Apprenticeship Program

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What is the Apprenticeship Program?

Apprenticeship Program

The BLBC Apprenticeship Program is a year-long, work-based discipleship program for young Christian men and women (generally aged 18-22). Our program, which includes a focused track with a specific role and a general track, is designed with the following young believers in mind. Consider applying for an Apprenticeship if you:

  • Have taken ownership of your faith and are hungry to grow spiritually.
  • Are willing to be stretched personally, professionally, and spiritually as you work and serve in an intense ministry setting.
  • Want the chance to live on your own in a semi-structured environment.
  • Are trying to discern God’s calling or next steps in life. 
  • Want to gain experience in a specific role, regardless of whether you are interested in using this experience in a Christian camping setting.

Apprentices live on BLBC grounds in community with each other and with our year-round staff, which allows many opportunities for great relationships to form and life-on-life discipleship to occur.

Apply nowLearn More
What is the Apprenticeship Program?

Apprenticeship Program

The BLBC Apprenticeship Program is a year-long, work-based discipleship program for young Christian men and women (generally aged 18-22). Our program, which includes a focused track with a specific role and a general track, is designed with the following young believers in mind. Consider applying for an Apprenticeship if you:

  • Have taken ownership of your faith and are hungry to grow spiritually.
  • Are willing to be stretched personally, professionally, and spiritually as you work and serve in an intense ministry setting.
  • Want the chance to live on your own in a semi-structured environment.
  • Are trying to discern God’s calling or next steps in life. 
  • Want to gain experience in a specific role, regardless of whether you are interested in using this experience in a Christian camping setting.

Apprentices live on BLBC grounds in community with each other and with our year-round staff, which allows many opportunities for great relationships to form and life-on-life discipleship to occur.

Apply nowLearn More

Why Does BLBC Have an Apprenticeship Program?

We believe the biblical model is “life-on-life” discipleship that includes a holistic approach to life, including our work and our social lives (see, e.g., Acts 18:1-3). Christian camping provides one of the few settings in modern America for this type of discipleship to take place. Our heart is that iron-sharpening-iron discipleship will occur at all levels in everything we do at BLBC with our staff, campers, volunteers, etc. We recognize that only so much discipleship can happen during a weekend or even a full week, so we love that our Apprenticeship Program gives us a full year to do life together with our apprentices. Over the apprenticeship year, with the challenges, hardships, opportunities, and blessings that a year of ministry and life together will inevitably bring, we can train, mentor, coach, and do true life-on-life discipleship. Past apprentices have told us the growth they have experienced and the relationships they have formed have been transformational!

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Key Components of the Program

Applied Skills Development
  • Time management skills
  • Goal-setting and accomplishment
  • Grow in professional experience and life skills, such as resume building, networking, vocational skills, conflict resolution, etc.
Spiritual Growth
  • Understand how to study scripture
  • Explore basic Christian doctrine
  • Develop a Christian worldview
  • Build spiritual disciplines
Mentorship & Guidance
  • Personal and spiritual coaching and mentoring
  • Cultivation of sustainable habits that are life-giving
  • Professional guidance from experienced Christian camping professionals
Community Living
  • Community housing with other apprentices
  • Meals shared with camp staff and their families, volunteers, and other guests
  • Live life within a supportive camp community

This program has allowed me to grow in both my faith and specific skills while having a blast with others my age. The staff is so welcoming. Being able to live where I work is truly a blessing.

Heidi, Housekeeping Apprentice

Being in this program has brought me so much joy through building relationships and learning important life skills! I've seen God through the staff's love for me and each other.

Abby, Office Apprentice

I had the opportunity to lead morning prayers, go through the gospels, and have spiritual conversations with Randall, the Discipleship Coordinator. It was a blessing to serve the guests and watch them interact with one another in fellowship while they worshipped our Lord Jesus Christ.

Frankie, General Apprentice

The apprentices are in such a great community, and it reminds me of the early church in Acts. We all support, encourage, and goof around with each other.

