Anyone know any tricks to getting an internship in the ski/outdoor industry?

I currently work full time/year round in a position in the outdoor rec industry. Here's how.

Ingredient 1: Grinding out some time at in a seasonal grunt position. My first 'outdoor' job was as a facilities maintenance worker for a raft company. I saw the river twice the whole summer. Just know very few people just change careers into this, you have to put in some time at the bottom.

Ingredient 2: Make sure your supervisor likes you and get to know their supervisor as well. Actually just went and saw my supervisor from that job because well, I like the guy and miss working with him.

Ingredient 3: Accept that you won't have the same lifestyle as your peers who went more traditional routes. This may be a good or bad thing but it's probably both. I literally fundraise my salary for my current job in this area.

Ingredient 4: Getting really lucky. I wouldn't be where I'm at without meeting the right person at the right time and starting a conversation.


Edit: for an internship you better bring an administrative skill set/educational background with you. Closest thing to an internship without that is just being a seasonal worker.

**This post was edited on Apr 15th 2023 at 8:41:52pm

r00kieI currently work full time/year round in a position in the outdoor rec industry. Here's how.

Ingredient 1: Grinding out some time at in a seasonal grunt position. My first 'outdoor' job was as a facilities maintenance worker for a raft company. I saw the river twice the whole summer. Just know very few people just change careers into this, you have to put in some time at the bottom.

Ingredient 2: Make sure your supervisor likes you and get to know their supervisor as well. Actually just went and saw my supervisor from that job because well, I like the guy and miss working with him.

Ingredient 3: Accept that you won't have the same lifestyle as your peers who went more traditional routes. This may be a good or bad thing but it's probably both. I literally fundraise my salary for my current job in this area.

Ingredient 4: Getting really lucky. I wouldn't be where I'm at without meeting the right person at the right time and starting a conversation.


Edit: for an internship you better bring an administrative skill set/educational background with you. Closest thing to an internship without that is just being a seasonal worker.

**This post was edited on Apr 15th 2023 at 8:41:52pm

What does it mean to fundraise your salary? I’m just curious I don’t hate the player

CaseyWhat does it mean to fundraise your salary? I’m just curious I don’t hate the player

I work for a nonprofit. So before I started I worked with my supervisor to set a budget goal and I went out and found people who are willing to financially support the work I'm doing.

So I guess I should clarify. I am looking for something more managerial rather than say liftie or something like that.

pow_boy3.14So I guess I should clarify. I am looking for something more managerial rather than say liftie or something like that.

Are in in school? If so what is your major? Have you worked in the outdoor rec industry before?

r00kieI work for a nonprofit. So before I started I worked with my supervisor to set a budget goal and I went out and found people who are willing to financially support the work I'm doing.

The more I learn about non profits the more I realize I need a piece of the action. It’s like the main instrument rich people use to not pay taxes and here I am taking it on the chin every year like a loser.

CaseyThe more I learn about non profits the more I realize I need a piece of the action. It’s like the main instrument rich people use to not pay taxes and here I am taking it on the chin every year like a loser.

well good news, you sound rich! "i should get into non-profit work... for tax avoidance purposes"

SofaKingSickwell good news, you sound rich! "i should get into non-profit work... for tax avoidance purposes"

If you're not avoiding as much taxes as possible you're getting fleeced.

ASSholebomber22If you're not avoiding as much taxes as possible you're getting fleeced.

won't hear me disagreeing with that dog, i said avoidance not evasion. and some of my friends are scientists who work on soft money so i'm a little familiar with wealthy folks giving grants and shit rather than to the taxman. win-win in a lot of scenarios

SofaKingSickwell good news, you sound rich! "i should get into non-profit work... for tax avoidance purposes"

No I have a job already I’m just a regular everyday normal guy. I’m just realizing slowly that it’s legal to funnel all your income through some bullshit 501 c3 you set up for whatever scam of your choice, only like 5 percent of a charity has to go to the actual charity and the rest is deductible as overhead. You don’t have to be rich you just have to know how to play the game

OP is an internship required for your education? I don't know anyone who has had an internship in the ski industry who's stayed in the industry for much time. Usually you start as an instructor/liftie/park crew or whatever and if you're dumb/passionate enough you stay in the industry long enough to have a job that pays close to a living wage.

