Working in Wanaka
There is a lot of information we could put here about moving to a new town and finding a position on a ski area. We have collated this as an overview and hope this gives you a good understanding of Wanaka and our expectations. It is not comprehensive and we cannot guarantee the veracity of any of this information.
Index:
About Wanaka
Wanaka is a bustling tourist town nestled in the heart of the Southern Alps. With a year-round population of over 6,000 Wanaka springs to life in the winter months with up to 5,000 visitors per day arriving to enjoy all this stunning destination has to offer. Winter in Wanaka starts in mid June and runs for approximately 15 weeks until early October.
For detailed information on all attractions, activities and events go to http://www.skilakewanaka.com/.
Why Treble Cone?
Sitting just 35 minutes from Wanaka town centre, with 550 hectares of skiable terrain, stunning views, legendary powder snow, superb café facilities and groomed pistes catering to all abilities, Treble Cone has something for everyone.
Want to be part of it? With approximately 100,000 visitors per year, Treble Cone employs up to 160 full time staff from all corners of the globe. With a wide range of positions on offer we seek people with various skills, experience and knowledge to help us make our guests visit to Treble Cone the very best snow experience on offer.
If you have…
Bundles of energy?
Bags of enthusiasm?
Enjoy the outdoors with an aptitude to learn new skills?
Excellent customer services skills?
A balanced work hard, play hard attitude?
…then we want to hear from you.
How to Apply
Applications for Snow Sport School will open online 7 February 2012 and will close 26 February 2012.
Applications for Slopes (Groomer Operators/Snowmakers) will open online 27 February 2012 and will close 18 March 2012.
Applications for general positions will open online 2 April 2012 and will close 15 April 2012.
Online application forms will be available to submit on our website once the recruitment periods open online. Please submit the completed application form along with your covering letter and CV.
Applications for ALL employment for the 2012 season MUST be submitted online within the recruitment dates. Treble Cone will NOT accept ANY applications outside the recruitment dates.
Applicants we wish to interview for general positions will be contacted via email by end of April/beginning of May.
Interviews will be held in mid May.
TREBLE CONE WILL ONLY ACCEPT ONE APPLICATION PER PERSON SO PLEASE CHOOSE YOUR DESIRED POSITION CAREFULLY!
What is a covering letter and CV?
A covering letter is a letter introducing yourself and stating your suitability for the position you have applied for. This letter can portray your personality and why we should consider interviewing you. A CV or resume is a concise summary of your education, experience and achievements. Applications without both of these will not be considered.
Do I need a work visa?
You must legally be entitled to work in New Zealand and therfore hold a valid work permit/visa for the full term of employment - we will NOT sponsor general applications. For details on working in New Zealand go to Immigration New Zealand.
If I can not make the interview in May does this mean I will not be considered for employment at Treble Cone?
It is in your interest to be available for an interview if at all possible. There are many short listed applicants who will be contacted should you be unavailable for first round interviews. If there are still vacancies in certain departments, phone interviews may be held at the manager’s discretion. In some cases (ie if you are an experienced groomer operator, ski patroller or returning staff member), exceptions will be made.
If you are not an NZ or Australian Resident, you must have a valid work permit.
When would I start working, if I was successful?
Employment commences on Company Day, Thursday 21 June 2012, and is compulsory for all employees to attend. We aim to open on 28 June 2012 , weather and snow conditions permitting. Our scheduled closing date is 30 September 2012.
You will be rostered to work up to five days each week or as required. Some positions will be required to start work at 7:00 am; others start at 8:00 am.
Your training starts the day you begin work and is an ongoing process. Our training and development programme will include in depth training on company policies, health and safety, mountain familiarisation and specialist skills for your job. Much of it will be on the job training and it is important you learn all you can about our business and your department in particular.
Police Vetting
By law all employees that may be working with children must have been police vetted. Before you are able to start work a police vetting form needs to be completed and signed by you and processed by the NZ Police. A copy will be sent to all successful online applicants along with their employment pack.
Are there any staff benefits?
Treble Cone tries to improve its benefits each year based on our Staff Survey Feedback Forms. This year we are offering even bigger discounts on the mountain and there are many discounts made available to you by local Wanaka businesses. It is important to us that our staff can avail of as many benefits as possible to make their stay more affordable. You must always show your staff pass to avail these discounts.
Staff benefits may include:
- Free Season Pass.
- Up to 5 half-price tickets for friends/relatives.
- Free tea / coffee / hot chocolate from staff room.
- $7.00 Mountain Meals (a tasty, hot and very generous and affordable option from our cafe).
- 20% off all other café food (alcohol not included).
- $2 coffee from café (our baristas excel in the art of exceptional coffee making).
- 10% off retail with Racer's Edge Mountain Shop.
- 50% discount in rentals.
- Free staff transport from Wanaka.
- Staff parties.
- Social calendar.
- Huge discounts at other ski fields (50% off other ski fields, $25 day passes at Cardrona and SnowPark).
- Comprehensive ski and board improvement programme with fully-qualified Treble Cone instructors at a discounted price suitable for all levels.
