Killington hosts 180 students for ski industry career day

Ski Vermont and The Pipeline Project hosted 180 students from nine schools at Killington Resort on Friday, October 24. The group also included teachers who traveled with the students. The event brought young learners together with professionals from ski areas across the state for a day focused on career exploration and networking.

The primary goal of the gathering was to show students the variety of jobs available in the ski industry beyond snowboarding. Ski Vermont President Molly Mahar noted that many students overlook the sector because they do not realize how many year-round positions exist. She stated that the organization uses outreach and events like this one to inspire the next generation of industry leaders.

The Pipeline Project was founded to connect students with the ski industry. Its founder, Tiffany Whitcomb, is a former Career Technical Education educator. Whitcomb said the project offers a direct path for students to become ski industry professionals by showing how their technical skills apply to resort jobs.

Mahar explained that the event resulted from outreach efforts at Career Technical Education centers over the past year. During those conversations, staff found that students were interested in the field but had low awareness of specific opportunities at ski areas. This gap in knowledge led to the creation of the career exploration day.

Participants engaged in expert-led sessions that included Intro Snowmaking, Ski Lift Electrical, Intro to Event Planning, and The Culinary Challenge. The schedule also featured mock job interviews and one-on-one discussions with industry professionals. These sessions allowed students to learn about specific job paths and day-to-day responsibilities.

One student participated in a group activity designed to power motors and lights by completing a circuit. The setup modeled the wiring of ski lift components. The participant said they had liked the subject since childhood but did not expect to be doing such work at a ski resort.

Ski Vermont, also known as the Vermont Ski Areas Association, is a not-for-profit trade group founded in 1969. It supports member ski areas in governmental and marketing affairs. The organization serves as an ambassador for tourism in Vermont, where skiing and snowboarding are the official state winter sports.