A group of skiers in red and black gear, including helmets and goggles, stand together smiling on a sunny, snow-covered mountain with a resort and chairlifts visible in the background.

Get one step ahead of the rest

Instructor Training Centre

Cardrona and Treble Cone’s Instructor Training Centre puts you at the very centre of New Zealand’s busiest and most successful snow sports school, guaranteeing you the best start to your instructing career. Come and train with our world-class trainers, hand-picked from New Zealand and around the globe. We're focused on your success, where you take it from there is up to you! You're guaranteed fun along the way!

World-class training awaits

Instructor Training Programmes

Choose your training based on your desired level, duration, and style.

Ski/ Snowboard

Programme

Level 1

Winter 2025 Coming Soon

  • Choose 6 days of training in June or 8 days in July

  • For those looking to pass their NZSIA/ SBINZ Level 1 certification

  • Paid internships available for June starts

  • Unlimited shadowing experience

Ski/ Snowboard

Programme

Level 2

Winter 2025 Coming Soon

  • 6 week course, 4 days per week

  • For those already with NZSIA/SBINZ Level 1 or international equivalent

  • Set yourself up with opportunities for work in NZ and overseas

  • Unlimited shadowing experience

Ski/ Snowboard

Programme

Level 1 & 2

Winter 2025 Coming Soon

  • 10 week course, 4 days per week

  • Choose to start in June or July

  • For those looking to pass NZSIA/ SBINZ Level 1 and 2 certifications

  • Paid internships available for June starts

  • Our best value ITC course

Weekend Warrior

Programme

Level 1 & 2

Winter 2025 Coming Soon

  • 6 Saturdays of intensive training

  • Perfect for personal development or training towards your NZSIA/SBINZ Level 1 or 2

  • Fit around your work or study, weekends only

  • Work as an instructor in NZ and overseas

Ski/ Snowboard

Programme

Level 3

Winter 2025 Coming Soon

  • 6 weeks course, 4 days per week

  • Work as an instructor alongside training

  • Must have NZSIA/SBINZ Level 2 or international equivalent

  • Shadow lessons & work with top trainers

Ski/ Snowboard

Programme

Freestyle / Freeride

Winter 2025 Coming Soon

  • Up to 6 week course, 1 day per week

  • Two options available

  • 1 week development course

  • Work towards Freestyle certifications

Two skiers in red and black outfits race down a freshly groomed slope, leaning into their turns and kicking up snow as they carve, with a ski lift and snowy peak in the background.

Why choose Instructor Training Centre?

Step out of the ordinary and turn your love for the mountains into a career with the Cardrona x Treble Cone Instructor Training Centre. This isn’t just a course - it’s the start of your next big adventure.

Train with world-class coaches in one of the most stunning alpine environments, while building the skills and connections you need to launch your snow sports career. With ITC graduates making up 30% of our Snow Sports School team - from rookie instructors to trainers and managers - we know what it takes to help you succeed.

Our goal? To create the best new instructors in the industry. When resorts see ITC on your résumé, they’ll know they’re hiring someone exceptional.

A snowboarder, wearing a black helmet and red jacket, leans sharply into the snow as they carve through a slope, creating a spray of snow in their wake.

What's Included

  • Training: 4 days a week of training with top trainers and examiners from around the world including NZSIA, SBINZ, PSIA, AASI, CSIA and BASI.

  • Intern opportunities: Unlimited shadowing opportunities are included with every course. There are even paid intern positions available on some courses.

  • Season pass: A dual mountain unlimited pass is included in your course (Level 1 and/or 2 courses only).

  • ITC jacket: Feel like a real member of the team with our sweet ITC Burton Jacket.

  • NZSIA membership: All NZSIA membership fees and manuals are included.

  • NZSIA course fees: On our Level 1 and 2 courses, we've done the work for you and included the cost of the exams you'll be working towards. On Level 3 we've left it to you to decide if the exam is your goal.

  • Locker: A locker for the duration of your course.

  • Benefits: Equipment advice and benefits through Cardrona Treble Cone's retail outlets and affiliated partners.

  • Optional Add on: Accommodation and transport add ons available. Training also available towards Freestyle Certifications.

Three skiers in matching red and black outfits stand on a snow-covered mountain, holding ski poles and conversing, with misty valleys and distant snowcapped peaks in the background.

Otago Polytechnic

We consider this as the ultimate instructor training course in the world. Run through the Otago Polytechnic and delivered by Instructor Training Centre, it’s the only industry-based programme of its kind.

Cardrona employs all Otago Polytechnic snowboard and ski students as instructors at the beginning of the season, then training is designed to prepare students to teach within the school as soon as possible. Once they are ready to start teaching, training becomes integrated with the teaching experience. The students are treated as our team and have all the benefits of enrolling in tertiary education in New Zealand. The course covers a huge curriculum, and the outcomes are far wider than any other instructor training course.

  • The New Zealand Certificate in Introductory Snowschool Instruction (Applied), Level 4 (Snowboard or Ski)

  • Level 1 certification

  • Formal teaching hours

  • Snow school employment reference

  • 17 weeks of training

  • Season Pass

  • Lift line priority

"Better than I could ever have imagined"

Training at the Cardrona Instructor Training Centre was better than I could ever have imagined! Working with some of the best trainers in the world had dramatic effects on my skiing. With their guidance, I passed both my NZSIA Lev...

Freddie Wilkinson

A skier performs a mid-air trick over a snowy slope, with red markers highlighting the edges of the jump, set against a bright, overcast sky.

Frequently
Asked Questions

You will need to check what the requirements are for your passport. Most courses can be done with a visitor visa or an NZeTA. Check details here.

If you are applying for a course which includes the option to work as an instructor, you will need to have rights to work in NZ. Unless you hold a NZ or Australian passport you would need to have a Working Holiday Visa. You can check your countries WHV here.

You will need your own skis or snowboard and well fitted ski or snowboard boots. Having the right equipment is important for these courses, it can significantly impact your experience and success. It's important to ensure that all your equipment is well tuned. We have a workshop on mountain who can help with this.

We offer transport as an optional extra to all our level 1 and 2 courses. This is available for all training days. Past students have also rented or purchased cars for the season. This helps you make the most of your days off from training, whether to head up the hill and shadow, explore the local area or head off on an adventure to other resorts.

All our ITC trainers are epic. Our training team is home to current and ex Tech Team members who have represented their nation on a world stage. Some of our trainers have even graduated through ITC themselves! You'll get a chance to meet all the trainers at the Orientation Day and Welcome Evening. Usually held the day before the course starts, these are a great opportunity to ask some questions and ease those first day nerves.

We offer accommodation as an optional extra on all our courses. Most rooms are at The Brownston in Wanaka, twin room hostel style accommodation.

Course spots are sold on a first come first serve basis to all eligible candidates. There is no cut off to sign up. While highly unlikely, if there was a spot available the week before the course starts then we would happily welcome you into the crew. We offer payment plans to help spread the course, and the earlier you sign up the more we are able to spread this.

There is a programme out there that suits you perfectly. Are you looking to start your career as an instructor? Already qualified and want to get to the next level, or just looking for improvement to be the best you can be? Figure out your 'why' and give us a shout to help itc@cardrona-treblecone.com.

Still need some help? Get in touch using our

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What’s happening at Cardrona and Treble Cone?

Events

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Snow Sports School

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