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Folsom’s internship program is a larger piece of our business than most people realize. Typically, an internship position may sound like the “coffee run” job, but we can assure you that’s not the case at Folsom Custom Skis. We heavily rely on interns to get hands on with our skis before and after production, and require high, Folsom-quality work to prepare our skis for each customer.
Being an intern at Folsom Custom Skis is a fantastic and challenging experience, and considering that we only hire from within our internship program, it’s also very competitive. Throughout the years we have had a number of great interns that have truly impressed us, so we thought we’d check in on these folks and see how their Folsom internship helped get them to where they are now.
Ben was an intern with Folsom a number of years ago, and was one of the few that advanced his internship to the point where he was finishing skis once they were pressed – a rigorous process that involves cutting through itchy cured epoxy and fiberglass, plus precision machine work. Besides finishing skis, Ben would often rock out to Mike’s retro party music that still plays and keeps the energy of the shop alive. Ben earned his Folsom stripes through his ability to finish skis, curiosity about ski design and sweet dance moves, and walked out of his internship with a pair of 188cm Primary’s. “They’ve got well over 150 days on them and they’re still going strong! I liked them so much that I’ve bought two more identical pairs. My wife is now getting a pair of Cash 106s. We’ll be Folsom customers for life.” These days, Ben is living in Golden, CO working as a Project Manager in the power production and refining industry.
“I kept the Folsom Custom Skis paragraph on my resume all through college and into my professional career. It was always something recruiters wanted to talk about and definitely helped me land a couple internships.”
“My best advice is to wear thick flannels and duct tape between the flannel cuff and your gloves. Fiberglass splinters itch for days!”
Cheyenne was one of the few interns that we had on our marketing side rather than production. Cheyenne made the most of her time at Folsom, and as a die hard skier, Cheyenne loved the fact that she could translate what she was learning at school to an environment that was dedicated to the ski industry. During her internship, the Powfish caught her eye and Cheyenne is the proud new owner of a pair of 164cm Powfish skis. Since then, Cheyenne has spent the last 9 months living in Australia, studying, rock-climbing and living it up.
“My biggest advice for incoming interns would be to work hard and have fun! It’s a fast-paced environment so it is exciting seeing everything going on in the back of the house.”
Jackson was one of the hardest working, busiest interns we’ve ever had. During his Folsom internship, Jackson was the President of the Alpine Club at the University of Denver, and helped to build a strong relationship between DU and Folsom. Jackson dove head first into learning anything and everything about ski design. After completing his internship, Jackson also decided to build a Primary with our famed Shallow Reverse Camber profile, noting that the versatility of that build is unparalleled. Since then, Jackson worked at evo Denver as a boot fitter and as a ski, bike and wakeboard sales person. After graduating from DU, Jackson went to Hokkaido to ski and then to Australia, traveling up and down the coast.
“I loved the internship because it’s all about putting your head down and working hard. Once you do that and prove to the guys that you are a hard worker and want to learn, all kinds of doors open up. Along the way I learned about materials, production processes, shapes, profiles, modifications, construction, and the entire engineering process of how a ski is built the right way. I learned more than I ever knew was possible about skis. It has changed the way I view other skis, changed the questions I ask about skis, and changed the way I understand a ski as I ride them. It has certainly caused me to be more critical of skis and expect more out of the products available, especially from a durability standpoint.”
“Ask questions! It’s better to ask than it is to mess up someone’s skis. Double and triple check your work, it’s better to take a little extra time to make sure its perfect. You’re going to mess something up, it’s not the end of the world, learn from it. Try to learn as much as you can from the guys that have been around for awhile. Test out as many demos as you can! Never pass up on a chance to get an egg on your burger at Great Scotts.”
Sarah was the most recent intern on this list, and earned the spotlight that’s being shed on her. As a production intern, Sarah impressed us with her can-do attitude, and ability to learn techniques that we taught her and master them on her own. She was unsure if she wanted to work in the outdoor industry, and after going through the Folsom internship, she knew that she wanted to stay in the industry, but do it her own way. After graduating from CU Boulder in December 2019, Sarah started working on a new venture: Bevara. “[It’s] an easy to use web and mobile application that connects outdoor enthusiasts to nonprofit organizations so they can volunteer, donate, and advocate for their outdoor community.” Sarah found how she can stay in the outdoor industry and do it on her own terms, and it all started at the Folsom Internship.
“Ask as many questions as you can think of! Learn as much as you can. Learning how skis are made and what goes into them to give them different properties helps so much when you’re picking out or designing your own. Also, for the girls out there, it is a male dominated industry but don’t let that discourage or intimidate you! Everyone is really great at Folsom and so I’ve heard, the female interns generally do a better job.”
“I use my Cash 106s as my AT setup and they are incredible. They are super light skis and the aggressive rocker in the tip helps cut through any snow in the tracks or stomp down a fresh one. The stiffness and the full edge wrap gives me the security I need when going downhill. They’re perfect for the backcountry!”
Ian was an intern when Folsom was still based out of our tiny shop in Boulder, CO. He was in high school at the time, and was one of the main reasons that we started an official internship program as we did not have one when Ian showed up. He began by sweeping the floors and taking out trash, but by proving to us that he was fully capable and willing to learn, Ian could almost build himself a full pair of skis by the time he left. These days, he is finishing up his Mechanical Engineering degree from Montana State University and finishing up welding school at Gallatin College. Currently, Ian is doing a lot of freelance metal fabrication and 3D printing prototyping for local businesses. Ian always had a drive to work hard and learn at Folsom, and he is now applying the skills he’s learned over the years to carry out his career.
“Coming from a small business family, it was a great learning experience to see how a different businesses are run, grown, and developed. It is my goal to have a business of my own eventually, so the lessons I have learned from leadership at Folsom Skis will continue to influence my own decisions. Before I even knew I wanted to study Mechanical Engineering I was learning design, manufacturing, and sales, all through the lens of skiing. This is the best way to learn in my opinion.”
“Don’t be afraid to change the music.”
Over the years the Folsom internship has helped numerous individuals get into the ski industry, and get in-depth with the ski manufacturing processes. Many of our finest interns have found their own way in the ski industry, or used the lessons they learned during the internship to help them excel in the fields they chose to go in to. At any given time, we have 3-5 interns in the shop as they are a necessary part of our production to get Folsom Skis out into the world.
If you’re interested in joining the Folsom team, fill out our Production Internship application form, and we’ll reach out to you when a spot opens up. It’s a great experience to learn about ski manufacturing, work with a fun group of guys, and at then end of your internship you walk away with your own pair of Folsom Custom Skis… not a bad deal, right?