In recent years, Killington Resort in Vermont has experienced a shortage of workers and the low, 2.8 percent, unemployment rate isn’t helping matters. Like many resorts, Killington brings in a group of international workers each year on a variety of visas.
About 10 percent of the resort’s seasonal staff come from foreign locations each year, said Human Resources Manager Judy Geiger.
The resort has hired about 100 people this year who are college students coming from the Southern Hemisphere and working in Vermont under J-1 visas. Another 100 people are coming from Mexico, unemployed under H-2B visas. – Mountain Times
One challenge that comes along with hiring 200 foreign workers is housing. As the majority of these employees do not bring vehicles, housing needs to be near some form of public transit.
In July, Killington purchased the recently closed Mendon Mountain View Lodge in the nearby town of Mendon. The lodge will be used to house approximately 60 seasonal employees each season. The hope is that by offering housing, it will be easier to attract more workers. Killington has invested in the building by updating the heating system and freshened up some of the furniture.
In addition, Killington is working with Castelton State University, located approximately 25 miles away, to staff the resort. According to a posting on Glassdoor, students will be able to choose an “indoor track” and work in the lodge, kitchen, ticket sales, and rental shop or the “outdoor track” which includes lift operations, parking, and ticket checking. The university will provide transportation for the students to get them to and from the mountain.
