AASI Northwest Division Certification Guide.

[Snow Wolf]

For anyone who is interested in learning more about AASI certification process and exams, here is a link to the official ASSI certification handbook. This will give you the information you need to know exactly what is involved with each cert level. While this is for the Northwest Division, I would think the standards, proceedures and fees are fairly standard throughout the country. I am level1 and am hoping to go for my level 2 this upcoming season after I attend a few summer clinics on Mt. Hood and improve my riding to level 2 standards. Good luck to anyone who is going to go for it this season...it is very rewarding and it really makes you change your own riding style and break old, bad habits.

http://www.intergate.com/~cccp/document/aasi-nw.pdf

[capita_bitch]

Actually the standards, procedures and fees are pretty different in each division. Especially from West to East.

Make sure you check with your division, you would be surprised how different each divisions certifications and exams are. So check with your division. NW and Rocky Mountain have the best pre-exam study guides to look at while you are training for your certifications.

Above all, get to know the examiners and train for any exams you take. Showing up cold turkey to any exam above level I will get you nowhere and you will waste your money and your examiners time.

[Snow Wolf]

Good points, especially for Level 2 and 3...I guess the Level 3 is really tough...I know I have to really prepare to take my Level 2 this year....so is it more expensive for the exams in the east? What about the riding standards? I would have though it would have been more standardized.

[capita_bitch]

Each division determines their own riding standards. So in the NW ours are similiar but different than the NE. Each division writes their own, usually including all the TD's and Examiners to help decide. I know, cause i was present writing the recent exam standards. They are different because you have different examiners and training directors writing each certification.

Level III takes years to accomplish, to develop your teaching and riding skills that advanced does takes years.

In the east, certification usually requires clinics or prerequisites to be completed before taking the exams...like aasi classes and clinics. The east coast has a three day course, the NW has a two day course. Written exams are different, in the NW you complete the written before you can sign up for the exam. In the East you take the written during the exam.


Cost is also different.

Pretty much every division is different, yes they are all run by aasi but each determines their own stuff.

[zayler]

What's the requirement to become a beginner level instructor at a resort? I'm in the NE.

[Snow Wolf]

Unless it is drastically different in the NE, what you need to do is find the mountain you want to work at and inquire with them about signing up as an entry level instructor this fall...usually they have a job fair or other such thing. You will become trained by the Training Director (TD) and will be doing likely all first time snowboarders...sounds sort of bad, but it is actually a lot of fun. Now in the NW, after 10 hours of logged teaching, you are eligible to take the exam for AASI level 1. Our division did require at least one level 1 prep clinic...about 2 hours on snow with a designated instructor...usually a level 2 or higher. Again, in the NW if your resort has an instructor who is a deisgnated examiner, you can take the riding exam right at your home mountain. The written test for us was 40 question T/F and multi choice with an additional page specific to Mt. Hood Meadows (25 essay questions)...yours may and will likely be a little different. Level 1 is very easy to pass since PSIA-AASI wants more bodies in the system to pay dues...so they make level 1 easy to get you in the system. Like Capita is saying...Level 2 makes you really have to know what you`re doing both on the board and how to teach. Of note....simply being a great shredder who can rip up a terrain park is`nt enough...the examiners are looking for "proper" body movement and technique...so when attenending clinic be open minded and don`t be insulted when another instructor critiques your riding style......eveybody wants you to succeed. Here is the direct link to AASI Eastern Division, spend some time surfing their site, they have a lot of information to offer......best of luck and feel free to ask any questions and let us know how you do!

http://www.psia-e.org/

[capita_bitch]

zaylor,
It's too early to talk to your mountain because most of the TD's don't have year round jobs. Come September start checking your mountains employee opportunities site and you should see instructor jobs start popping up. They usually do the hiring in October and most resorts have job fairs as well around that time.

Personally, see how you do teaching before you start thinking about level I exam. Then think about you and if it's worth it for you to get certified. You pay annual dues once certified and have to take clinics every year or every two years so it is a time and cost committment. Not everyone needs to get certified, especially if you are just teaching for fun and still learning. Certification is great for pay increases and moving to other resorts. But just starting out, work on becoming a good instructor and see where that goes.