OVERVIEW
- Season: late November through to April
- Province: British Columbia
- Accommodation: yes
- Min age: 21
- Jobs: Lift Ops, Rental Technician, Repair Technician, Staff Housing Supervisor, Snow Groomer, Food & Beverage, Rentals, Retail, Cashier, Bartender, ski school sales, support roles
- Interview Locations: Online or in person in AUS/NZ
Silver Star is located 50 minutes from the city of Kelowna, and 22 minutes from the large outlying town of Vernon. Shopping, nightlife and sports are common throughout the area – whether it’s going to watch a hockey game, spending some time at one of the malls, checking out a festival or going to play or a movie, there’s plenty to see and do.
WORKING AT SILVERSTAR
A big mountain with a small town feel is what makes SilverStar so special – all the terrain you’d expect at a larger resort, without the crowds. All with true mid-mountain Ski-in, ski-out access.
SilverStar overlooks the beautiful Okanagan Valley, located in the heart of the British Columbia interior. Prized for its wineries and amazing summers, the Okanagan is also home to some of the best snow conditions in the world – over seven metres fall each winter.
Through the winter season, SilverStar runs a staff bus to and from Vernon multiple times a day. This provides our employees with easy access to additional shopping outlets, movie theatres and other activities. There are also several convenient pick-up and drop-off locations.
Staff living in Vernon can also catch this bus to help them get to and from work. There are also several convenient pick-up and drop-off locations.
What’s It Like Living @ Silverstar ? Click Here
JOB VACANCIES
Work-life Balance That Matters
We believe in the importance of play, and we work hard to make sure that you have every chance to experience everything SilverStar has to offer. Skiing and snowboarding are only two of that activity that you’ll want to enjoy while you are here – have you ever snow-shoed through a forest of Christmas trees, or taken a ride in a groomer as it moves across the mountain, or jumped on a horse-drawn sleigh to a cozy little cabin for dinner? Or maybe you just want to get on a snowmobile and race across the mountain trails. There’s so much to try and so many places to explore – if you love being outside, you’ll love SilverStar.
Season Operations
Summer Season – runs from early June to September
Winter Season – runs from mid November to April
Job Roles – Click on each link to view the Job Descriptions
- Barista
- Bartender
- Cafe Server
- Cash Office Clerk
- Cashier
- Cook
- Dishwasher
- Food & Beverage Server
- General Esthetician
- Hotel Front Desk Agent
- Housekeeping Room Attendant
- Ice Technician
- Janitor
- Laundry Attendant
- Lift Operator
- Night Audit
- Pastry Chef
- Rental Technician
- Repair Technician
- Reservation Sales Agent
- Retail Bootfitter
- Retail Sales Clerk
- RSS Agent
- Snow Groomer
- Sous Chef
- Spa Receptionist
- Staff Housing Night Supervisor
- Staff Housing Supervisor
STAFF ACCOMMODATION
What Kind Of Accommodation Options Are There At SilverStar?
There are several lodging options for staff at SilverStar. Private rentals in Vernon and on the mountain are an excellent choice, especially when sharing the cost with friends. Staff accommodation is also available on the mountain and is a great way to meet people – but keep in mind it is shared accommodation and space can be limited.
- Private Rentals in Vernon – Vernon offers some very cost-effective options, but keep in mind you’ll need a car, or will have to rely on the staff bus for transportation to and from work.
- On-Mountain Private Rentals – Private rentals on the mountain go very quickly (and early pre-season), but can be a great option if sharing with friends. We recommend going to our Staff Facebook Page for opportunities to find private and shared accommodation options.
- On-Mountain Staff Accommodation – SilverStar has two large accommodation buildings for staff, which offers an option for all, including couples. Both buildings are located steps from our village center. This slopeside accommodation comes complete with a large common area, shared kitchen, and staff lounge’s. Rooms are typically shared between four staff and can be an excellent way to meet people.
