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As if our winter schedule of events & programmes wasn’t busy enough, we couldn’t help ourselves but hit the ground running in 2026 by teaming up with the Salomon Foundation to take all our Snow Camp Apprentices to the French Alps for a truly immersive winter-industry career development week!
The inaugural Morzine Experience Week (3rd to 10th January 2026) saw 15 Snow Camp Apprentices and 6 Snow Camp Team Members experience an unforgettable 7 days across the resorts of Morzine, Avoriaz and Les Get; diving deep into the world of mountain life, career opportunities, seasonal employment and what it takes to pursue these roles with passion, professionalism and commitment.
We can safely say that minds were blown and aspirations were raised; only made possible thanks to the generosity and support of the Salomon Foundation who funded the week with a staggering €18,000 worth of support.
Guided by a belief that time in the outdoors makes us all the best version of who we are, the Salomon Foundation works alongside organisations from across the world that allow disadvantaged or excluded people to practice outdoor sports. With 22 years of broadening horizons for more than 23,000 young people from underserved communities, our values and shared visions couldn’t be more aligned.
On arrival day, the Apprentices were hosted by Dave and Karen at Summit Special, two long-term champions and friends of Snow Camp. Visiting the gorgeous Chalet Blythe gave the apprentices a chance to look behind the scenes at a 5-star chalet experience, learning the ropes and seeing in person how the industry operates.
Their visit was rounded out by meeting two of our very own alumni, Max and Milana, who are now working at Summit Special for the season. Just a few years ago, Max and Milana were Snow Camp Apprentices themselves, and today they’re working in the snowsports industry, delivering high-quality experiences for guests and planning their futures in the industry. Seeing the reality of their potential futures had a massive impact on the apprentices and was the perfect way to start the week.
From the moment the Apprentices stepped out on the snow, they were supported by Pulse Snowsports and REAL Snowboarding. Instructors from Pulse Snowsports took our skiers for a first, transformational session on the slopes; the team rose to the challenge and made major progress, thanks to the calm, supportive space created by Pulse.
Our snowboarders met with instructors from REAL Snowboarding for their first session, which also saw them hitting the freestyle park for their first time. The Apprentices took on new territory and conditions with the classic Snow Camp energy and with support from the instructors, finishing their session with confidence and spirits high.
For all our Apprentices, building on their BASI Foundation Awards gained as ‘Snow Camp undergraduates’, these sessions marked a crucial step on their journey to achieving a BASI Level 1 qualification. Thanks to all the crew at both Pulse Snowsports and REAL Snowboarding; our Apprentices learnt how to lead, instruct and support others in the future.
Following on from their confidence-boosting ski & snowboard lessons, the Apprentices got to learn some vital skills to keep them safe on the mountains. Pulse Snowsports delivered a crucial avalanche safety session on the slopes. The amazing James and Cam covered so much with the team, including assessing avalanche risk, search techniques in buried avalanche scenarios, and using transceivers, probes and shovels. The Apprentices also got real-word insights and guidance from experienced instructors, plus a deeper learning session that linked the knowledge they were picking up to their BASI Level 1 pathway.
The Apprentices had to put their skills to work in a full-team scenario, searching for a buried transceiver under freshly fallen snow. Simulating a real emergency not only built their confidence but helped them develop better mountain awareness and understanding of the environment around them. The Apprentices were engaged and inquisitive in the hands-on session and the skills they gained will last a lifetime, all thanks to the Pulse Snowsports team.
With special thanks to Maryne Hennequin – Responsible Commercial & Trade Marketing Lead at the Office de Tourisme d’Avoriaz – all Apprentices gained an insightful behind-the-scenes educational workshop covering all-aspects of mountain operations, resort safety, marketing, recruitment and management.
All the Snow Camp team were blown away by the level of depth and insight from every presenter. And for that, we’re incredibly grateful to Maryne and her team for opening the eyes of our Apprentices who are now looking ahead to recruitment opportunities for Winter 26/27 in the resort.
Special thanks also to the Morzine office and Pleney for kindly supplying the whole group with discounted lift passes for the week.
