A Case Study on New Hire Training w/ Rick Rauch from Telluride

What if new-hire training focused less on telling instructors what to do and more on helping them discover how to teach?

First Chair catches up with Rick Rauch, training manager at Telluride Ski Area, to explore a different approach to preparing new instructors for their first lessons. Drawing from ecological dynamics and constraints-based learning, Rick explains how Telluride shifted away from lecture-heavy training and instead challenged new hires to help create their own teaching progressions.

Rick breaks down the idea of moving instructors from “copy” to “choose” to “create,” how trainers can become facilitators rather than lecturers, and why giving new instructors permission to experiment can build confidence and adaptability. He also shares practical ideas for creating a learning environment where new instructors feel comfortable speaking up, trying something different, and learning from what works—and what doesn't.

The result? In the first year of this approach, 45 new instructors earned 58 new certifications across Alpine, Snowboard, and Children's Specialist 1, while Rick says the group also demonstrated greater confidence working with guests.

Whether you train new hires, lead a snowsports school, or are developing your own teaching skills, this episode offers a fresh way to think about how instructors learn.

Key Takeaways

- Move beyond “copy.” New instructors naturally begin by copying what they've been shown, but training can give them opportunities to choose and create much earlier in their development.

- Let new hires participate in their own learning. Rather than simply presenting a beginner progression, Telluride gives instructors constraints and asks the group to develop an approach while trainers facilitate and guide the process.

- Create an environment where experimentation is expected. Trainers intentionally establish a space where new hires are comfortable contributing ideas and being themselves.

- Don't plan, prepare. Instead of relying on predetermined lesson plans, Rick encourages instructors to understand what a guest currently has and what they need to safely and comfortably reach their goal—then “teach the gap.”

- Trainers can facilitate rather than dictate. Clear constraints still keep teaching technically, personally, and motivationally appropriate while leaving room for instructors to develop their own solutions.