STAFF BENEFITS
MORE THAN JUST A SALARY…
It’s true. Working at SilverStar is all about experiencing our amazing mountain lifestyle – enjoying the outdoors, meeting new people, going new places and trying new things. So, along with your regular pay, we provide a variety of free activities, employee discounts and cool incentives to help make your winter here one you won’t forget.
The list is long but some of what people love about working at SilverStar includes:
- Free Season Pass – Alpine Skiing & Snowboarding, Cross Country Skiing, Snow Tubing, Ice Skating and Snowshoeing are all included in your season pass. Coming for summer? Your season pass will include the bike chair & scenic chair lift access.
- Revelstoke Season Pass – Not only do you get the season ski pass for Silverstar you also receive a winter pass for Revelstoke Mountain resort which is 2 hours away. This is a HUGE bonus!
- Free Snowsport School Lessons – Last season SilverStar staff were allowed to join Snowsports School group lessons free of charge. Private lessons were also offered at 50% off. We hope to bring this back this season as well.
- Restaurant & Retails Discounts – Nothing is full price for our staff at SilverStar owned restaurants and retail outlets. Show your staff pass and get discounts on everything. We also have special staff sales early in the season to help you get outfitted for riding.
- Rental Discounts – If you want to try something new but don’t want to buy a full kit, staff rentals are a cheap way to try some of the interesting winter activities at SilverStar.
- Ski Trips To Other Resorts – Think you’re missing out on what other hills offer? Never fear! Last season we organized multiple trips to resorts like Revelstoke, Big White, Apex and others to let you play on different terrain and see new places. The cost? Lift tickets were free of charge, and we just asked for a small contribution to pay for the bus.
And so much more… we’ll teach you how to play hockey (or even just how to skate) at free clinics so you can be ready to play in our outdoor ice-hockey league. Need an indoor option? We have the first ski-in/ski-out 10-pin bowling alley. From drinks nights to special dinners and breakfasts served to you by our management team, we’ll do our best to keep a smile on your face, and leave cash in your wallet.
HOTEL FRONT DESK
Working at the front desk can be a stressful job. However, Silver Star guests were mostly great. There is a lot that you have to learn, but it is a great way to get to know the resort very well. Once you get to know all the procedures and information it is a good place to work if you like to be in contact with people.
It is a great way to get to know Silver Star and the guests, if you are on your afternoon shift you can hit the slopes for the whole morning which is great.
Managers in accommodation teams are really lovely, always helpful and it is a pleasure to work with all of them. If you like to be around people and you like to help, this is a perfect job.
Kamila – Czech
STAFF HOUSING
I like to work in staff housing because it gives me the freedom to do my tasks the way I want to do them and in the order that I see fit. The job comes with a lot of freedom since I am working alone at night but therefore also a lot of responsibility. This balance works out really well for me as it gives me the opportunity to improve my own work on a daily basis. On top of that, working alone and having responsibility gives me the opportunity to change and adjust things for the better around the buildings which gives the job a greater purpose. It can be both in the sense of making the life easier for the people who live here or to make the buildings more environmentally friendly. I am very happy to be a part of that change.
Working night shifts at a ski resort is my best recommendation. Especially in staff housing. Since I work from 4 p.m. till 2.30 a.m. it gives me the opportunity to go out skiing or boarding every day and I am loving it! The hours gives me a greater feeling of a working holiday which has made my stay at SilverStar much more enjoyable.
I recommend staff housing as a great department to work in because you work in small team where everybody is considerate of each other. My colleagues and my manager have my best interest at heart. So even though I work alone, I still feel like I am a part of a team.
Another thing worth mentioning is definitely the hours. I get to go out snowboarding every day which is the main reason for me coming to SilverStar. I am very grateful that my job allows me to do that and really happy that I am in such a considerate team.
