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Staffing at Ski Resorts: '21/'22

SallyCat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I really think the main reason for this type of shortage is simply that people didn't sit around and wait for their jobs to come back when places closed down. They went out and found new (and better) opportunity. With constant opening/closing/restrictions, the service industry is at a disadvantage. Anyone who found work that provided better pay, benefits, and work from home environment, is not going to be going back to the uncertainty of work and low pay.

I don't know about other states, but here in Vermont the state has been offering free tuition for community college and career certificate programs, as well as areas of need (health care professions, e.g.). I had my advanced-EMT licensure course fully paid for and am taking Anat & Phys through the community college for free.

When I talked to the admissions counselor, she said the the demand was so high for CC admission statewide that they had to limit it to people who don't already have degrees. And even then, there are extra sources of COVID-related funding for anyone who wants to take classes. Because of those opportunities, an awful lot of people are going to have far better career opportunities than they did before COVID.

Last year, I know that mountains sometimes had to close at the last minute because they didn't have enough ski patrollers on that day. I reckon that vaccine mandates and just not wanting to deal with enforcing mask-wearing and the craziness of angry/rude customers is probably going to keep a fair number of patrollers away this year.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Last year, I know that mountains sometimes had to close at the last minute because they didn't have enough ski patrollers on that day. I reckon that vaccine mandates and just not wanting to deal with enforcing mask-wearing and the craziness of angry/rude customers is probably going to keep a fair number of patrollers away this year.
I was hoping these would be folks who were onboard with vaccination and had been vaccinated already. Last year they were on the early list to get vaccinated in most places, and I know a lot at Sunday River did that, but will be interesting to see how that goes.

I imagine they didn't love having to spend their time enforcing mask mandates in lines, I feel like the vast majority of guests I witnessed were respectful, but I know some weren't as well, especially early on.

It's not really clear still whether mask mandates will be a thing outside in lines again, is it? I kind of assume it will happen again, but I also think it might be more difficult to enforce this year with it not being enforced everywhere else anymore like it was last year. I think inside is a given, but outside I'm very curious about..
 

elemmac

Angel Diva
I don't know about other states, but here in Vermont the state has been offering free tuition for community college and career certificate programs, as well as areas of need (health care professions, e.g.). I had my advanced-EMT licensure course fully paid for and am taking Anat & Phys through the community college for free.

When I talked to the admissions counselor, she said the the demand was so high for CC admission statewide that they had to limit it to people who don't already have degrees. And even then, there are extra sources of COVID-related funding for anyone who wants to take classes. Because of those opportunities, an awful lot of people are going to have far better career opportunities than they did before COVID.
This is so awesome! In order to survive, a lot of low-paying industries are going to have to restructure and reassess their business models. Short term, it's going to hurt a lot of industries (ski industry as one of them) and the economy in general. But in the long run, I really think this could turn into a good thing and be one step forward in raising the working-class up.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Read an interesting article in the September edition of the SAM Magazine (Ski Area Management) yesterday. It was probably written during July or August when Delta was just beginning to cause surges in multiple states. Apparently the idea of requiring ski area/resort employees to be vaccinated was being considered by the ski industry long before that there it seemed likely that there would be a federal rule related to any private companies in the travel and leisure business having to require vaccination for employees.

SAM did a self-reporting survey of ski resort staff in answer to one question: "How would you feel if your resort required staff to get the Covid vaccine?" Undoubtedly not a random sample, but probably not that far off of what employees knowledgeable enough to know SAM exists are thinking.

30% - Great! It's the only way I'd work there
58% - I'd feel safer at work
4% - Not thrilled, but I'd get it
8% - I'd quit

Not surprisingly, the reactions quoted from senior management depended on region.

Aspen noted that they had plans to require vaccination that were developed weeks ago. They just were waiting until the fall to make a public announcement.

September 15, 2021
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Read an interesting article in the September edition of the SAM Magazine (Ski Area Management) yesterday. It was probably written during July or August when Delta was just beginning to cause surges in multiple states. Apparently the idea of requiring ski area/resort employees to be vaccinated was being considered by the ski industry long before that there it seemed likely that there would be a federal rule related to any private companies in the travel and leisure business having to require vaccination for employees.

