Why teach skiing
Share what you love
Teaching skiing puts you on the hill all winter, helping people find the same joy you feel on snow. With 12 resorts across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI and Newfoundland and Labrador, there’s a snow school near you.
Ski more
Spend your winters on snow, with a season pass or ski privileges at most snow schools.
Become a better skier
Training with CSIA Course Conductors sharpens your own skiing as much as your teaching.
Join a community
Be part of 22,000 certified instructors across Canada, and a close-knit Atlantic crew.
Build skills for life
Leadership, communication and confidence that carry over to school and work.
Get certified
How to get certified
- Check that you’re ready. You need to be at least 14 on the first day of the course and a confident skier who can ski blue and black runs on your own, staying parallel and in control. Level 1 builds on your skiing; it isn’t a learn-to-ski course.
- Get some experience. Ask your local snow school about working or volunteering, or book a lesson with a CSIA Course Conductor. It’s the best preparation.
- Register for Level 1. Pick a course at an Atlantic resort from the CSIA program schedule and register online.
- Take the 3-day course. On snow, you’ll learn to teach safely, plan lessons the Canadian way and improve your own skiing, with an assessment of your skiing and teaching at the end.
- Start teaching. Once you pass, you’re a CSIA member, certified to teach first-time skiers up to intermediate level. Talk to a snow school about joining their team.
Where it can take you: after Level 1 come Level 2, Level 3, the Trainer Designation and Level 4, Canada’s highest ski-teaching certification. Prefer the terrain park? Snow Park Level 1 is another way to start.
Level 1 courses
Level 1 courses near you
Level 1 courses run at resorts across the region each winter, usually from December to February. Courses fill up, so register early.
Don’t see a course near you? Tell your snow school director you’re interested. With enough participants, CSIA Atlantic can bring a course to your home hill.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How old do I need to be?
At least 14 on the first day of the course.
How good a skier do I need to be?
You should ski blue and black runs confidently on your own, stay parallel and control your speed. The course will improve your skiing, but it doesn’t teach you to ski.
I’ve never taught before. Is that OK?
Yes. Level 1 is designed for first-time instructors. Working or volunteering at a snow school beforehand, or taking a lesson with a CSIA Course Conductor, will help you get the most out of it.
How long is the course?
Three days on snow, covering safe teaching, lesson planning, CSIA technical concepts, ski improvement and guest service.
How much does it cost?
Prices are listed with each course on the CSIA program schedule.
What do I get when I pass?
CSIA Level 1 certification. You become a CSIA member, qualified to teach first-time skiers up to intermediate level. Membership is renewed each year.
Can I get financial help?
CSIA Atlantic scholarships support members taking Level 2 and higher, and members in remote areas who must travel for training. See Members → Scholarship.
Ready to teach?
If you ski blue and black runs with confidence and you’re at least 14, Level 1 is where you start.