Sanne – Denmark
For me, working in staff housing is rewarding, challenging, and easygoing. First, it is rewarding as I am able to help meet the needs of residents. It is challenging as I have the chance to learn proper use of new systems such as To-do App and Maestro, and as I am put to take on new tasks such as logging and answering e-mails. Lastly, it is easygoing as I get the chance interact and connect with residents in their home between tasks.
I like my job as it has great hours, it’s provided me the opportunity to learn new skills, and as I am constantly able to interact and connect with other Silverstar staff.
Others should choose to work in staff housing if they are happy in a role focused on interpersonal relationships, if they are interested in work that allows them to ski or snowboard as much as possible, or both (as is the case for me!).
Diego Chinchilla Chaput – Canada
I enjoy my position because it gives me the opportunity to meet the majority of staff on the mountain and I’m always guaranteed 40hrs a week,
I definitely recommend it to anyone, unless someone is interested in riding as much as they can. Then I would get a job with a later start time. Although we have a small team, everyone pulls their weight and we get everything done smoothly, together. My teammates are all incredibly friendly and helpful. I would work in this department again and suggest everyone consider this position as well.
Anna – Canada
Working in the staff housing department is never a dull moment. It keeps you on your toes, as you never know what might pop up so it keeps things interesting. At the same time it’s not overwhelmingly stressful, and gives a good sense of accomplishment. It is also quite personally rewarding to be able to help out fellow employees with their needs and making their stay a little easier. It is a great opportunity to meet people from all over the world. Staff housing provides an opportunity to interact with many different departments on the hill, including maintenance, patrol, food service, administration, and others. There is a nice balance between being able to take initiative, offer ideas and suggestions, and problem solve, whilst knowing that Di has your back if you are ever in need of support.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Sometimes after a great season working at a ski resort you turn to your bosses and ask for a reference for that next job. Well I want to do something a little different. I am moving on but wanted to put a shout out there to anyone thinking of working at SilverStar…..DO IT!! Every part of my experience working and playing at the resort exceeded my expectations. From the top down the team is filled with incredible managers, Supervisors, and front line employees. We all know it was a different and difficult season at times but these guys truly care about offering employees an experience they will truly remember, and they want you to enjoy it as much as they do. Each Director and Manager seems switched on and engaged with their employees. Let’s be honest, Mark, Dani, and Scott make Food and beverage the best department but those others are pretty good too . I have had an opportunity to work in the ski industry for 21 seasons and this resort wins as one of my favourites, so if you want to or you know someone who wants to work at a great spot I suggest to reach out and talk to them. You won’t regret it!!! See ya on the slopes next year and for a beer at The Antler.
Chad – Canada
CENTRAL RESERVATIONS
It’s great! The whole team is lovely and the work is fun (if you enjoy helping guests on the phone and by email). It’s a comfortable environment with regular hours and possibly some flexibility. Once we knew the ins and outs of the job we were able to work independently while getting help from the Manager and Supervisor in case there are special cases that need more attention. We get all the general calls and emails which gives us quite a variety of topics to deal with and allows us to learn a lot about the mountain. Other than that we also book in accommodation, which is fun as we try to match the right accommodation option with the guest. We also sell season passes and 4packs at the start of the season and tickets to guests that stay in our hotels.
Great team, regular hours and schedule, time off on week days to ski, lots of bonuses like pizza lunch if we reach our targets, star of the week, Christmas gifts, and sleep overs in the hotels for special occasions. Overlap on free days with colleagues to ski with. The small size of the team allows for everyone to get close, as well as having our own little Treehouse which is really nice. We get to play our own background music. Also Sonia and Heather give us loads of extra treats!
One of the most important things to be happy at a job is the team, which is really great at Cen Res. Sonia and Heather are a great Manager and Supervisor and it is fun to be around the rest of the team as they are other seasonal workers like yourself. Throughout the weeks the job is always a little different as the mountain changes too, and we are the central place for questions from guests.
