Link For Canadian Job Oportunities

A large part of student responsibility in this coarse is finding their own co-op placement and setting up things like transportation, staff accommodation, etc. A helpful tool in finding which resorts are hiring is online search engines for jobs.

The link provided in the link section reading 'Canadian Job Opportunities' is such a site. This site provides a fairly good list providing descriptions for jobs at resorts all over Canada.

There are many other sites like this on the web, so it is important to look around and also to contact resorts individually through emails so that your co-op will be completely set up.

This link lists jobs in 2 different ways for user convenience. the first way is by province. Each province is listed along with resorts that are offering jobs. From there each job listing is a link to the page that you can apply for said job.

The second way they list jobs is by category. SO if you do not mind where in Canada you choose to go for your co-op, but rather just the job that you will have, then you can click the in site link which will bring you to a listing of which resorts offer this job and where these resorts are located.

Students of the coarse should definitely check this link out when they begin to look for their winter co-op.

Link For Georgian College

Georgian College - Link

This link can be used to travel from this page to the homepage for Georgian College in Barrie Ontario. From here you can find out about the colleges facilities, faculty, programs, living arrangements, etc.

This site will be very useful if you do not know anything about the college itself and hope to come to this college for your studies. The site can inform applicants on events happening at or around the college in relation to the school. The site informs the user on helpful aids for college, as well as provides a ton of useful information regarding student involvement with the college and information on the colleges facilities.

Alternately, this site can also be used too travel to the homepage for the Ski Resort Operations program. But that is not necessary as it is also covered in the link section under Ski Resort Operations.

Rob Butler; Taught by the Master Himself

One of the biggest and most surprising draws to the program is the staff available to teach you. The course was pioneered by Anne green, a respected skier and great teacher. Second to Anne is Rob Butler. You may recognize Rob's name from 'Ski Tips with Rob Butler', a segment on the once weekly, Telus World of Skiing.

Upon taking this course and meeting Rob Butler, you'll quickly realize that Rob is a true professional. Students know that he is the go-to-guy for any of your ski industry needs or inquiries. He has been around the industry for over 30 years and is graded as one of the top skiers in the world. Despite his professionalism, Rob is a fun guy who likes nothing more than have a good time.

"If you want to have fun, try having a couple shots and going snow tubing" (Butler, R. 2007)

That quote is from one of the memorable speeches he left us with before the students embarked on their winter co-op experiences.

Rob also knows an impressive amount of people in the industry. If you need to know the name and number of the park supervisor at Big Sky, Montana, he gives you that information almost immediately. At the annual Toronto Ski and Snowboard Trade Show, I walked around with Rob. At every booth he knew someone or someone knew him, so he can be a very useful person to know as he is one of the most respected men in the industry.

Despite having been a pro skier for many years, Rob also worked within the industry. At one point he was the general manager of Snow Valley Ski Club, he also instructed at most of the resorts around the area.

When it comes down to it, there is no man better for the job than Rob. If you plan to learn from the best in the industry, then look no further than Georgians SRO (Ski Resort Operation)program.

School in the summer; good or bad?

On part of taking the Ski Resort Operation program at Georgian college, is that as a trade off for having winter co-op, you must school through the summer. This means that technically, if you include the co-op experience as work, our students have year round school. Having year round school does, however, make the course last for only 2 years, which is not a rushed amount of time, but rather the perfect amount of time to learn all you can about the industry by sitting in a class room.

Now I know what most of you are thinking; School in the summer? That's pretty lame, it's probably no fun at all. And if it was a year ago, I may have agrees with you, but the truth is that the professors designed the coarse to be best for the student, and that includes making the summer bearable.

The workload in the summer is much less that in the fall. You are almost guaranteed a day off a week and other days you may only be faced with 1 class a day. Furthermore the professors respect that we are young and like to go out some nights, so as an accommodation for us, they make most of the classes starting around noon so that students get a chance to sleep in.

Professors also realize that people like to go away in the summer and have fun. So they made sure that tuition included the price to go white water rafting on the Ottawa river for 3 days and 2 nights in the middle of the summer semester. This trip is a welcome break and is a ton of fun. You make friendships stronger and have a great time sleeping under the stars with each other.

Living in Barrie in the summer is not bad at all. there is always the opportunity to go to a nearby beach; the famous Wasaga beach. also there is a beach very close to where the school is, as well as a multitude of other activities to do in and around Barrie.

So when asked if I like school in the summer or not, I think that I would answer that I do like it due to the circumstances. The way the coarse is set up in a very good and appropriate way.

Where to Go For Your Co-op and How to Choose What's Right For You

A large draw to the Ski Resort Operations program is the fact that it offers full winter co-op. Students have the opportunity to work at any resort they want and learn valuable information about the industry, all while getting paid for it.

