How Does the VBC Ministry Apprenticeship Work?

A VBC Ministry apprentice is employed by the church to be trained and to serve in the church. This can be full-time or part-time. VBC provides the teaching online through its qualified trainers and Learning Management System. The teaching is delivered in person in classes with multiple students using the Zoom platform. The apprentice learns on the job. Subject assessments involve practical ministry activities in their church which grow the apprentice’s competency as they apply what they are learning into real and practical ministry tasks. VBC partners with the pastor so that he (or someone he recommends) mentors the apprentice so that their Christian character and conviction are developed alongside their growing competency. An Apprentice can be FULL-TIME or PART-TIME.

 

  • A full-time apprentice will spend approximately 7 hours a week in Zoom classes (5 subjects per training block—a block is 2 school terms) and another 1 1⁄2 days a week completing readings, ministry activities and assessment tasks. It is also a requirement of the course that apprentices belong to a local church and participate in the ministries of the church.

  • A part-time apprentice will spend 1.5-3 hours a week in Zoom classes (1-2 subjects per training block) and another 1.5-3 hours a week completing readings, ministry activities and assessment tasks. It is also a requirement of the course that apprentices belong to a local church and participate in the ministries of the church.

 

During the last block of each qualification the VBC trainer talks to both the apprentice and the pastor about the possibility of proceeding into the next stage of the apprenticeship. If all three agree, the apprentice proceeds to the next year.

Upon completion of the three-year apprenticeship the apprentice is awarded with a ‘VBC Skilled Ministry Worker Certificate’.