Indra – Argentina
BUILDING MAINT – CUSTODIAN/JANITOR
I enjoyed working in building maintenance for several reasons:
- The team is fun
- The 4 on/3 off shift guarantees hours (and income) and leaves lots of room for play. Great for checking out other resorts in the area.
- The work itself a healthy balance of indoor and outdoor duties, is pretty physical, and isn’t typically directly customer facing
Justin (and Calum)
HOUSEKEEPING
SilverStar is not only a dream home away from home, but a community that strives to include and advance those in the workplace.
Housekeeping is a fun filled and friendly environment where no two days are the same. It’s a place where likeminded people can come to work, and not only gain professional experience, but form long last friendships with equally stellar people.
The hours are flexible and the perks are irresistible. If you’re a positive individual with a passion for cleaning, and who aspires to work with a team who appreciates your efforts and understands your needs, then housekeeping is the department for you.
Jordan (Australia)
PARKING
This is my 4th year!! I just keep coming back. Working in the parking lot is a rewarding job, sometimes crazy busy sometimes calm. The people are interesting, fun, and sometimes silly (both staff and customers).
Dance to the music of the different stereos, chat with the excited customers, enjoy the hill. Being the first employees most people meet, we share the news of the day. Happy people equals happy skiers. GREAT PLACE TO WORK.
From the parking lot potter, Marion
I have worked in the Parking Department at SilverStar for two winter seasons. The people I work with are the best and we work well as a team. Our supervisor, Corrinne, is very organized and approachable.
I’m a morning person and am happy to start my day as the sun rises spectacularly over the mountains. I like being able to greet and direct people new to SS and help them with any questions they may have. For those that have been coming to the resort for years, it’s nice to see familiar faces from week to week.
Parking Attendant is only a weekend job which is perfect for me. I don’t like to ski weekends as they can be busy, so I might as well work them. And if I do decide to ski, there are still a couple of hours after our shift to be able to get in some sweet turns.
Great job with great people in the great outdoors. How could it get any better?
RESORT SALES AND SERVICE (GUEST SERVICE AND TICKETS)
Guest Services is fast paced, dynamic and very customer facing. This job is ideal for someone who has superior customer service capabilities and the ability to work well under pressure. At the same time it is a fun, easy going environment to work in that offers unique perks like the snow cat tours and the sleigh ride tours.
The job was very accommodating. There are a few shift types to choose from, meaning there is always time to ride. The fellow employees in the department are always fun and likeminded and everyone was super supportive and understanding which made the days that were stressful and overwhelming more manageable with a solid team, and it was a nice feeling knowing that everyone has your back.
Guest Services is a very diverse department that allowed me to experience things on the mountain I probably wouldn’t have in other jobs. For example I was able to host the Snow Cat tour which allowed me to ride a Snow Cat for a first time (definitely a highlight of the season). I also found since it is so diverse with duties and task I never got bored that easily.
Having a free season pass was a huge draw to the job. I had never snowboarded as much as I did this season and it was definitely a highlight. It would be nice to have a tip jar on the front counter and more staff activities at the beginning of the season to help bond the team.
Located in the heart of the village, the Ticket/Season Pass Office is often a fast paced and energetic workplace. It is the first stop for many guests visiting the mountain, providing opportunities to engage with visitors from all over the world. This uniquely challenging and rewarding role sees you contribute to guests enjoying the mountain for a returning visit or, a once in a life time experience with friends and family. With a wide range of duties involved in the Ticket/Season Pass Office, you continue to learn and grow throughout the season, all while supported by a friendly, welcoming team.
While working in the Ticket/Season Pass Office requires you to work in an office, it feels far from any mundane ‘office job.’ Daily interactions with guests from around the globe, fun, energetic colleagues, and views of the beautiful snowfall out your window make this job a unique working experience. The Ticket/Season Pass Office is supported by a great management team who hold high expectations for their team members, but also make you feel appreciated, positively acknowledging the efforts of your work. You never know what the day will have in store, keeping variety in every day.
