Associate Member Program

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WESTERN ASSOCIATE MEMBER PROGRAM

  1. Purpose

The Associate Member program is a new subcategory of membership aimed at enhancing service to members with unique profiles within PSIA-AASI. The purpose is to better support this cohort’s ongoing professional development while acknowledging the unique paths new members may engage in as snowsports instructors.

PSIA-AASI West remains wholly committed to the integrity of our assessments, delivered in line with National Standards and Performance Guides. We believe our Associate Member program more purposefully engages a growing member cohort, better supporting their professional development to meet the level of excellence we expect of every member of PSIA-AASI.

  1. Background

In recent years, PSIA-AASI has seen rapid shifts in its membership demographics. Members with no formal experience working or volunteering at a snowsports school are increasingly present in our membership.  This phenomenon is occurring nationwide but is more prevalent in some regions than others. Associate Members currently make up about 22% of the Western Region, one of the highest rates in the country. Having so many Associate Members present in our events and assessments creates a need to ensure we are appropriately supporting and communicating with these members.

  1. Definition

Across all 8 regions of PSIA-AASI, registered and certified members who do not currently and have never worked or volunteered at a snowsports school delivering resort approved lessons will be additionally classified as Associate Members.  

  1. Membership Status and Certification

The Associate Member designation is a subcategory description, it serves as an additional descriptor in our database that allows us to better serve members. Being categorized as an Associate Member has no impact on membership status or certification. To be clear:

  • Membership Status:  We have four membership classes: Registered, Certified, Alumni, or Lifetime. Associate Membership does not change or impact your current or future membership class. You could be in any of the four classes of membership as an Associate Member (Registered Associate, Certified Associate, etc.). You are only an Associate Member as long as you do not work or formally volunteer for a snowsports school. When you begin formal resort instructing through a member school and update your member school affiliation accordingly, the descriptive tag is permanently dropped from your profile.
  • Certification Levels:  Being an Associate Member has no impact on your current certifications. Whatever certifications you have earned and assessments you have passed, continue to be valid and respected nationwide. In the West, being an Associate Member does not limit what certifications you can achieve or assessments you can take. We acknowledge that teaching hours are the single most important factor determining exam success and lack of experience in formal resort instructing will significantly impact a candidate’s ability to successful.
  1. Program Benefits

Associate Members in the Western region are provided specialized events and training sessions tailored to build critical skills in snowsports instruction without direct access to resort-based resources. These custom courses increase transparency, foster accessibility, enhance the likelihood of exam success, and help connect Associate Members to a larger professional community.

  • Associate Member Forum:  While we recognize the critical role of member schools in providing mentorship, this forum is designed to create a space for dialogue, support, and practical training. These monthly online events, running from November to April are open only to Associate Members. Topics will include training, certification, professional pathways, and education. Attendees will be provided individualized mentorship to meet their professional needs. These Forums are completely FREE to registered participants.
  • New Training Courses:  Intro to PSIA-AASI Snowsports has been redesigned to better support and prepare Associate Members for exam success. The new 5-day course covers the basics of delivering student-centered lessons, accurate and precise demos, receiving and delivering feedback, mock assessments, and avenues to participate in the larger PSIA-AASI community.
  • Direct Access to Resort Hiring/Volunteering:  Associate Members interested in hiring and volunteering resources for our Western Member Schools will have access to mini-job fairs, facilitated hiring-manager introductions, and a library of resort employment information.
  • 1:1 Coaching: This year, we are piloting a new program to provide individualized coaching and training for our Associate Members. All Associate Members are guaranteed a personalized online mentorship session. There are a limited number of on-hill sessions available for Associate Members this year to provide coaching and training. Sign-ups will occur at the Associate Member Forums.
  1. Western Associate Member Fee

Western Associate Members will be invoiced a $50 fee every season.

This fee supports the creation and delivery of the Associate Member program benefits, including forums, hiring resources, and coaching. Associate Members who are unable to pay the $50 should reach out to the Western Region office to submit a financial hardship petition.

  1. Our Promise to Western Associate Members

While dedicated to the integrity of our assessments and the professionalism of our industry, PSIA-AASI West also remains devoted to ensuring our region is a welcoming and inclusive community for all former, current, and future professional snowsports instructors. We are committed to the following:

  • Western Associate Members have equal standing in the region; they have the same value, voice, and opportunities as any other member in our region.
  • Western Associate Members have equal access to public events and exams and will be registered for events on the public calendar in the order those registrations are received.
  • Western Associate Members will never be charged more than the publicly listed price for events, exam fees, or event lift tickets.
  • There are no limitations on certification opportunities for Western Associate Members, these members may register for any event they have met the prerequisites for.  We strongly recommend adhering to the highly suggested prerequisites for each level to ensure exam success.
  1. Implementation Timeline
  • Request to Western Members to update their Member School Affiliation: Aug 30
  • Announce transition from Unaffiliated to Associate: Sept 9
  • Reminder to update Member School Affiliation: Sept 24
  • Last chance to update Member School Affiliation: Sept 30
  • The Associate Member subcategory goes live: Oct 1
  • Fee invoiced to all Associate Members: Oct 4
  • First Associate Member Forum of the 24/25 Season: Nov 18
  1. Future Goals
  • Evaluate the program’s success, gauge event participation, and gather participant feedback to continue to evolve the program in service of Western goals and strategy.
  • Continue to increase training opportunities for Western Ed Staff to ensure we are prepared to productively engage Associate Members while fostering professionalism and inclusion across the region.
  • Track hiring and volunteering turnover rates to gauge the interest of Associate Members in moving into resort instructing roles.
  • Explore ways to improve the visibility and relationship of Associate Members with other Western Members and Member Schools.
  • Expand offerings to meet the evolving needs of Associate Members.
  • Leverage data and regional experiences to support the evolution of Associate Membership in other regions across the country.
  1. Questions

Please contact Marisa Cooper, CEO PSIA-AASI West with any questions (mcooper@thesnowpros.org).

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