Jackie, Maintenance Apprentice
Apprentice Positions

Specific
Apprentice Roles

All successful Christian camping professionals know the importance of being flexible and embracing a “whatever it takes to accomplish the mission” attitude. As an apprentice, you will need to embrace this attitude as well. If you are assigned to a specific role, you will primarily serve in that role for the entire twelve months of the program. However, you will undoubtedly also be expected to serve in areas outside your assigned role, especially in our busy summer camp and retreat seasons. All apprentices help clean and “turnover” Camp regularly (generally weekly, but sometimes more or less).

As an apprentice, you will work to accomplish a series of milestones laid out for you. Click on a specific role to preview the milestones for that position.

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The Apprenticeship Program

Rhythms of our Program

Seasonal Rhythms

BLBC is a year-round camp and conference center. You will arrive in August, as we transition from our busy summer camp season to an active fall retreat season. Expect to quickly engage with events like Labor Day Family Camp, Teen Fall Retreat, and Fall Men’s and Women’s Retreats, as well as hosting mid-week and weekend guest groups. The pace slows after mid-November, shifting your focus to facility cleaning, maintenance, and preparation for winter.

In January, activities ramp up again with guest groups and Winter Blitz weekends until the end of March. Our Spring Men’s Retreat in late April leads us into a busy spring and summer camp season. During summer, you’ll experience the ministry we are best known for: eight weeks of summer camp! This includes kids and teen overnight camps and a family camp, with staff working Sunday through Friday. Sundays feature a staff chapel at 10:00 am before campers arrive at 3:00 pm.

Weekly Rhythms

In the non-summer season, you will generally work Tuesday through Saturday, with some Sundays required due to retreat schedules. We aim to limit and space out Sunday work to ensure you stay connected to a local church. We strongly believe in the value of local church involvement, so you will be expected to get involved in a local church while you are here.

Our Apprenticeship Program involves a minimum of 45 hours a week, including at least five hours for personal and spiritual development. Most days start with morning prayer and devotions, and weeks typically include Bible or book studies. Tuesdays are for cleaning and preparing facilities (“Turnover Tuesdays”). Wednesday mornings feature Bible Study and staff meetings or worship, while afternoons and the rest of the week focus on your service area and guest group support.

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4 Essential Elements

These four essential elements are woven together to form the Apprenticeship Program

Work

A significant aspect of the Apprenticeship Program involves practicing our faith in serving alongside one another. Together we learn what it means to work to the glory of God, to serve with excellence, and to understand work as a gift!

Equipping

We have designed our Apprenticeship Program to give you the spiritual and practical tools necessary to thrive in your faith and vocational calling wherever God ultimately leads you. Bible and book studies with group discussions will help to sharpen your beliefs. Our goal is for you to move beyond the classroom by learning to apply these beliefs in real-life experiences, such as your work, social, and community life.

Coaching

As an apprentice, you will be supported in your personal and professional growth through purposeful mentorship, regular check-ins, and as-needed support with our Discipleship Coordinator. You can use these times to ask questions and seek advice about life in general, work, faith, whatever! We aim to help you develop a biblical worldview and explore issues of the heart, as we point you to Christ in these interactions.

Life Together

Our Apprenticeship Program is designed to function as a community within a community. We were created to live in relationship with those around us. You will have the opportunity to grow in your relationships with your fellow apprentices as you live in close proximity with them, and with the greater BLBC community as you work alongside our staff and live in our staff community. Healthy community living doesn’t just happen but takes practice and effort. You will have the chance to grow in the practices of gratitude, promise-keeping, and hospitality, as well as the many other “one another” commands of Scripture God has designed for his people.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • When does the program begin?

    This is a twelve-month program, beginning at the end of August.

  • Will I have any breaks or time off?

    Yes! You will have a Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, Spring Break, and five days of PTO.

  • Can I go home on the weekends I am not working?

    Yes, you can! However, we encourage you to stay and build community with the other apprentices.

  • What if I need to leave early for college?

    We will do our best to accommodate early departures when necessary. Please disclose this as soon as possible!

  • Will I receive college credits or a certificate?

    You will not receive college credits or a certificate, but you will develop real-life work experience in a safe environment with people who care about your personal and spiritual growth!

  • How much does the program cost?

    The program is free! In addition, housing is provided along with meals when guests are on grounds. You will also have first access to leftovers when available, and you will be provided a monthly stipend that most apprentices find is enough to cover their monthly expenses!

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