SAM did a self-reporting survey of ski resort staff in answer to one question: "How would you feel if your resort required staff to get the Covid vaccine?" Undoubtedly not a random sample, but probably not that far off of what employees knowledgeable enough to know SAM exists are thinking.

30% - Great! It's the only way I'd work there
58% - I'd feel safer at work
4% - Not thrilled, but I'd get it
8% - I'd quit

Not surprisingly, the reactions quoted from senior management depended on region.

Aspen noted that they had plans to require vaccination that were developed weeks ago. They just were waiting until the fall to make a public announcement.

September 15, 2021

Those are encouraging results, better than the general population for sure.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Those are encouraging results, better than the general population for sure.
I would hope that most people who want to work at a ski resort are pretty aware than any outbreak could mean the place would get shut down by the local public health department, at least for a few days. Wouldn't be good publicity in any case.

Last season it wasn't easy to enforce mask usage, but the employees did their best even if they didn't necessarily understand why the rules existed. Probably no different with vaccination.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
But in the long run, I really think this could turn into a good thing and be one step forward in raising the working-class up.
Agreed! And hooray!

There was an article in the NYTimes, I think, about how having people do that work so cheaply benefits the rest of us - we get cheap fast food, cheaper food all around (than most people in the world), fast fashion, etc. Prices of all sorts of consumer goods will go up if we pay everybody a living wage.

But it's terrible that we would be happy with our cheap consumer goods at the expense of single moms who have to work three jobs to feed their kids.
 

fgor

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Interesting that the US ski areas might have trouble with staffing as well. The NZ fields are suffering a lot in that aspect but it's more expected - a lot of our more skilled ski workers are based overseas and just come for 6 months a year, and our borders are pretty dang closed, with visas now very hard to come by.

Chatting to local instructors, it sounds like they're expecting it to be the same next season. The skilled instructors I know (who have been returning to the same area for years, pre-covid) aren't sure if they'll be able to get into the country to work here next season, and are expecting to have to enter a visa lottery system.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Interesting that the US ski areas might have trouble with staffing as well. The NZ fields are suffering a lot in that aspect but it's more expected - a lot of our more skilled ski workers are based overseas and just come for 6 months a year, and our borders are pretty dang closed, with visas now very hard to come by.
American destination ski resorts and even some ski areas that cater more to locals have been depending on young adults using J-1 visas for years. A lot come from S. America. They work the winter season, then backpack around the USA for a few months before going home.

In 2020, J-1 visas were banned just at the time ski resorts would normally be recruiting J-1 employees. That ban is no longer in place as of April 2021.

There is also another visa, H1B, that is sometimes used for very experienced ski instructors by destination resorts. I saw that Aspen is not going to do any H1B applications for the upcoming season. Probably because they aren't counting on the border to be open for S. American guests any time soon.

There are hundreds of American ski areas besides the well known destination resorts that international travelers are aware of because of Ikon and Epic. All of them are competing for seasonal staff. It's been an ongoing issue for years. The pandemic has simply made the situation even more complicated for HR, whether that's a department with several people or the GM and senior department managers do the interviews themselves.
 

Iwannaski

Angel Diva
One observation on the flex-workforce situation.

Folks who used to take on seasonal work because it was a source of money have more options, and the seasonal work traditional market has not evolved to compete. My friend’s son was home from college and could have gotten a grocery store job or a golf-course job, etc. Instead, he chose to drive DoorDash. he was clearing 26-29 bucks/hour, and had full flexibility.

Wanted to hang with friends? Cool. Wanted to sleep in? Cool. Wanted to make money? Cool.

Why would anyone who could do that take on a job working for a consistently abusive boss (which many are) in a role that pays less?