- $5 medical care at the mountain medical centre.
- Discounts in restaurants /bars / gym / internet cafés / clothing and sport shops within Wanaka.
- Discounted uniform (indoor staff) which is yours to keep at end of season.
- Staff designed hoody at a discounted rate.
Is accommodation easy to find?
We strongly recommend that you try to arrange accommodation before you get here unless you are planning to arrive in early to mid-May. You should have enough funds to keep yourself either in a backpackers or camp ground while looking unless you have pre-arranged accommodation. The best way to find a place is by advertising and checking notice boards daily. The Messenger is a free weekly advertising rag, distributed to letter boxes on Wednesdays. You can also place an ad very cheaply.
You will be asked to pay a bond when you are renting and most likely sign a rental agreement. In most instances, references are required. Although Treble Cone does not arrange or provide accommodation for staff, if you are having difficulty finding accommodation before commencing work, let us know and we may be able to help.
Try:
It is worthwhile noting that you are coming to a resort town and the cost of living may well be more than what you are used to. You should have enough money to set yourself up in accommodation including bond, electricity connections etc and to support yourself for at least a couple of weeks after your start of employment date until you receive your first pay, and some extra to cover any unexpected costs throughout the season. You should also be prepared for the fact that you may have to share a room to manage your costs.
How do I get to and from work?
Staff transport for general staff leaves Wanaka at 7:15 am and Snow Sports School transport leaves Wanaka at 7:50 am after doing pick ups at various points around town. Transport leaves Treble Cone Base at intervals from 3:15 pm to 4:30 pm.
What do I wear and what equipment do I need?
Uniform reflective of the position will be supplied at the start of employment (a uniform change may apply). It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure all outdoor clothing supplied is returned in reasonable condition at the end of the season.
Employees should provide their own protective equipment such as sunglasses, sunscreen, and thermal underwear. These are available at discounted prices in the mountain retail shop. You will also require sturdy work boots and gloves should you be in an outdoor position. All skiing and boarding equipment must also be supplied by the employee. Rental packages can be arranged through the rentals department.
To conform with our Uniform and Appearance Policy, rings or studs are not permitted on any part of the body visible to the guest with the exception of earrings. Two earrings per ear are allowed. Hair must be of a natural hair colour, radical or extreme hairstyles are not permitted.
How am I paid and how often?
Wages are paid fortnightly. You must have an IRD number and a NZ bank account before commencing work as you can not be paid until you have both of these. IRD number application forms (IR595) can be downloaded from Inland Revenue .
You will need to show your Individual Employment Agreement and passport with the completed IR595 to a NZ Post or IRD office, and it will take approx 14 days to process. If you do not have a current postal address for IRD to send the IRD number to, you can send it care of “Treble Cone Ski Area, PO Box 206, Wanaka 9343”.
Banks with branches in Wanaka:
Am I covered if I have an accident on the mountain?
If you have an accident while carrying out the duties of your job, or if on a ride break or day off you will be covered by ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation). You will be treated by the Medical Centre Staff on the mountain free of charge and if necessary referred elsewhere thereafter. ACC will pay a portion of any doctor’s bill and will also pay a portion of your wages should you be unable to resume your duties straight away.
Treble Cone provides a “Return to Work Scheme” so as to enable you to work in an area that is more convenient where possible. Travel insurance for overseas workers is still recommended as any medical treatment required outside of New Zealand is not covered by ACC.
Due to safety and guest service requirements all our employees are hired for the duration of the season and undertake a thorough training programme — we do not employ volunteers or internship placements.
What do you expect of your employees and what type of people are you looking for?
We at Treble Cone pride ourselves on our exceptionally high service standards. Treble Cone won the People’s Choice Snow.co New Zealand Ski Area Service Award Survey for 2005 and 2006. This is the fourth time since its inception in 1999 that Treble Cone has won this award. In 2007 we won best café and best Ski School in New Zealand and in 2008 our Ticketing and Sales staff were awarded best customer service in the country.
Ideally you will be an outgoing friendly and honest person. You should be a willing worker that takes initiative and looks to help wherever needed. You should be customer-focused, be polite to both staff and guests at all times. You should have the ability to work in a team environment with lots of energy and personality and most importantly, know how to have fun. We take great pride in what we do and continuously strive to achieve the best results. We welcome people from all “walks and talks” and what they can offer to Treble Cone. Some of the work requires certain skills so please talk to us about anything that may hinder your ability to carry out the position you are applying for.
How much time do I get to ski/ride?
Predominantly you are at Treble Cone to undertake the position you have been employed in. Some positions require you to ski/ride for your job i.e Lift Attendant, Ski Patroller, Snowmaker, Snow Sports School Instructor. If you want to take ride/ski breaks you must arrange this with your Supervisor. You can ski on your days off and receive heavily discounted rates at other mountains. (You will need to take your staff pass and a letter of introduction from us to receive these discounts).
If you are involved in a Ski or Board Improvement Programme, every effort will be made to ensure you have your days off on these days.
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