By Brandon Miller
Monster Contributing Writer
Vancouver, 2010.
It’s extremely exciting that the Olympic Games are once again being held in Canada, the last time being the winter games of 1988, which took place in Calgary. But for some lucky Canadians, it’s especially thrilling. Behind every graceful ice skater and beyond every lightning-fast downhill skier there’s the unseen face of an Olympic worker making the competitions possible.
Yes, there are actual jobs working for the games. Some are
volunteer positions and some are paid roles, but all of them offer a chance to be a part of the world’s most famed competition. Here are two proud Canadians taking part in making the games happen.
Overseeing the Medal Ceremonies
Normally, Whistler Blackcomb is home to the weekend ski instruction business of Chuck Prenevost and his wife, Esta. But with its mountain runs turned over to the winter games, the couple's business was effectively closed. Realizing this negative impact, the Vancouver organizers offered Chuck Prenevosts a chance to recover some of his lost income. “I’m going to be a supervisor at the Meadows Plaza in Whistler, British Columbia. I’m really stoked about it,” says Chuck Prenevost, a Business Development Manager in the wind turbine business. “The cool part of it is that every night I get to see each and every athlete get a medal put around his or her neck.”
“I remember watching (the Olympics) when I was 6 or 7 years old,” he says. “We moved from
Montreal to Mississauga in the early 70s so we missed the Montreal Olympics by two or three years. Every summer and winter Olympics, I’m all over it, but especially winter because of my love for skiing.”
Prenevost’s wife Esta shares his love for skiing, and she too will have a chance to be a part of this year’s Olympic Games. Working for Jet Set Sports at the athlete’s village in Whistler as a VIP Host, Esta will be an ambassador of sorts, greeting coaches and athletes and directing the teams to where they need to go.
Chuck Prenevost, on the other hand, will be dealing more in coordination. His duties range from getting the venue set up for the nightly medal presentations to harmonizing arrangements with the band to making sure all equipment gets to each location on time.
And even though he’ll be working long hours and thirteen or fourteen days straight all of February, Prenevost isn’t complaining. “I think it’s once in a lifetime,” he says. “We have been fortunate enough to have three Olympics in Canada. I had to do it!”
An Olympic Volunteer Experience
Not all Olympic workers are paid for their efforts, but that doesn’t detract from the excitement. Take Chad Weir, an Events & Logistics Manager whose last permanent residence was in Calgary but who is moving to Vancouver just before the games. His role may be strictly a volunteer position, but the prestige is priceless.
“For three events, I am going to be involved in organizing and preparing the start of the race cross,” Weir says. “I am one of six to eight people who are ensuring that the race goes off, essentially. And then I am the assistant for two events (boarder cross and PGS).”
As Chief of Start for ski cross, Weir will need to make sure that the start gage is assembled properly and that the perimeter is up and running. It’s an incredible opportunity, especially since he has been an instructor, coach and volunteer in ski cross and is well acquainted with the people who run the Canadian team. In fact, it was his
networking skills that earned him the opportunity to work for the Olympics.
This is the first time ski cross will be an Olympic event and there are several Canadians who are expected to win medals. “For me, the ability to be in the thick of things while the Canadian team has elevated itself to such a high standing in such a short time, it’s pretty awesome to be a part of that,” Weir says.
For the rest of us proud Canadians, it’ll be pretty awesome just to watch it on our television screens.
Network + Volunteer = Payoff
It doesn't matter if you're aiming for a temporary opportunity or an Olympic-sized career. Follow these suggestions to discover your own gold medal career opportunity:
- Learn to network. It’s how Chad Weir earned his volunteer role at the games and how you can find your next big thing.
- Let money take a backseat. Getting paid isn’t always the be all and end all of things. If you can afford it, volunteer. You can often score great positions by volunteering your time and that experience can make your resume stand out.
- Be accommodating. Chuck Prenevost is working fourteen days straight at the Olympics. And he has another job! Sometimes you need to be willing to go the extra mile (maybe even a few extra miles) to score the awesome opportunity.