Cordillera Equestrian Center Apprentice Program | Cordillera | Premier Mountain Living

CEC Apprentice Program

Apprentice Program Overview

The Cordillera Equestrian Center’s Apprentice Program is designed to promote growth among committed employees and volunteers who work at the CEC and want to pursue a career in the equestrian field. The program offers participants a first-hand experience in an outdoor, educational setting and can be a valuable addition to a resume or applications for college or other programs. Program participants will enjoy fresh air and physical activity in a beautiful environment while finding satisfaction in a job well done.

The CEC Employee Apprentice Program is appropriate for employees of the Cordillera Equestrian Center who have the following goals:

Employees over 16 years old who love horses and want to improve their equine knowledge and skills
Those interested in gaining first-hand experience at the CEC that extends beyond their current job description

The CEC Volunteer Apprentice Program is appropriate for:

Teens over 14 years old and adults who love horses and would like to improve their equine knowledge, gain employment in an equine career in the future, or explore a career in the equestrian field as an apprentice
Students looking for opportunities to fill community service requirements
Teens looking to boost their resumes or applications for college or a great variety of other programs

Benefits of participating in the CEC Apprentice Program:

For everyone:

Participate in new experiences and gain skills in equine care, horse training, veterinary insights, and more
Join a community of caring people
Priority access to available employment if interested (for those not already employed)
CEC Manager Annie Morris will be available to offer mentorship to help career-oriented participants reach their goals. Mentorship activities can include, but are not limited to, riding lessons, shadowing horse shows, and assisting with certification testing requirements, among other activities
For those who do not own horses, benefits such as lessons on CEC school horses are available for those who want to ride

For employees with a horse:

CEC employees who own a horse may receive a discount of 30% for paddock board after working at the CEC for at least one year. An additional 10% discount per year is available for those who remain in the program, with a minimum of $400 for board after 4 years

For volunteers with a horse:

CEC volunteers who work 3 days per month on average may put hours worked toward the board of one horse for up to a 30% discount off the original board cost after one year of volunteering. An additional 10% discount after one year is available for those who remain committed to the program, with a minimum of $400 bard after 4 years

Requirements for participation in the CEC Apprentice Program:

Commitment to being reliable and responsible
Willingness to learn and work
The desire to be respectful and kind
Ability to communicate with staff and other volunteers about work-related issues at the CEC
Applicants must outline a plan in their application that details how they will achieve a specific goal over the next 12 months. Goals can include but are not limited to showing, becoming certified to teach or train, working with local veterinarians, or other goals that would be useful in the equestrian field.
- Achieving the goal will require applicants to put in their own time for education. An average of 2 hours per week is required.
- Applicants must track the time they put into education and submit it in a spreadsheet to CEC Manager Annie Morris every month
We expect applicants who are employees to be employees in good standing, i.e., with good attendance, reliability, and zero disciplinary actions. They must be working part-time or full-time with an equivalent of 24 weeks or more per year
Volunteer applicants must agree to work at the CEC at least one day per week, 6 hours per day, for the next 6-12 months, depending on circumstances.
With the increased benefits for employees at the CEC come increased responsibilities. These responsibilities may include teaching lessons, taking a more active role in horse care, or assisting with certain aspects of barn management.
Applicants are expected to act accordingly as an apprentice for whichever field they are interested in and will become a model for other employees at the CEC who are interested in becoming career horsemen and women. If program participants cannot maintain this increased responsibility, if they lose their good standing as employees, or if they are not putting in the average of 2 hours per week effort for education, they will lose both the apprenticeship and the other benefits.

APPLY NOW: CEC Apprentice Program

"*" indicates required fields

Please fill out the application below and upload your written CEC Apprentice Program plan. One to three applicants may be accepted per year, depending on the availability of resources.

Name of Applicant:*

First Last

Birth Date:

Phone (Mobile):*

Phone (Alternate):

Address:*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Email:*

Proposed Program Start Date:*

Proposed End Date:*

Days you are available to work at the CEC:*

Do you have any health issues or disorders?

Yes

If yes, please describe:*

Would you like to bring your own horse? (Note: If yes, pending approval, and a boarding contract is required.)*

Yes

Emergency Contact Name:*

First Last

Emergency Contact Phone (Mobile):*

Emergency Contact Phone (Alternate):

Please describe your level of equine experience:*

Please describe your previous horse-riding experience:*

Summarize your equine career goals here. You will be asked to upload more details about your goals and your plan to achieve them below.*

What do you expect to learn in the CEC apprentice program?*

Which specific equine activities are you interested in?*

Please offer any additional information you feel is important to your application:

Please upload your written CEC Apprentice Program plan here, including the stated goal and plan to meet the goal over the apprenticeship period. Describe how you will increase the level of care for the CEC as an apprentice.

File*

Max. file size: 256 MB.

I understand that this is an unpaid apprenticeship position, and I agree to also sign a waiver of liability to participate in this program. I understand the program guidelines above and know that any benefits offered to apprentice program participants will be revoked if I do not maintain an average of 2 hours per week of education based on my goals to participate in this program.

Signature*

Printed Name:*

First Last

Date*

Signature of parent or guardian is required if applicant is under 18 years of age.

Signature of Parent/Guardian (if applicant under age 18):

Parent/Guardian Printed Name:

First Last

Date

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Location of Cordillera Equestrian Center

Helpful Links

Equestrian Activities