I’m not saying this is good for anyone, it just was eye opening to me regarding the current labor situation.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
One of the points made in SAM was that there are places where most of the seasonal staff don't ski/board. Meaning they are really even interested in trying. So the perk of a free season pass is meaningless. That would seem to apply more to smaller resorts in the midwest or east than in the west.
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
One observation on the flex-workforce situation.

Folks who used to take on seasonal work because it was a source of money have more options, and the seasonal work traditional market has not evolved to compete. My friend’s son was home from college and could have gotten a grocery store job or a golf-course job, etc. Instead, he chose to drive DoorDash. he was clearing 26-29 bucks/hour, and had full flexibility.

Wanted to hang with friends? Cool. Wanted to sleep in? Cool. Wanted to make money? Cool.

Why would anyone who could do that take on a job working for a consistently abusive boss (which many are) in a role that pays less?

I’m not saying this is good for anyone, it just was eye opening to me regarding the current labor situation.

A friend of mine's son is doing just this. On a bike none the less. He's on the Canadian Freestyle Team, so he's here, he's not, so the flex thing works great for him. I'm jealous, they are in Switzerland training on the glacier right now.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
It's not just Aspen Ski Co. that is requiring employees to be vaccinated, it's also the Aspen hospital. Pitkin County is likely to have a mask mandate soon. The vaccination rate is already around 90% for both current employees of ASC and the Aspen hospital.

September 15, 2012
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
One of the points made in SAM was that there are places where most of the seasonal staff don't ski/board. Meaning they are really even interested in trying. So the perk of a free season pass is meaningless. That would seem to apply more to smaller resorts in the midwest or east than in the west.

This is very true, I’m always surprised how many people work in a ski town who have no desire to ever actually ski.

We are at Sunday River for an event this weekend and saw signs that new this season you can choose a $1000 bonus OR free pass. Hopefully that might help entice the non skiers.
 

contesstant

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It'll be interesting to see if my husband is offered higher pay to teach this year (he's a ski instructor with 30 years experience.) Last year, he went back after a two year hiatus and they didn't offer the same benefits of a free pass for me. That didn't sit well with me. A pass costs them nothing. He never had a dependent pass in the 8+ years he'd taught there because he had no dependents. Meanwhile, other employees got passes for their entire family of 6+.

If there was ever a time for underpaid workers to start demanding more, it's now.
 

Polly

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don't know where this info comes from, but I've heard that ski schools everywhere will be expecting staffing issues this upcoming season. I'd like to hear that it isn't the case and that I've been misinformed. I don't know why they are expecting fewer ski instructors to want to teach this season, unless it's continuing worries about Covid.

Has anybody else heard this or know more about it?
I’ve heard this, too, randomly from folks who work in the industry. It appears the remaining reason is COVID but maybe with some recently announced policies that’ll change. I was hoping to instruct at Alpine Meadows and I told them I don’t want the money, I just want to dedicate some time to do it and to get my certs. I’d volunteer. After hearing them complain about lack of staff and how tough it was, how they were desperate for instructors, they refused me because I insist on heading to NY to be with my mother on Xmas. So lol I no longer take any of these lack of instructors things seriously if they were refusing a free person minus two weeks over the holidays.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I’ve heard this, too, randomly from folks who work in the industry. It appears the remaining reason is COVID but maybe with some recently announced policies that’ll change. I was hoping to instruct at Alpine Meadows and I told them I don’t want the money, I just want to dedicate some time to do it and to get my certs. I’d volunteer. After hearing them complain about lack of staff and how tough it was, how they were desperate for instructors, they refused me because I insist on heading to NY to be with my mother on Xmas. So lol I no longer take any of these lack of instructors things seriously if they were refusing a free person minus two weeks over the holidays.
That IS ridiculous! I know holidays are important, but if they’re that desperate for help.. beggars can’t be choosers. Especially free help, geez.
 

Polly

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
That IS ridiculous! I know holidays are important, but if they’re that desperate for help.. beggars can’t be choosers. Especially free help, geez.
Yeah I was really surprised and to be honest, off-put. I heard it’s rather normal for them to refuse you if you cant work over the Xmas holiday so scratch all that for me!
 

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