Turning a love for winter into a career

Despite its frosty personality, winter does have several faithful fans. And some have managed to turn their passion for the snowy season into a meaningful and fun career.

Two of Georgian’s Snow Resort Operations (SRO) alumni share their reasons for loving all that winter has to offer.

Courtney Payne, graduated in 2008 and found work in her home town of Huntsville as the Communications and Events Manager at Muskoka Ski Club and Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area.

Has winter always been one of your favourite seasons? Definitely. Growing up in Muskoka, I spent a lot of time outdoors, year round. I was lucky to spend my weekends on the ski hill and fell in love with winter just as much as I fell in love with skiing. Winter to me means skiing, ski friends, holidays, family time, cozy socks and lots of hot chocolate! So yes, I’m a fan.

What are some of your favourite winter pastimes? Other than skiing and snowboarding, I’m a big fan of cross-country skiing. The solitude of hitting the numerous trails in the area is a great way to unwind.

Why did you choose the SRO program at Georgian? It offered the opportunity to take the experience I already had in the industry, fine tune it, and provided me with a college diploma to take to future employers.

What’s one of your most memorable Georgian moments? Working with the other SRO students on the annual JibFest competition. It’s a ski/snowboard rail slide competition where riders showcase their talent and abilities to a panel of judges. As part of our curriculum, SRO students are required to manage and run the event. It was hard work, but lots of fun!

What skills did you acquire at Georgian that helped you in the industry? Having the co-op opportunities really helped. I did both my co-ops in Ontario – one at Mount. St Louis Moonstone and the other at Hidden Valley. Choosing smaller resorts close to home was really beneficial as I was able to move around and gain experience in multiple departments. Not just working in the Snow School, where my previous experience came from.

Also, the opportunity to go on a paid co-op made school much more affordable and enabled me to come back to the classroom each spring refreshed and full of new ideas.

What do you love most about your current job? Working with different people and the ever-changing events. It’s always on the go and quick thinking, fixing things. Plus, I get to ski all winter long!

How would you encourage people to embrace the snowy weather? Find something to do outside. Bundle up, grab some friends and go for a hike, ice fishing or snowmobiling. Of course, skiing or snowboarding are also great choices.

Is there anything on your winter bucket list? Powder skiing in Japan or somewhere exotic like Northern Africa where you wouldn’t normally associate skiing.

Barrie native Rob Greenop graduated in 2011 and works as the Assistant Repair Manager for SilverStar Mountain Resort in Vernon, British Columbia.

Have you always been a fan of winter? Yes! I was Nordic skiing and playing hockey from a young age before I discovered snowboarding and skiing, so I always looked forward to winter. I’ve been snowboarding for 22 years now and skiing for 20.

I spend most of my time on my snowboard but still get out on the skis a few days each year. Fat biking and Nordic skiing can be a nice change as well during some of the stretches without new snow.

Why did you choose Georgian’s SRO program? I was already at Georgian taking electrical engineering and was enjoying the program but just couldn’t see myself doing that for the rest of my life. I realized I needed to turn my hobbies into a career somehow, so I started looking at what my options were. I was looking over the programs Georgian offered and found SRO. It seemed like the perfect fit!

What’s your most memorable moment at Georgian? To be honest, I can’t really pick just one. My top ones would be our two whitewater rafting trips to Wilderness Tours outside Ottawa. Everything about the trips was awesome!

Some of my best memories from my two years at Georgian are with the people I met! SRO showed me how to make a living year round doing things I love in a place I love.

Did you find the program helpful when you began your job search after graduation? I think it helped for sure. In an industry with so much turnover that comes with lots of seasonal and international workers, having a diploma shows companies you have a passion for the industry and are looking to make a career out of it.

I received a really good work experience during my first co-op at Horseshoe Resort. Being a smaller resort, I was able to work in several different areas and got to be involved ina lots of events. The highlight was getting to ride with the groomer driver overnight, building a slope-style course.

What do you love most about your current job? Working in an industry I’m passionate about and being able to help people enjoy their passion. Living 1,600 metres up a mountain and only having to walk 30 metres to the ski runs and bike trails isn’t so bad either.

How would you encourage people to embrace the snowy weather? Spend the money on good winter clothing! Nothing is going to be fun if you’re freezing.

What’s on your winter activity bucket list? I think heli-skiing is probably at the top of the list, followed by a big trip around Europe.

Wondering what to do if you can’t make it to class due to poor weather this winter? Read Georgian’s campus closure procedure.