Overview
Throughout the course of this contract, the apprentice will serve three distinct roles, outlined below.
The apprenticeship will begin with a seven day training trip. On this trip we will backpack and canoe through the Cheat River watershed while teaching our foundational curriculum involving leadership, wilderness, and environmental understanding. This training trip runs May 31-June 6, 2024 and sets the stage for teaching these skills to our participants. Throughout this trip, the apprentice’s role will be to absorb the curriculum, systems, and ideologies that are the focus of APEX.
After the training trip, we will begin our programming season. Here, the apprentice will work as part of an experienced instructor team. They will teach wilderness skills, leadership lessons, and other classes that they will have seen taught on the training trip. Additionally they will be involved in planning logistics, making risk management decisions in the field, and participate as a member and leader of the group in games, activities, and lessons.
Lastly, the apprentice will develop their own leadership and teaching styles through supportive lesson prep, observation and feedback. The goal is to help the apprentice grow into a leader within the outdoor industry. As part of this role, we will also be asking the apprentice to support APEX’s initiatives to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive environment by providing perspectives, ideas, and programmatic feedback.
Apprenticeship Dates: May 31 through August 16.
Qualifications:
Person of color, member of the LGBTQIA+ community, or a member of another marginalized group
Ages 21 and up
Affinity for the outdoors. You must enjoy being outside for extended periods. Our longest program is two weeks in length, during that time apprentices will be backpacking and/or camping on the river and will have limited access to frontcountry amenities (i.e. flushing toilets).
A desire to teach. This is an outdoor education apprenticeship.
Required Skills:
A desire to work with children of all ages. Age ranges for our programs range from 5 to 17 years old. Apprentices will be placed in programs based on need and best fit.
Wilderness First Aid Certification. This is our minimum first aid requirement. If you do not have a WFA certification we will cover the cost of your course. Please see notes below about professional development.
About Appalachian Expeditions
Appalachian Expeditions is an outdoor education program based in Davis, West Virginia. We are centrally located between Pittsburgh (3 hours), Baltimore (3.5 hours), and Washington DC (3 hours). Our mission is to educate and inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Central Appalachian region through adventure, community, and sustainable living skills. APEX runs two types of programs: Front country day camps for kids ages 5-8 and 9-13. And backcountry expeditions ranging from three days to two weeks. These trips may include any of the following activities: backpacking, canoeing, rafting, biking (mountain and/or gravel), and caving.
