Work A Ski Season at Villa Olivia

Villa Olivia is a small ski and snow tubing hill located in Bartlett, Illinois which is a suburb of Chicago and is run by the Bartlett Park District. There is a cafeteria and ski lodge at the top of the hill. The hill is a very family friendly hill and aims to attract families and kids learning to ski and snowboard.

www.bartlettparks.org/villa-olivia/

The Hill at Villa Olivia

Villa Olivia has four chair lifts and rope tows in addition to a tubing hill. The chair lifts and rope tows operate Monday to Friday between 4pm and 10pm, which means they are mostly under lights during the week. On Saturday and Sunday the hill is open from 9am to 10pm. The hill is also open for extended hours on certain holidays including around the Christmas period and Monday holidays in January and February. The lifts and rope tow service beginner and intermediate terrain. There is snow making to cover 100% of the hill at Villa Olivia. Villa Olivia also includes a terrain park and has a lift specifically servicing the terrain park which is the most difficult piece of terrain on the hill.

Working at Villa Olivia

Villa Olivia hires seasonal employees as lift operators, ticket window cashiers, rental attendants, ski & snowboard instructors and hill supervisors. To apply, head to the website and look for available positions.

The hill has many ski and snowboard programs aimed at kids, including the Snow Kids Program for kids between the ages of 4 and 11. This program is aimed at safety, fun and learning for the kids. Other ski and snowboard lessons take place at the hill and are usually one hour in length and may be either private or group lessons. Lessons attract many of the kids in the area so it is important to be patient and helpful with children to work as an instructor at the hill.

Season Dates

The season generally runs from mid December until the beginning of March.

Accommodation

There is no hotel accommodation on site, however there is a ski café, lounge & bar. Rental properties can be found all around the city of Chicago, although having a car makes it easier to get to Villa Olivia as the Chicago “L” (train system) does not extend to Bartlett. The suburb of Bartlett is around 40 miles from the city center of Chicago.

Outside work

Chicago is one of the best cities in the US, famous for its jazz and blues scene, its comedy scene and its vibrant night life. It is well known for its deep dish pizza and is one of the best cities in the country in terms of the variety of restaurants and food available. The bar culture is strong and Logan Square, Wicker Park and Bucktown are known for their small, cool bars and local craft breweries. There is also a huge live music scene in virtually every genre of music including indie, hip-hop, rock and electronic. You will never be short of options outside of work in Chicago!