The working hours in the Ticket/Season Pass Office are decent, with enough hours to support you but also time to enjoy the ski opportunities right outside of the office door. The flexibility in scheduling allows you time to explore reciprocal resorts and the surrounding Okanagan region. If you love the outdoors and are passionate about sharing an amazing Canadian mountain experience with guests from around the world, then you will enjoy working in the Ticket/Season Pass Office at Silver Star Mountain.
RETAIL
As a member of the management team in retail it’s a fast paced and dynamic environment – every day is a new day! It is not just interacting with customers, there’s a lot more to the workings of a retail store. Whether it be merchandising, re-stocking, learning about product or processing new product there’s a lot that makes the overall store run. Most of all the working environment is incredibly fun especially with how social the job is with working in a team and interacting with our patrons in the store.
I like how unpredictable each day working in EVOLVE can be, with daily tasks differing each day. Whether it be interfacing with customers or merchandising the store. The ability to work in different areas of the store as well as being active within work duties makes the job very engaging and exciting. Working in retail also has fantastic perks, including freebies from brand reps, incentives within the team. The overall environment is very welcoming and fun to be around!
Retail is a great environment to work in as it’s an easy going and sociable environment. Particularly in EVOLVE we are lucky enough to have incentive programs as well as meet/learn from all the local brand reps. This would be one of my favorite perks of the job! If you enjoy being sociable as well as hard working retail is absolutely the job for you.
EVOLVE is super dope!! Sophie
Working in retail is probably one of the best jobs you could have at the resort! It’s a fun working environment with different tasks everyday. Every day you get assigned a different section of the store, which makes it very varying and you constantly gets to learn new things about equipment and gear. Probably the best thing about the job though, is meeting all the amazing and excited guests of the resort. Some of them come in knowing exactly what they need and some come in just browsing, either way, working here you get to help them out with whatever they need and when they leave with a smile on their face it leaves you happy as well. Being close to the guests is awesome and you even get to know some of the locals very well throughout the season, it’s a great way of getting to know the resort and the area around it!
I’d really recommend working in retail for multiple reasons, but some of the top ones would probably be how fun it is to work in a smaller team where you get the chance to get close to the people you work with, and potentially make friends from all over the world. The hours of working are also great, you pretty much always have the evenings off to enjoy a dinner out or even some night skiing. You typically work 5 days a week, 8 hours everyday so no days are too long, and then you have 2 days off every week which is plenty of time to ski and explore the mountain. The fact that you also get to get nerdy about gear is amazing! Every season starts with a lot of PK’s (product knowledge) where you get to know a lot about all the attire and gear we sell. It’s the perfect way of getting comfortable with the store and working in retail.
As the season is coming to an end I am so grateful to have worked in retail this last winter! I’ve met some incredible people, both guests and coworkers and I’m excited to be coming back for summer season to do it all over again!
RENTALS
Working in Rentals is a fast paced job where you are working as a team to help fit customers with equipment that is suitable for them in a timely manner. The job is great fun and definitely has its perks including being able to rent gear for free in order to help give the customer a better experience with knowledge of different equipment suitable for different kinds of
The various types of shifts means that you will have ample opportunity to ride and explore the mountain. Being able to try out the various types of equipment is great as you get to experience various kinds of skis and snowboards in various kinds of conditions. Working with people that
Rentals is a great department to work in as they prioritize work/ride balance, meaning that if it’s a slow enough day that there is a pretty good chance you’ll be getting a ride break. You’ll be working with likeminded people that are great company for riding and friends you’ll make for life. Working on jobs rotationally means that you will be able to be comfortable doing any job in the shop.
Getting to bond with everyone over a beer at Black Pine after work is definitely a plus. Staff events within the department are great for building team morale including “Nordic Night” and “Tip night”. Staff hockey league was also another great team building experience that I would highly recommend even if you’ve never been on ice skates.
