Northwest College students will have the opportunity to learn how to be much more than ski bums starting this fall. 

Following its recent approval by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Northwest College can now add a Ski Area Operations Certificate in the fall of 2025, the first college in the state to add such a program. 

The program, a 25-credit certificate program that aims to train students to handle many different positions, and eventually move into management, at a ski hill, was approved by the NWC board of trustees in March. 

The college is partnering with Antelope Butte ski area in the Bighorns to allow students a full range of hands-on training in an active ski environment. 

The program grew out of Wyoming Innovative Partnership Funding, said Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Dave Erickson at the March meeting, and is a response to multiple surveys sent out to the community and industries asking what skills they need in future employees. 

A recent labor market analysis performed in May 2024 by Hanover Research for Northwest College focused on Outdoor Education and Leadership found there are not enough graduates from ski patrol in the area and there’s a projected annual growth in the jobs of 1.3% and 10-year growth of 1.5%. 

“The program came from requests made to us,” said Keith McCallister, who will teach many of the classes within his outdoor recreation department. “Initially Sleeping Giant was looking for ski patrol, then it's kind of blossomed from there.”

With Sleeping Giant closed and for sale, the ski area in the northern Bighorns became the focus and McCallister said previously that they're "100% on board" with the program. 

Participants in the program will receive instruction on all facets of the ski industry, including day-to-day operations, risk management, ski patrol, lift operations, snowmaking and grooming, avalanche training, and more. The certificate is 25 credits, takes two semesters to complete, is eligible for financial aid, and includes a combination of classroom instruction and time on site at Antelope Butte.

Students who earn the certificate will also leave as a fully certified alpine ski patroller with additional certifications and have the option to earn Level 1 Instructor Certification for either ski or snowboarding.

"This is a nice way to give a well rounded introduction of what this industry is all about," President Lisa Watson said when the board approved it.