It is mandatory for students to go on these co-ops as well as, with the help of a very useful co-op department, set up the job themselves. Students can apply for any job in the industry and have a good chance at getting said job because the ski resort operations program is widely recognized as a supplier of enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and reliable employees. Furthermore, the coarse is so widely known that both Whistler and Aspen come to use, here at Georgian college, to recruit workers each winter.

With the work force so easy to break into for Ski Resort Operations students, the most important thing becomes what the student wants to get as his/her job.

When trying to decide what job to apply for it is critical to look at yourself and try to get a feeling of where you want to be in the industry in the future. If you want to be head of ski school at Whistler, then your going to want to get a job as a ski instructor at Whistler. If you want to be a lift supervisor, then your going to want to be a lift operator or a mechanic. So on and so forth.

The trouble comes when the co-op applicant does not know what they would like to do in the ski industry. This is when it become crucial to prob the resorts for what is best for you.

At some resorts, predominantly small resorts, there are programs where you get the opportunity to work in several different departments over the course of the winter. These programs take some time to find as you have to contact many different resorts in order to narrow down which resort offer such a program. (2 resorts I have found that offer such programs are Mount St. Louis Moonstone, ONT. and Vista Ridge, AB)

So before you begin to apply for your co-ops it is recommended that you take a look at where you want to be in the industry and choose smart jobs to support that dream.

Jibfest 2008. What's New This Year?

Every year at Georgian College, Ski Resort Operations students put on a contest. The name of this contest is Jibfest. Jibfest is Ontario's original rail-jam, and has been running since 2003. Jibfest is a completely student run event. The students are in charge of planning and organization, marketing, coarse design and construction, staffing, getting snow, etc.

The main draw to the athletes and spectators is that this contest happens months before first snowfall. Pre-season itches are something every skier and snowboarder has to deal with, and this contest presents the opportunity to scratch the itch.

In years past the design of the course has been relatively simple. Good. But simple. Going back 2 years the design was short and low, a drop in to a single down rail. Last year we organized 2 boxes to be brought in from MSLM (Mount St. Louis Moonstone), and a wider and taller course was erected.

Both of these competitions were a hit, but this year, we think we can do better. Planning is currently under way with talk of a wall-ride being involved as well as both a rail and a box for variety, all on top of artificial stairs made from hay and plywood.

Last year there was a few booths, but this year we plan on getting word out there and convincing more vendors to come and participate in the event. Along with the Vendors we will be offering food tents, and a complimentary tuning/de-tuning and wax station.

The turn out for last years event was good but again, we can do better. We will be advertising earlier than ever before and on more levels. Incentives to come out will still include product giveaways and a good show to boot, as well as the after party which is a lot of fun.

There is still talks of what else will be new this year. But i will guarantee that it will be greater than last years already impressive competition.

An Introduction to the Ski Resort Opperations Program at Georgian College

Welcome to blog entry #1 everyone!

The purpose of this blog is to promote and inform about Georgian Colleges unique Ski Resort Operations program. I say unique because there is only one other college that offers this program in all of Canada, and that school is Selkirk College in Nelson, BC.

The purpose of this coarse is to give students the knowledge and know how to go out into the ski industry and be able to work a high level job with confidence. The students in this coarse are in training to be future managers of ski hills or high level managers. Students in the past have gone on to pioneer companies, pioneer new programs at well known resorts, work as heads of departments, work at product companies design product, etc. the possibilities are endless.

The main draw to the program however isn't the job you will get, or the money that is available to be made, but rather the fact that you will live a fun outdoor life doing something you love. The lifestyle that goes hand in hand with this coarse is a lot of fun which will quickly be realized within the first week of school. The people are great and the events are even greater, And this coarse is for everyone.

"I was snowboarding at a competitive level before I wrecked my knee in a boarder cross race. I wanted to find a post secondary program that is related to the snowboard industry. This program has given me the chance to learn certain business skills related to the snowboard industry and combine them with my on-hill experience of being in a competitive circuit and around special events for many years. I am now graduating and wish to pursue a career in special events planning."

-Tenaya Nash, SRO (2004)

As a student in this coarse you will get the opportunity to run your own events such as Jibfest. Jibfest is Canada's original urban railjam pioneered by our students here at Georgian College. This rail slide competition is a lot of fun and it is entirely student run. Everything from the rain set up and location, the sponsors, the workers, the merchandise, and the after party is all managed by the students in this program.

Another huge draw is the fact that as students studying winter activities, you will get to spend your winters at any number of resorts all over the world. The fully integrated co-op program helps you get the job you want at the resort of your choice. Our partnerships with resorts such as Whistler, Aspen, Blue Mountain, etc, also helps our students out. You will find both Whistler and Aspen coming to the college itself in search for new talent.

By choosing Georgian Colleges Ski Resort Operations you have chosen a fun, exciting, healthy lifestyle. There are lots of fantastic life experiences that follow with this coarse, you just have to go find them.