PROGRAM START MONTHS
January, April, June, September
*Program starts can be flexible, speak to an advisor for more information
LENGTH OF STUDY
605 full time hours within 12 months
CREDITS
24
CREDENTIAL
Diploma
Cytech technical one and two
Accredited by Government of B.C. Private Training Institutes Branch (PTIB).
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This program teaches the basic fundamental skills necessary to become a part of the summer and winter outdoor tourism industry. Skill sets emphasized include snow safety, ski, snowboard, trail building, survival and winter camping. Students will be equipped to enter the retail, manufacturing and outdoor industry on an entry level. Note that this program replaces the previous Retail Manufacturing Manager Program.
In addition, through the bicycle mechanic course they will receive Internationally recognized Cytech Certification Students have an option to select either Principles of Digital Marketing and Media or Experiential Leadership and Guiding to include in their Mountain Sport Technician Program Diploma. Note that students selecting Experiential Leadership will be required to pay for WB lift access for up to 4 days of the course (not included in tuition)
(Students who wish to take a course as an individual course are welcome to do so. Upon course completion students receive a course certificate for their individual course. For details see Course Pages.)
WHO IS IT FOR?
A program suited to a student seeking to learn more about mountain sports and the retail manufacturing industry, ideally those interested in Snow/Bike/Outdoor industries. No prior experience is needed but a passion for practical learning is beneficial.
Interested in finding out more about our gap year programs? Check out our student gap year page.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this program the successful student will have reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Utilize skills fundamental in the basic relationship of retail and manufacturing as it relates to the Snowsport and Biking industry.
- Identify opportunities within the Biking and Snowsport industry to create products and businesses people desire.
- Create the steps necessary to start a new business within the industry.
- Develop a working knowledge of retail and manufacturing terminology, trends, and strategies.
- Demonstrate workflow models for trail building with safety of workers in practice.
- Demonstrate proper trail building construction techniques.
CERTIFICATIONS OBTAINED
- Program Diploma
POSSIBLE CAREER OCCUPATIONS
- Trail Builder
- Outdoor Leadership Positions
- Bicycle Mechanic
- Boot Fitter
- Ski/Board Tuner
- Production Manager in Ski/Snowboard Manufacturers
- Operations Manager Manufacturing
- Retail Assistant/Manager
- Sales Associate/Representative
- Promotional Representative
- Technical Representative
PROGRAM COSTS
| Tuition Fee Domestic | $10,000 CAD |
| Tuition Fee International | $13,500 CAD |
| Application Fee | $250 CAD |
| Textbook Fees | $150 CAD |
| Lab Supplies | $1,200 CAD |
| Note that textbook and lab supplies will vary depending on electives chosen. These fees cover all of the core courses. |
WAS GENERAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- Minimum 18 years of age or older
- All students must meet WAS Language Proficiency Assessment Policy.
PROGRAM SPECIFIC ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to lift 20 kg /44 lbs
- Students choosing the Experiential Leadership and Guiding elective will be required to have access to Whistler Blackcomb mountains during the course - a seasons pass or day tickets will be required at the cost of the student.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
- For students taking the elective of Experiential Leadership & Guiding, please see the equipment list attached
- Adventure Tourism Winter Equipment list 2020 new
SPECIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- None
COURSES –
*Note that some course dates may be altered due to Instructor availability – please consult the course calendar for exact course dates posted 60 days prior to the course start date
Mountain Sport Technician students are required to complete the 4 Core Courses and the Co-op work experience plus they must choose two electives from the table below.
