Apprentice Programs

Ski Bummery has apprentice programs dedicated to furthering the art of being a ski bum. In general, the public perception of ski bummery is low, but that's just because it goes contrary to many of the ideas of responsibility and work ethics modern society values. Our philosophy is that life should not be work centric and that possibly you go on vacation once in a while. This is a primitive form of existence. We have been brainwashed to think of work as something we must do, or we will be looked down upon. Many employers are trying to make work seem like a fun thing to do, just so they can exert more influence and produce more. There are many things in life that we put off doing due to self imposed limitations. Life should be lived to it's fullest, doing the things we value most. The apprentice programs we offer are so that you can learn how to spend lots of time up on the mountain skiing and not be burdened by doing stuff you'd rather not do.

How to get started:

1.	Make a decision to be a ski bum. This is the most important part of the entire process. Say to yourself, that I want to be a ski bum and enjoy myself. Everything else will fall into place once you've made this decision.
2.	Remove yourself from an unhealthy environment and people that are not conducive to you being a ski bum. Many people will be confused by your lack of interest in working and wanting to ski a lot. A lot of people would like to go skiing all the time, but they just can't ever visualize themselves doing it. Get away from those types of people and put yourself in an environment with like minded people, that see being a ski bum as a good thing. The positive energy will help you make the transformation. There's nothing like living in a ski resort community and seeing everyone charged up because they're doing what they love.
3.	Simplify your life and get rid of things that will prevent you from being on the mountain. Many ski bums are single and don't have family responsibilities. This greatly reduces living expenses and eliminates participation in family events. It also creates greater flexibility in how you can generate income, which is important since prime skiing is typically during the time people would like you to be at work. Technology has made not showing up to a job on a fixed schedule possible. Some ski bums if they have to work, do so remotely after the last chair. Relationships can be tricky, unless you're involved with someone that's also a ski bum. Dates cost money and making money means working and working potentially means less time on the mountain. Just be aware that there is a trade off here and that you may do things that you might rather not be doing and that are keeping you off the mountain.
4.	Mentorship is vital for apprentice ski bums. There may be temptations to revert back to the old way of living. Family presures, job offers, relationships, etc. Frequent contact with a mentor is particularly important or your life as a ski bum may be short lived. A mentor has experience with these issues and can help you through them. How you do find a mentor? Naturally, the answering is by skiing.

Fear not, ski bums been around for decades and there are always new ones joining. You may only have chance encounters with them in big cities, but go to a major resort during ski season and you'll run into plenty. Conversation on a chairlift frequently involves a non-ski bum asking what someone does for a living. A ski bum will be proud to say, "I'm a ski bum." If you're up on the mountain, this is the best place to meet one and be a part of furthering ski bummery.