New jobs emerge in ski industry as demand grows

Dong Rubing began to look forward to the possibility of being a ski patrol rescuer after graduation when the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced it as one among 19 new occupations recently. A ski patrol rescuer is defined as personnel who conduct safety inspections of skiers and facilities at ski resorts and provide assistance to the injured before medical treatment.

With the continuous expansion of ice and snow sports in China, new professions related to it are emerging in order to ensure the safety and enjoyment of skiing for the public.

Dong, 20, got an admission to the Department of Ice and Snow Sports of the School of Physical Education at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, Jilin province, in 2022.

In June last year, the school launched the course on ski patrol theory and practice, which covers theoretical and practical aspects such as skiing skills, snowfield culture, outdoor first aid, injury assessment, patrol systems, rescue methods and medical knowledge, aiming to cultivate ski patrol professionals with systematic theoretical knowledge and standardized practical skills.

"In February, my classmates and I took part in the practical course at the university's teaching base, a ski resort in Jilin city," said Dong. "Our university invited a group of international experts in the field of ski patrol for on-site guidance, aiming to train versatile and multifaceted ice and snow professionals in line with international standards."

During the course, they patrolled the ski slopes first and then encountered an "injured" person on the slope, she said. They would assess the injury, such as an arm injury, and proceed to bandage the arm or secure it in case of a fracture.

Then they would communicate with other patrol members for assistance and transfer the injured person to the nearby hospital promptly, if the injured person had some symptoms such as breathing difficulties, she said. "It provides more practical experience, especially for students of ice and snow sports, enabling us to use the knowledge gained during the course," she said.