Send emails, utilize school connections. You’ve got to chase them and think outside the box sometimes but they’re there. Generally, bigger companies will be more cagey about internships just fyi.

Ok so I think I should clarify what I mean by internship in the ski industry. By "ski/outdoor industry" I not talking about liftie, etc. What I mean is for example working in a management/marketing/information technology p at a company that dabbles in that stuff. For example: working for an internal position at like North Face, Black Diamond, etc. It's not required for school, but I want to broaden my skillset and get better at working with others/make (real) friends. I'm pretty passionate about that stuff and I think the people might be my type, though I will have to look closely.

BradFiAusNzCoCaSend emails, utilize school connections. You’ve got to chase them and think outside the box sometimes but they’re there. Generally, bigger companies will be more cagey about internships just fyi.

^^ this is so true. I've been to networking events and sent out lots of emails. School can't do everything though so I just want to see if I can fix what i'm doing.

pow_boy3.14Ok so I think I should clarify what I mean by internship in the ski industry. By "ski/outdoor industry" I not talking about liftie, etc. What I mean is for example working in a management/marketing/information technology p at a company that dabbles in that stuff. For example: working for an internal position at like North Face, Black Diamond, etc. It's not required for school, but I want to broaden my skillset and get better at working with others/make (real) friends. I'm pretty passionate about that stuff and I think the people might be my type, though I will have to look closely.

The point is, if you want one of those jobs eventually you often have to start at the bottom and stay involved while making those connections.

utahnewb^^ this is so true. I've been to networking events and sent out lots of emails. School can't do everything though so I just want to see if I can fix what i'm doing.

Use job sites to try setting up a recurring search for jobs with keywords "intern" in your area. Have it send you a weekly email. Other than using university programs or knowing someone to get an in, you could try starting at the bottom as folks have said. There's plenty of those entry level jobs in/around slc just by taking a quick internet search. It's not ideal but starting at the bottom in school is the perfect time to do it. You can get a lot of experience in different roles and get to understand the operations. Then use that experience to leverage yourself into more advanced positions.

I'll give you two examples:

-CEO of Lowes started at Target as a security guard.
-My barber back home, his brother started as a stock boy at a grocery store. Eventually made his way up to a VP level position at a big snack food corporation.


Also don't feel as if you have to have this stuff right away. Many people spend decades building their own personal brand before they "make it". Could also try reaching out to the orange names on here.


Edit: also could volunteer places. That could get you good experience, pad your resume/CV, help make real connections (unlike the often phony ones from conferences and shit), and maybe even open the door to better opportunities.

**This post was edited on May 15th 2023 at 1:38:28pm

CaseyNo I have a job already I’m just a regular everyday normal guy. I’m just realizing slowly that it’s legal to funnel all your income through some bullshit 501 c3 you set up for whatever scam of your choice, only like 5 percent of a charity has to go to the actual charity and the rest is deductible as overhead. You don’t have to be rich you just have to know how to play the game

thats not exactly how it works... but I like the enthusiasm


OP:

Step 1: Dont
Step 2: Get a high paying job that requires little to no effort to sustain
Step 3: Volunteer to get your virtue fix
Step 4: Literally profit

Reality is industry jobs pay horribly and are weirdly competitive for the lack of pay. Better off going corporate at a vail/boyne/burton than anything more "core" and even then the pay sucks and you'll probably leave.


We exchange our labor for income which in turn buys freedom. Dont make the mistake of exchanging all of that time for too little income and not having any freedom. Skiing 1 day a week while eating ramen and having an industry job sucks if the alternative is still laboring all week anyway, getting 2 days to ski, and doing it on brand new skis and a burger for lunch.


This from a corporate "sell out" who still skis more than anyone I know IN the industry, goes to better mountains, has the newest gear, surfs all the time, and works ~40 hours a week at a mindless drone job making six figures. Haters gonna hate, but my material comforts are worth it, and the lifestyle sacrifice is pretty minimal