Our three homeschool-graduate children all benefited from hands-on work in fields of their interest while in high school. They had the advantage of a father that was self-employed in general contracting, but that fact alone did not create the opportunities. The fact that they were also hardworking and attentive created the apprenticeship opportunities.
Be Alert to Their Individual Bents
We as parents were alert to their individual bents. Our eldest son was a man of the land—gardening, raising animals, trapping, hunting, climbing trees, constructing forts, and searching for wild edibles. Our daughter was one that loved horses. Our youngest son was another man of the land as well as of the air in flight.
Thus, our eldest after volunteering with the PA Game Commission and researching natural gas well tending—both at the recommendation of a family friend—turned his attention to the tree service industry, initially as an extension of his father’s contracting business. Talking of his interest in the outdoors and trees with other families in our church denomination, we learned that one man’s son had his own tree service business and was looking for an apprentice for the summer. That began a longstanding friendship between those two young men and the growth of our son’s now thriving LLC in the tree and outdoor services industry.
Our daughter knew the cost of having her own horse and taking lessons. She found and worked at multiple jobs and local horse stables to save her money to purchase a horse; she has now owned and exclusively provided for Suki since 2013 when she was 16. Knowing that most children, especially girls, love horses, she gave many hours to a ministry that opened doors to the hearts of children with horses. While working at the stable her own horse was boarded at, she also created day camps for young riders educating them on all things horses. Caring for her horse has been excellent in growing our daughter’s understanding of nutrition, training in obedience, self-discipline, finances, and responsibility.
Our youngest, in addition to outdoor activities like his older brother, wanted to learn to fly. When he was six years old, he decided to be a missionary pilot. Any money he saved from working for his father went toward flying lessons. His first solo flight was at age 16 before he had his license to drive cars. His first flight instructor was a pilot and integral member of a humanitarian missions team; he brought our son into the process of all the communications required in missions aviation. As our son continued to pursue his private pilot rating, his interest grew in maintaining aircraft. The owner of the FBO (fixed base operation) where he took flight lessons provided maintenance and repair services for aircraft owners. An agreement was reached that our son would apprentice under the owner during the summer for a designated number of hours in exchange for flight training. This set a foundation in a love for aircraft mechanics as well as flying. After a gap year to develop his savings, our son then attended the School of Missionary Aviation Technology for two years completing FAA certifications in Airframe and Power Plant Maintenance and Commercial Pilot with additional flight endorsements.
Finding Opportunities and Developing a Paper Trail
How did we find these opportunities? The interests of our children pushed the development of interactions with others and the courage to ask. The individuals overseeing the apprenticeships knew our family. We as parents continued to communicate with the overseers to assure compliance, growth, and benefits to all involved. Hours spent and duties performed were documented as well as how well those duties were performed. Additionally, the overseer was asked to comment on each child’s professionalism and attitude: responses to criticism, attentiveness to the task, respectfulness, and timeliness, etc. These documents and comments were included in his or her academic portfolios.
Thriving in the Homeschool and Apprenticeship Experience
We homeschooled to offer each of our children the opportunity to develop and explore interests. We communicated high standards and expectations. We fostered our children in challenging environments as they matured. Once in high school, apprenticeship opportunities became a natural outworking of home education to continue a growth mindset.
Were we courageous to pursue this? In some ways, perhaps. You too can do this.
Watch for your child’s bent. Explore interests. Instill good working habits. Watch for what interests bring your child excitement and joy. Step out. Ask questions. Create the opportunities to thrive for and with your child. You know your child best. An apprenticeship is real-life application of coursework and interests. Could your high school student benefit from an apprenticeship, volunteer or paid work, or internship? Yes. Absolutely.
ACTION: Share your experiences in pursuing apprenticeships. How did the opportunity develop? What benefits were gained? What difficulties were experienced? What would you recommend to others considering apprenticeships? Email your responses to magazine@chaponline.com
Margaret Grimm and her husband, John, take joy in the life pursuits of their three homeschool-graduated children and the busyness of the next season in life. Margaret works as the Digital Magazine Content Editor for CHAP, the Publishing Coordinator for Reformed Forum, and as a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. She gives thanks for time with her children and her growing number of grandchildren.
