Page 15 - Winter 2018 Journal

Courtesy BASI

“BASI is an exporter of talent, by and large,” explains of these highly qualified people as we can get. Regardless of
Eric Sheckleton, vice president of the Interski Presidium and whether a guest is a beginner or not, I want to put them with
a former chairman of the PSIA-AASI Board of Directors. the best instructor I can find, because highly trained and
BASI’s “exports” are among the most qualified and qualified instructors do better at every level. And because
adaptable instructors in the industry. Level 1 of its four- we’re a destination resort, less than 3 percent of my business
tiered qualification system is geared toward “controlled envi- is beginner lessons. So we’re really looking for expert-level
ronments” like Britain’s indoor snow centers, while its Level career instructors who can do it all, which has turned out to
2 tier is for part-time or seasonal instructors in snowsports be a big ask.”
schools. Level 3 meets—and exceeds—the International Ballou added that, in his experience, BASI instructors
Ski Instructors Association (ISIA) standard, which requires tend to do very well within American ski schools and are in
a second language component. Level 4 is an International alignment with PSIA-AASI. “They have a really engaged
Snowsports Teaching Diploma that meets the rigorous teaching style that is less technically driven than we tend
European Mountain Security standards set for instructors, to see from instructors trained in other European methods,
touring guides, and competition trainers. and that aligns well with what we’re after, which is really
“Because the Level 3 and Level 4 BASI qualifications more about experiential learning and recreational enjoyment
meet the ISIA standard… these instructors come very well than it is about learning to do a World Cup racing turn. But
prepared,” Sheckleton said. “These are really career snow- they’re also qualified to meet the highest European stan-
sports instructors we’re talking about here, and the demand dards, which some of our guests do ask for. BASI Level 4,
for those instructors in a country like France is nearly bot- especially, is an exceptional certification. I’d love to be able
tomless. It’s really getting to be like that in the US now, to hire more of those people.”
too. Any of the top American ski schools would be equally Unfortunately, British instructors looking for work in
delighted to be able to hire these instructors.” the United States are already facing the same visa issues
Jonathan Ballou, managing director of Aspen Skiing as all other foreign instructors, presenting the same bar-
Company’s Ski & Snowboard Schools and a member of the rier to working here that Brexit is expected to put up within
PSIA Alpine National Team, says he’s fortunate to have several the EU in 2019, Ballou said. And it could be about to get
BASI-certified instructors on his Aspen Snowmass Ski School worse, with the Trump administration expected to bring fur-
staff, and would hire 50 more if they had the right visas. ther cuts to the J-1 Work Travel visa program. Visa issues
“We really value that kind of high-end certification and for foreign seasonal employees have been a hindrance on the
we’ll pay highly for it,” Ballou said. “We look for as many US ski industry since before 9/11, got worse immediately

WINTER 2018 | NSAA JOURNAL | 13