| CORE COURSES All students will complete the below core courses | Program | Month | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bicycle Mechanic 1 & 2 | Mountain Sport Technician | March April May June July | 60 |
| Boot Fitting | Mountain Sport Technician | May August | 40 |
| Sustainable Trail Building | Mountain Sport Technician | May September | 60 |
| Ski and Snowboard Production | Mountain Sport Technician | October November | 60 |
| Co-op Work Experience | Mountain Sport Technician | 300 |
| ELECTIVE COURSES Choose any two electives from the list below | Program | Month | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bicycle Mechanic 3 | Mountain Sport Technician | March April May June July | 40 |
| Principles of Digital Marketing and Social Media | Mountain Sport Technician | January June | 45 |
| Event Planning | Marketing & Media/ Mountain Sport Technician | August April | 45 |
| Videography | Marketing & Media/ Mountain Sport Technician | February July | 45 |
| Photography | Marketing & Media/ Mountain Sport Technician | May November | 45 |
| Experiential Leadership & Guiding | Mountain Sport Technician | April | 45 |
CHRIS CLARK
Chris took up mountain bike racing as a young teenager, as a result was encouraged to learn how to maintain his own bike. Chris has grown up racing mountain bike’s and moved to Whistler where he’s worked in many local bike shops, moving up from being the quiet young grom at Whistler Bike Co. to head mechanic for Comor Sports.
Chris Clark is a professional bicycle mechanic who has been working in the Whistler area with bicycle retailers since 1997. As an experienced rider, racer and adventurer, he has honed his repair skills and knowledge on a first-hand level and loves sharing his passion for bikes with his students. His background education in business adds a perspective of how to operate a profitable repair center and provide cyclists with the utmost in customer-focused service.
Chris’ background in racing includes racing multiple Test of Metal, Nimby 50, Singletrack 6 events, along with Trans-Cascadia and Samurai of Singletrack events. He adventures further afield with epic Chilcotin rides and bikepacking trips, has completed the Coconino 250 loop in Arizona, and regularly explores off-the-beaten-path rides in search of new terrain.
As a mechanic in Whistler, Chris has seen and worked on the full spectrum of bikes, from early 90’s Stumpjumpers, mid-2000’s dh bikes, up to the latest electronic shifting and road hydraulic systems, custom carbon wheel builds, and assembling custom high-end builds for discerning customers. Knowing how to service older bikes and budget models is often the bread and butter of a repair center, and Chris will walk students through how to stay on budget, work with customers to meet their needs, and balance safety, performance and costs for every level of repair.
Chris has honed his skills to confidently teach most any repair skills, and sets a framework for students to identify when they have the trifecta of Tools, Knowledge and Time to safely perform a repair, recognize when they are missing something, and how to find it.
As a self professed lover of suffering, he’s often seen toeing the line at the weekly xc Loonie race events throughout the summer, ripping it up with some of the valley’s fastest riders. His passion for riding and years of mechanic experience, combined with an educational and workplace background in the bike business give Chris a well rounded view of what it’s like and what it takes to be a professional bike mechanic. As an instructor here at WAS he looks forward to sharing that passion and knowledge with others.
DOM MORIN
Courses:
Ski/Snowboard Production
SAM MCDONALD
Sam has modified almost every ski boot on the market, punched more shells, and molded more custom boots than anyone else in Whistler. He has spent the last 15 years working through the Surefoot ranks until being given his own flagship store in the heart of Whistler.
DEREK RHODES
After ten seasons working at other Tuning Shops in Whistler Derek realized that the focus had shifted to rental fleet maintenance, good quality tuning for customers was no longer a priority. Derek felt that Whistler needed a Shop to preserve the real “Ski Shop feel” and to cater to customers that desire consistently well tuned equipment.
Adam Kubiš, Retail Manufacturing Manager Program (former Mountain Sport Technician Program)
“The Best School Ever! I remember those times in Slovakia when we were sitting in school and studying unimportant subjects. We had wasted 70% of the time by learning something which we had never used. The result was that we forgot everything after exams passed by… WAS has a different approach. Pick only the subjects you are passionate about and have fun by learning useful stuff. I have graduated in the Retail and Manufacturing Program. I can say that I had enjoyed every single hour. I remember every lesson. I have created connections with teachers at those lessons. Thanks to these connections, I’ve got a job in Prior Snowboards as a ski builder. Good times. LIVE.LEARN.PLAY.”