Gap Year Program
Bear River Ranch's Gap Year Program is a program designed to provide hands-on experience for a wide range of animal careers. This program is for young adults ages 17 to 22 who are passionate about animals and want to explore their passion through hands-on work. Students build confidence and the experience to show future employers that they have the knowledge and skills required to appropriately care for a wide variety of animals including common pets, farm animals, and exotic animals.
Students will work side-by-side with our animal care team and be involved in every aspect of animal care, including; daily feeding, cleaning, medical care, grooming, training, enrichment, and public education. Regardless of what animal career you may wish to persue, our goal is to give students a set of core competencies to move them to the next stage of their work life. Each student will leave the program with a written recommendation, a record of the compentencies achieved, as well as a project portfolio to use for future job applications.
Core Competencies
Each Gap Year is aiming to gain these 9 core competencies:
Animal Observation
Basic Health Care
Animal Nutrition
Animal Interaction
Animal Care
Record Keeping
Animal Enrichment
Restraint & Transportation
Animal Knowledge
Program Length
Our Gap Year sessions are in 5-week intervals. The full program is a 3-part program lasting a total of 15 weeks. Participants are expected to stay a minimum of 5 weeks, but can stay any length of time in blocks of 5 weeks. Sessions run from September - May and start dates are flexible.
Program Costs
$6000: Full 15-week program
$2350 5-week program
Daily Schedule
8am: Morning Rounds
In the mornings, our animal team is focused on feeding, cleaning, and accounting for all our animals. Students will work side-by-side with an animal care team member to complete daily care tasks. This is a crucial time for a Gap Year student to gain their compentencies in the areas of animal observation and health care.
1pm: Afternoon Projects
Afternoon animal care is focused on maintaining a clean and healthy environment for our animals. This includes cleaning habitats, making enrichment for animals, and preparing their next day's diet. As a Gap Year builds their skills, this time is also used for their solo projects to focus on each competency area.
5pm: Time Off
Dinner is the responsibility of an individual to make, but Gap Year students sometimes prepare meals together. Time after dinner is time-off, so Gap Years may choose to do what they would like in their free-time! Students will also have two scheduled days off each week to rest, socialize, or explore the surrounding area. Days off are also a great time to do laundry and clean their room. Students who come to the Ranch with their own car are permitted to leave the property on their day off.
Accomodations
Students are housed in fully-furnished and equipped, modern apartments on our property. Gap Years, depending on the size and make-up of the group will either live together or next door to each other. Their supervisors and other Ranch employees will be on the property at all times and available if needed. Housing is located within a short walk of other residences and the animal area. The cost of housing is included in tuition.
Meals are the responsibility of participants, but transportation to the grocery store can be provided. Please contact us to discuss options for assitance with meals.
Living at the Ranch also includes access to our scenic hiking trails and peaceful woods! Gap Years are encouraged to spend time outside when the weather is nice and explore our beautiful property.
Who Are We Looking For?
Applicants for the Gap Year Program should consider themselves to be able to work independently and be self-motivated. Gap Year students work closely with our animal team and full-time team members, but as a part of a small program they need to show ability to guide themselves in solo-projects and also be able to stay on task when not directly working with/supervised by others. Gap Year students have wonderful potential to create amazing projects here! In order to have a successful time with us, participants should be consistent , be goal-oriented, and stay committed. We would also like to see Gap Year students who are enthusiastic, can work well in a team, can communicate ideas and take directions, and has an attention for detail. If Gap Year applicants don't have all these skills, that's okay! We want to help them get there. That is why above all, we are looking for students who are eager to learn!
Register for the Gap Year Program
Ask Us A Question!
Have more questions? Give us a call or send us an email! We would love to talk to you about your options!