Pillar 03 · Trades & apprenticeships
Trade apprenticeships for teen boys and young men.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, every student works at a local business learning a trade. Students graduate not only knowing the theory of becoming a man, but with the experience of working a real job with genuine responsibilities.
Tuesdays and Thursdays
How the apprenticeship program works.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, your son spends a full day on the job as an apprentice with a local business. Most students keep one placement for their whole stay, so they build skill and a working relationship with their employer. Some switch to try another trade. His apprenticeship hours earn elective credit.
The standard on the job is simple: follow instructions, pay attention to detail and take initiative. Learn those three things, and your son can get a job and keep it for the rest of his life.
He learns to show up on time, take direction from a boss and see every job through to the end. He answers to an employer, not a teacher grading a project. The tradesmen who partner with us share our goals and care about the students they train.
- Tue · Thu
- Every week, every student
- A full day
- On the job with a local business
- Elective credit
- Earned for his hours on the job
Trades
Apprenticeship options.
Your son’s placement depends on our current partner businesses and on his interests. Current and past options include:
- 01
Firefighting
Station life, equipment care and emergency-service discipline alongside local fire crews.
- 02
Auto Mechanics & Auto Painting
Diagnostics, maintenance, body work and paint in working shops.
- 03
Electrical
Wiring fundamentals learned on job sites with an area electrical business.
- 04
Plumbing
Rough-in, repair and service calls with area plumbers.
- 05
Welding & Fabrication
Shop safety, cutting and welding on working projects.
- 06
Construction & Carpentry
Framing, finish work and job-site habits with local builders.
- 07
Landscaping
Crew work, equipment and the pace of an outdoor trade.
- 08
Animal Health Technician
Clinic routines and animal care with veterinary partners.
- 09
Glass Installation
Measuring, handling and installing glass with an area installer.
- 10
Real Estate
Office work, client service and the business side of a sales career.
- 11
Computer Programming
For students with aptitude, hands-on work in a technical setting.
- 12
Upholstery
Patterning, sewing and restoring furniture and vehicle interiors.
On the job
Real jobs. Real responsibilities. Real training.
Your son works in local shops and on job sites, where the trade is actually done and he answers to the boss. The responsibility is genuine, and the men around him want him to succeed.
Chores, skills and projects
Work on campus, every day.
Community service
Every Monday morning, students serve on community projects. It builds the basics every job needs: working at a steady pace without asking for breaks, seeing the work that needs doing, following instructions and putting tools away properly.
House chores, twice a day
Twice a day, every student does his chores: washing dishes, folding laundry, checking vehicle oil, weeding, caring for the animals and more. The work builds ownership and teaches him what it really takes to keep up a home, vehicles and property.
Life skills
Your son learns food preparation and kitchen routines, basic baking, sanitation and safety, laundry and home maintenance. His logged hours count toward a life skills elective credit.
Tailored projects
Other elective projects are built around your son’s interests. Past projects have ranged from ecology management and construction to building musical instruments.
In their words
What parents and former students say about apprenticeships at Future Men
“Brendan has matured. He helps without asking. He has learned to work. The apprenticeship has improved his skills.”
“Future Men instilled a ridiculous work ethic in me!”
“As I write, Pete is married, has an 11-month-old son, has a job he enjoys, is attending technical college and is an active member of his church.”
One of three pillars
A trade is not the whole story.
It is where the other two get tested.
- 01Discipleship
- 02Academics
- 03Trades
01 · Christian discipleship
What happens at work gets talked through at home.
The men who mentor your son live on campus, so a hard day on the job, a correction from a boss or a job well done can be talked through around the table that evening.
How discipleship works
02 · Accredited academics
Hours on the job become credit.
His apprenticeship hours earn elective credit in a school accredited by Cognia. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday he is back at his coursework, working toward a diploma in hand.
Accredited academics at Future Men
Parents ask
Questions about apprenticeships.
Start the application whenever you are ready. Our admissions team will contact you within 24 hours, including weekends and holidays.
When do apprenticeships happen?
Every Tuesday and Thursday, your son spends a full day on the job. School days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so his week moves between the desk and the job site.
How is my son’s trade chosen?
It depends on our current partner businesses and on his interests. Most students keep one placement for their whole stay, so they build skill and a working relationship with their employer. Some switch to try another trade.
Does apprenticeship work count toward school?
Yes. His apprenticeship hours earn elective credit toward his accredited coursework.
Are you a Branson-area business owner?
Host an apprentice and help a young man learn to work. Contact us and mention the apprenticeship program.