We’re excited that you’re considering joining the Northern Rocky Mountain Region of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI)! Your membership unlocks a mountain of educational and career-advancement opportunities; members have exclusive access to the hundreds of clinics we offer every year. It also allows you to pursue certification as an instructor, which is an important milestone in your snowsports career. Our members enjoy many other benefits as well, explained in detail on the Membership Benefits page.
Certification is one of the most crucial parts of advancing your career as an instructor. You may become certified in any of our disciplines (Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Telemark Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Adaptive Skiing, and Adaptive Snowboarding), and there are three levels of certification available in each discipline.
Assessment-based certificate programs are also available in our specialties: Children’s Specialist, Freestyle Skiing/Snowboarding, and Senior Teaching.
Your membership with PSIA-AASI Northern Rocky Mountain also includes a membership with the National organization, which allows any certifications and certificates you earn to transfer to all of the other regions of PSIA-AASI. These credentials are recognized by Member Schools across the country, allowing you to easily demonstrate your experience in teaching snowsports.
It is important to remember that the only legal and safe way to teach skiing is as an employee of a ski area. Teaching “underground” as an independent instructor is illegal nationwide, and people who do so are at risk of being found liable for damages if their client is injured. Additionally, instructors caught teaching “underground” lessons are typically given a lifetime ban from that ski area and are often subject to legal action or prosecution.
For information on ski areas that are recruiting instructors, visit the National Job Board.
How to Join
To join PSIA-AASI Northern Rocky Mountain and the National organization, either complete the online application (preferred) or contact the NRM Region office via our contact form or by phone at 406-581-6139.
Important: Applications take a couple of days to process. You will need to wait until you receive your welcome letter via email before you can register for clinics and assessments or enjoy your other membership benefits.
What’s Next After I Join?
Check out our New Member Guide for more information about all of the opportunities you have as a PSIA-AASI Northern Rocky Mountain member.