Internship FAQs

Interns are a valuable part of the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC). Because the BOEC courses rely primarily on the interns, the internship offers its participants the chance to play an integral role in empowering people of all abilities through outdoor experiences. A unique aspect of the BOEC internship is that it gives the interns an unlimited amount of responsibility.

Two primary internship programs occur seasonally throughout the year. Approximately 12 interns are selected for each season. An internship in either season requires one to make a full-time commitment for four to six months (depending on the season) to the BOEC.

Interns intentionally come from many different educational backgrounds. The idea is to bring a diverse knowledge base together so we can all learn from one another. One does not have to have experience in all or any areas of programming to apply. A typical selection of interns may include:

• People ranging from age 21 to into their 30’s. (All applicants must be at least 21 years of age)
• Working professionals looking for a career change.
• College students completing an academic requirement for recreation management, outdoor experiential education, recreation therapy, etc.
• People looking for a life changing experience.
• People looking to gain outdoor experience and experience with people with disabilities.
• Physical, Occupational and Recreation Therapists looking to gain more outdoor experience and expand their professional horizons.
• People who have a passion for the outdoors and working with persons with disabilities.

The winter internship begins November 1 and goes through April 30, after the ski resorts close. This commitment requires interns to remain away from home during the holidays. The summer internship begins May 15 and runs to September 30. All internships are full time commitments without time for outside work or part-time jobs. Potential interns must take this financial burden into consideration when applying.

Depending on the season and participant volume in the ski or wilderness programs, interns typically get three to four days off every fourteen days.  When interns are not on a ski lesson or on a wilderness course, they may have the opportunity to perform maintenance days and/or work in the  administrative office which helps to learn about the full operations of the organization.

• $200 monthly stipend
• Housing provided
• Weekly food stipend, access to BOEC food staples, and all meals while working are provided
• Staff shirt provided
• Breck Rec Center passes
• Access to 12 mental health therapy sessions 
• Use of BOEC gear (summer specific benefit)
• All winter equipment provided (winter specific benefit) 
• Epic Local Ski Pass (Keystone and Breckenridge ski resorts) and opportunities to ski at Copper Mountain and Arapahoe Basin (winter specific benefit) 

Over the years, the intern cabin has been given gradual and steady improvements to make an incredibly comfortable home for the beloved interns. The all wood cabin features three toilets, three showers, two washers and two dryers, a TV and DVD player and gas and electric heat. This spacious, fully furnished cabin can house 12 interns during a season. There are six bedrooms: two singles, two doubles and two triples. Due to its very convenient location, interns can walk or ski to work, and a short walk also allows one to access the FREE Summit County bus system.

Interns eat extremely well through generous deals on bulk purchases and a weekly check for fresh food. Going to purchase food, whether part of the trip to Denver or the weekly stop at the supermarket, is a responsibility shared by all interns. Unless an intern has a specific dietary need or concern, they will probably not need to supplement with any of their own purchases.

• Skier improvement clinics
• Adaptive instructor training
• Adaptive equipment training
• Hut trip
• Opportunities to become certified with Professional Ski Instructors of America or American Association of Snowboard Instructors
• Risk management
• Disability awareness
• Transfer training

• Training with the climbing wall
• Off-site rock climbing
• Top rope set up training
• High ropes course and elements experience and set-up
• Paddling experience both flat-water (canoe) and whitewater (rafting)
• Training in low impact camping and hiking
• Backcountry river trip camping.
• Risk management
• Transfer training

An internship at BOEC has rolled over into a full-time job for many of our staff. Roughly 90% of our staff throughout all areas of the BOEC were once interns. Former interns currently hold positions such as ski instructors, wilderness course directors, a ski program trainer, an internship program coordinator, an operations manager and an outreach coordinator. The experience of being a part of a non-profit organization can only add strength to a resume and enrich life experiences. The BOEC internship is a building block towards a bright future in experiential education, adaptive sports, allied health (therapeutic recreation, physical and occupational therapy) and outdoor education. It can also help one discover a new career path and make the connections leading to the ‘dream’ job.

Yes. One to four interns within the intern group will be chosen to do a Therapeutic Recreation internship. Interns will assist in assessment, planning, implementation/facilitation, and evaluation during BOEC activities which are goal oriented and directed toward rehabilitation, amelioration, and/or modification of specific physical, emotional, cognitive, and/or social functional behaviors. Responsibilities may include: client assessments, progress notes, discharge plans, activity analysis, leisure education, etc.

All interns must be at least twenty-one years of age, have First Aid and CPR certification and the ability to commit to an entire season. Above all, the BOEC is looking to create an intern staff that is self-motivated, takes initiative, and has some experience working with people with disabilities and special needs. It is helpful to have technical outdoor or skiing skills and, most importantly, the ability to work well with people. All interns must have a strong sense of hard work, flexibility, a love of the outdoors, and an open mind.