Becoming a snowboard instructor is possible for anyone who knows how to turn their snowboard and wants to help others do the same.

The first step is deciding on which snowboard instructor certification system makes sense for you. Some of the different systems are:

• CASI-ACMS - Canada
• BASI - Great Britain
• NZSIA - New Zealand
• APSI - Australia
• SSBS - Switzerland
• AASI - United States

While each of these systems were primarily developed to work in their own country, some of them are valid in other parts of the world. Keep reading why we here at SnowboardTeacher love the Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors.

For more in-depth information on CASI snowboard instructor courses, check out our What is CASI-ACMS article.

The best place to start is by choosing where you’d like to work. If your answer is everywhere, then a certification like CASI is a great idea.

CASI snowboard instructor certification is accepted in many different countries worldwide and its courses are delivered in six different countries, at the time of writing this article.

After choosing where you’d like to work, the next step is to check your certification with the governing body of that country. For example, if you want to work in Canada, check with CASI to see if your certification is valid. If not, find out how to make it valid, or look into taking a CASI snowboard instructor course. 

If you plan on taking snowboard instructor courses in the country where you are working, in many cases the governing body will grant you one level of certification lower than what you hold.

For example, if you arrive in Canada with a NZSIA Level 3, then you might be asked to take the CASI Level 3 course as a starting point in that system. You can probably still teach at your local resort with your NZSIA Level 3, but will need to test for CASI Level 3 when taking certification courses in the new system.

The short answer is no, you cannot. Not for money. It always depends on the country, but in Canada you need to have permission from the local resort to teach snowboarding on their property. And in most cases, the local resort will require that you hold a snowboarding instructor certification.

Some countries allow snowboard instructors to work independently of resorts as long as they hold valid certifications. This should always be checked with the local governing body.

Becoming a snowboarding instructor is a fairly straightforward process in most countries. It takes dedication, study and a passion for snowboarding.

To find out if you have what it takes to become a certified snowboarding instructor, check out our article on What Makes a Good Snowboard Instructor.