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Any ski technicians here?

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spiegel
Posts: 945 - Karma: 7
How did you go about getting your job, apprenticeship or taking courses/classes??

Any tips or advice on contacting employers for some sort of apprenticeship?
Nov 30 2009 1:41PM
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steve0
Posts: 1133 - Karma: 1,316
You have to take a class to become certified, and have to retake it I think every other year to keep your certification. I believe it is pretty expensive so usually the shop will pay for it but I supppose you could pay for it yourself and then try and find a shop to hire you. I would recommend trying to find a job at a ski shop and learning a lot about ski equipment before trying to become a ski tech. learn to walk before you try to run.
Nov 30 2009 1:48PM
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spiegel
Posts: 945 - Karma: 7
interesting, never knew how the whole process worked.

I dont think ive ever seen classes being advertised for techs
Nov 30 2009 2:02PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6712 - Karma: 11,442
98% of the time, the shop pays for technicians' certifications/training (it's partly why they charge for mounting your bindings).  Now, how do you get certified?  Usually by moving up the ranks through your local shop you become a service technician, then the shop pays for your training and certification.  If you're young, ask to an intern if they can't pay to hire you- you'll at least yearn the ropes.  Most of the time, techs become techs by just moving through the shop's system.
Nov 30 2009 2:08PM
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BC.
Posts: 1551 - Karma: 86
i worked rentals first, then became a tech.
Nov 30 2009 3:09PM
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Billups
Posts: 3960 - Karma: 329
I started out working in the rental shop. Put in a couple years there and I got picked to be a tech. We went through a lot of training, lots of practice before we were allowed to actually work on customer skis, but after that we were pretty much on our own. Shop provided all the clinics/training we needed and paid for our certifications.
Nov 30 2009 3:29PM
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grown-ninja
Posts: 3031 - Karma: 175
same
Nov 30 2009 3:31PM
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aPoulin
Posts: 65 - Karma: 13
This is what also happend to me. Started working as a rental guy 2 years ago at my home moutain's ski shop and then I ''climbed up the ranks'' of the shop, get my tech friends to show me the basics and stuff and then my boss gave me the trainings to become a tech ( we are sponsored by rossignol so the guys from rossi comes here and we get paid to assist to their training) and we become certified to be technicians.
Nov 30 2009 3:45PM
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ski_ENDUB
Posts: 2535 - Karma: 86
I did rentals and tune-ups in my shop. All you have to do to be certified is take a test which some of the older guys at the shop helped me out with. Never got to mount customers skis though, just base repair, waxing, edge work and such. I think it's every 3 years you have to be recertified. but you have to get separate certifications for each binding company. But the best thing to do is get a job at a ski shop, start at the bottom and learn as much as you can.
Nov 30 2009 4:09PM
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Billups
Posts: 3960 - Karma: 329
Most last 2 years, but it varies by company.
Nov 30 2009 4:11PM
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theblackrod
Posts: 2162 - Karma: 575
same
Nov 30 2009 4:35PM
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C.J.
Posts: 5460 - Karma: 72

There is a nation wide traveling workshop that goes arround every fall. They go over just about anyting and everything ski bindings. They can certify you for any or all binding companies at these workshops.

However we just certify with 2 companies for our mountain, Marker and Salomon.

Nov 30 2009 4:40PM
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