloaded with assignments and stress from exam study but that is only a relatively small portion. Spend time on campus, go to the pub with new classmates, get involved with clubs. This is not just for social aspects but will help significantly when it comes to classwork as you will have more people to hit up for help and ask for recommendations for other units etc.
I dont feel the cost of uni fees should be a limiting factor,
You say a “career” so my advice tends towards a longer term ideal and what my interpretation of a career in the snow might be.
In summary, uni is bloody good fun and will help you climb the ladder as a degree will be respected/looked up favourably.
Really interesting thread!
I’m in my last semester of my economics and finance degree and really eager to somehow put this to use and build a career in snowboarding or anything around the snow. Granted, when I started the degree it was out of interest for economics and finance, and not necessarily as a pathway to a career in the snow, but as I get closer to graduating it would definitely be pretty great to have these paths cross.