What is your role/job title at Porters ski field?
Operations Manager
Can you describe a typical day in the life of Luke Armstrong at Porters?
It’s hard to say what a typical day on a ski hill is. Every day presents different challenges and rarely unfolds how one imagines. For me one of the attractions of working on a mountain is the variety of work.
The aim each day is to have the ski area open, running safely and efficiently providing people with a positive experience in the mountain environment. A ‘typical day’ is all about doing whatever it takes to achieve these goals. There are many things that have to happen each day and I work with a team of people to make these things happen. Road clearing, snow safety, lifts running and maintained, snow grooming, snowmaking; power generation and general facility upkeep all need consideration and action depending on the day.
What are the highlights and lowlights of your job?
Highlights – being perched on the ridge top pre dawn going about the business of getting the mountain open after a good storm. Sometimes my job involves a bit of skiing too. Lowlights – it takes a lot of commitment, both time and energy to keep up a positive momentum over a season ...it can be pretty tiring.
What is it that you like about working in the mountains?
Firstly the environment, and then I guess the challenges of that environment. Working in the mountains requires adaptability and versatility. I love the way that no two days are ever the same in the mountains ... for me it never gets boring.
What experience did you have prior to working at Porters?
I am an auto technician by trade. Before coming to New Zealand I was involved in working for a small ski area in Tasmania for several seasons. I have been working and playing in the mountains for many years and my current position draws on this experience.
Did you do any formal training that prepared you for this role?
My trade qualification is very helpful in my role as operations manager as it is a good foundation in technical understanding. The problem solving skills and work ethic that I learned through my trade are very relevant to my job now.
If someone who is interested in pursuing a career in the ski industry came to you for advice, what would you tell them? E.g. particular work experience, training, personal traits etc.
Working in the mountains requires versatility, flexibility, good decision making and team work. There are many roles and positions within the ski industry and these all have different skill requirements and suit different personalities. Overall though I think it’s the people who have good initiative, work hard and embrace a challenge that succeed well in this environment.