PATROL
Working in the Patrol department is wonderful! You’re part of a team that is crucial to mountain operations and that’s a pretty great feeling. Some days you leave work knowing you’ve helped someone out on one of their worst days and you get to do that with an awesome team around you. It can be busy, exciting, challenging and super rewarding.
I have loved working as Dispatch! When you have multiple calls on going, and everything is running smoothly you feel like an absolute boss! You are the comms for the whole mountain and you get to interact with multiple departments throughout the day – which most people don’t have the privilege of doing. You get 4 days on, 3 days off which is lovely for a good work/life balance on a ski season. The work we get to do is very enjoyable and fulfilling.
I would recommend working with Patrol and dispatch especially for multiple reasons. If you enjoy multi-tasking and helping people then dispatch allows you to do this! You take calls from those in need and orchestrate getting help to them as soon as possible. Throw in several people calling for help at once, a lift needing maintenance and a missing child then it can get really fun! If you’re good at communication, calm under pressure and enjoy being stretched then dispatch is the job for you.
If I could come back every year and work as SilverStar’s Dispatcher then I would!
Holly, UK
Helpful Statistics on SilverStar Mountain Resort
Size of resort: Employs over 680 staff during the winter season.
Staff Housing: Location comes with shared staff housing on the mountain. As this is a ski in/ski out location you can literally ski out of staff housing onto the runs! All staff are guaranteed a bed through TWHC.
Nightlife: No established nightclubs but there is a fist full of bars that turn in to party hot-spots after a certain time. Very common to see people still in ski boots throwing shapes at 1am.
Aussie saturation: Saturation of Aussie is moderate to high. There is also a large population of various other nationalities to dilute the concentration of Australians, from Ireland, UK, Denmark & Sweden.
Temperature: The average temperature is somewhere between -5 & -10 at the village elevation.
Roles: Has a range of outdoor and indoor roles – retail, rentals, a range of food & beverage roles (front and back of house), lift operations (must be able to ski to an intermediate level) tube park, guest services, ski school sales, hotel front desk, housekeeping, laundry and many more
Career progression: Progression opportunities are available for dedicated staff who are prepared to have back to back season.
Ski Pass: This resort offers a free season ski pass with your employment.
Size of Terrain: This resort has 3283 acres of skiable terrain. All natural snow as this location does not have any snow making facilities. Lots of epic powder, great tree-skiing and killer shutes
Reciprocal pass options: Starting in 2021 SilverStar also offered reciprocal ski passes for SunPeaks & Revelstoke. This is a HUGE benefit! SilverStar is also part of the POWDR adventure lifestyle company. Full time staff have reciprocal pass benefits with mountains like Copper Mountain in Colorado, Killington in Vermont and many other locations and properties in the USA.
Location: SilverStar is up the mountain from the local town of Vernon…about a 20-30min drive and roughly 55mins for Kelowna airport.
Ongoing employment: The TWHC will assist with your first seasons contract. The ball is in your court – we help you get the job, you need to work hard to keep it. Ongoing extension of contracts are based on seasonal performance and at the determination of management, as is housing. If in doubt – ask your manager. Silver tar operates a summer operation and should your performance be amazing during your season, you could expect to be asked about extending your contract.
Why go here? Basically this resort is at elevation and is all ski in and ski out. Once you arrive at SilverStar everything is within walking distance. This resort offers a variation of skiing terrain, loads of cross country skiing trails and in the summer – a killer bike park, fully accessed by the lift system!!! In the summer this area is also wine growing country and sits close to many large lakes!!! One of the best cheese and ham croissants you’ll ever try! There is also an ice rink for the skaters and hockey fans
Any reason to avoid this place? This location has lots of hostel style accommodation This may or may not work for you….but if you want your own room…we would recommend taking what staff housing offers you right off the bat and while you have a cheap roof over your head, meet the crew and set up your social network – look for a place to move in too around the resort. Please see the link on the Accommodation tab for a full walk through of staff housing.