There are some experiences that really gave our young people a sense of what their futures could look like; not just in snowsports, but in global brands, product design, marketing and beyond. Our visit / day trip to the Salomon Design Centre in Annecy couldn’t have reflected this any better.
For a second year in a row, the Salomon Foundation has donated €18,000 to Snow Camp, to turn many more young lives with the power of snowsports. It therefore made complete sense to maximise the impact of their funding and support in 2026 with this unique and immersive career-development day at Salomon HQ. Simply put, the day exceeded all expectations!
The day was filled with career insight, creativity and genuine connection. A full tour of the Salomon Design Centre, plus a visit to the Salomon store, showed the Apprentices the hands-on side of the snowsport industry and a behind-the-scenes look at where the Salomon magic happens. Taking a step back, a product design challenge saw the Scotland Apprentice team create a tartan ski boot, whilst a social media and marketing workshop led to the filming of many TikToks. Rounding out the day, an inspiring session with HR gave the apprentices the tools to approach job applications with confidence.
The experience didn’t end there, as the apprentices were each gifted with a beanie, T-shirt, neck warmer and lanyard; this was an incredibly generous gift from the team at Salomon which left an impact with our team. Connor, one of our Apprentices, summed the day up perfectly: “I actually feel like a VIP.”
This feeling resonated even more as our UK Lead at Salomon, Inga, flew out to spend the day with them alongside Jean, the inspiring Salomon Foundation manager. None of this day would have been possible without their work and support!
“Hosting Snow Camp in Annecy was a day to remember. We don’t meet such an amazing group of young people every day! The Apprentices brought us so much energy and questions. At the end of the day, I still don’t know who learned the most – us or them! We look forward to welcoming more Snow Camp Apprentices in the future.”
Visiting one of Morzine’s most iconic après-ski venues was the perfect way to learn more about hospitality within the snowsport industry. The apprentices were welcomed to Le Tremplin, seeing first-hand the work that goes into running a high-energy bar and restaurant at altitude by the General Manager Nathalie. They gained important knowledge about the teamwork, skills and commitment that goes into running a venue at a busy ski resort, whilst getting to enjoy a few unique attractions; the slide down to the Disco Toilet was a particular highlight!
We’re incredibly grateful to Roisin, James and the Timpson family for making this memorable and exclusive experience possible. Our Apprentices had a wonderful time meeting the team and learning more about hospitality at altitude; the whole visit was a perfect blend of career exploration and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
One of our true champions of the week was long-time friend of Snow Camp, Kyle Dickson – owner and manager of Laury’s Bar in the centre of town.
With support from Amie Henderson & Morzine Source Magazine for spreading the word, Kyle and the Laury’s Bar team hosted a unique Meet and Greet evening where young people were introduced to local businesses, whilst putting their career-building & networking skills to work. This was the perfect way to end the week, putting the skills & confidence gained at Salomon HQ into action with face-to-face interactions with local recruiters. Kyle and Amie, we can’t thank you enough again for the support!
We couldn’t end this wrap-up without mentioning the brilliant teams at Atlas Ski Co and Doorstep Skis.
Atlas’s Chalet Five25 was the perfect home away from home, providing our apprentices with a safe and comfortable space to unwind and reflect on their busy days with some warming and nutritious food. The team was so supportive of our young people and Snow Camp’s mission, and we’re so grateful to them.
The week wouldn’t have been the same without Doorstep Ski, who provided discounted ski & snowboard equipment for all our team whilst opening their eyes to their services in resort.
“The apprentices have had an incredible week and have returned with so much insight and drive to advance their snowsports careers. We are so grateful to all partners involved in making the Morzine Experience Week possible, and to those who continue to support Snow Camp’s mission of creating life-changing opportunities for young people from inner city communities through snowsports.”
From all the Snow Camp team, thank you again to the Salomon Foundation and every partner who played their part in the inaugural Morzine Experience Week. As you can tell, it was an incredible success.
Not only did all 15 Apprentices finish the week with their aspirations raised and new career skills gained, but the Snow Camp team definitely saw the opportunity to build on the week over the coming years. The team and our partners are committed to changing more young lives through the power of snowsports.
Watch this space!
