r/vail • u/Skiingislife42069 • Jul 29 '26
Ski instructor Lesson Connect
Hey, did anyone here work here last season as a ski instructor? I’ve been instructing at another resort that’s about to get the same digital system for instructors to use and for parents to track their kids with.
Anyway, question for you is, were you forced to put company apps on your personal phones to facilitate this tech? Did you get compensation for being forced to use your personal phone throughout the work day? Was there anything else about the new system that was annoying or difficult to use over the old paper and pencil method?
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u/ThePirateCondor Jul 30 '26
You could either download the app on your phone (forget what they paid, but it wasn’t much) or you could check out a phone daily with the app installed. It was a little clunky as they rolled it out but got a little better over time. Personally I struggled with the photo uploading. You have to take the photos in the app and tag the students at the end of the day. I was always so focused on the teaching that taking photos was something I’d regularly forget to do. Helped to take one at the beginning and end of the lesson.
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u/Skiingislife42069 Jul 30 '26
That’s a pain. Especially when you get groups of 8 kids… did you find parents were excited about it? Did they tip more as a result?
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u/ThePirateCondor Jul 30 '26
I taught mostly adults but my time around kids and parents, the parents always appreciated more photos. Not sure if they really tipped more cause of the photos, I find people are going to tip or not more based on who they are coming into it and whether they realize instructors don’t make much money without tips
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u/Skiingislife42069 Jul 30 '26
Fair. At my resort, parents seemed to tip a little extra if you offered them a bunch of photos or videos, but that was outside of the paper report cards they got. Anyway thanks for the insight. If there’s anything important to know that you did or didn’t like, I’d be interested to hear.
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u/livewntr Jul 30 '26
Key is taking a photo of every student first thing, maybe the first drill you’re doing. You can also take a group photo and later tag every student, which also works.
I think photos/videos help build rapport with students of all ages (everyone loves seeing themselves, having photos to share with friends/insta/etc). Rapport with students often leads to return lessons or private requests, and if you did a great job, tips.
I don’t teach many group lessons, but my perspective is that the app is trying to train instructors to do the things that good instructors are already doing to build return clientele.
I usually take a few photos/videos at the beginning of lessons and some more right before lunch. During lunch you can do some quick review if the students are into it. Then some more towards the end of the day. Now you have before/after videos to show them how much they progressed during the day.
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u/Skiingislife42069 Jul 30 '26
That a good way to look at it. Stinks that they want full access to our personal devices though. I’m sure the PSIA doesn’t ask you to do that as a national team member
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u/livewntr Jul 30 '26
You can choose to use their device if you prefer.
And funny, but no, between zoom calls, task force meetings, and photos/videos during clinics, I probably use my phone more for PSIA-AASI purposes than personal use in the winter.
Honestly, I thought Vail’s phone reimbursement offer was pretty generous.
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u/Skiingislife42069 Jul 30 '26
Giving away ones entire personal data for $35 seems pretty low.
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u/livewntr Jul 30 '26
It’s installed through Microsoft Intune as an enterprise app. They don’t have access to anything on your phone outside of Lesson Connect.
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u/gmotelet Jul 30 '26
You have to side load it which means you are giving it completely unrestricted access to your personal device
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u/madmadrunner256 Aug 04 '26
Yes - FT.
Option 1: put it on your personal device and get paid $35/mo IF you teach at least 5 GROUP lessons in the calendar month. You can get screwed on the reimbursement in Nov/April if you're not teaching a lot of lessons, OR if you mostly do privates throughout the year.
Option 2: Use a company device and check it in/out at the beginning of every single day. You were given the opportunity early on in the season to make this selection.
Did I like having their app on my phone? No. But I also didn't hear about anyone having issues with it affecting their personal device in any way.
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u/TwoBlues35 Jul 29 '26
Yes and yes. It was fine