THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
Here at ARC, we believe that the creation of comprehensive educational programs rooted in experiential learning is essential to supporting the next generation of natural builders.
There is no shortage of short-form workshops — spaces that offer inspiration, exposure, and initial contact with materials and techniques. These have their place, and many of us began there. But again and again, we have witnessed the same gap: a lack of opportunities to stay long enough to truly understand the full arc of building — from foundation to finish — within a cohesive, mentored process.
What we have created is the apprenticeship we wished we had. A space where learning is not fragmented, but continuous. Where knowledge is not just demonstrated, but practiced, repeated, embodied, and integrated over time.
Each of your instructors comes from a distinct background and lineage of experience — spanning different techniques, climates, materials, and approaches. This creates an educational environment that is not one-dimensional, but richly layered. Apprentices are not learning a single method, but developing a broader literacy in natural building through the diversity of our collective knowledge.
We believe it is our responsibility to ensure that competent, confident, and well supported individuals are able to gain real experience with these techniques — not only to build their own capacity, but to contribute to a larger cultural shift.
The current building industry is largely rooted in extraction — of land, of resources, of labor. Natural building offers a different pathway. One that is slower, more relational, and more attuned to place. But for this shift to take hold, it requires people who are not only inspired by these methods, but who are actually skilled in them.
At the same time, this work is about more than skill acquisition. It is about remembering.
Remembering that humans have always known how to build with the materials around them. That the capacity to create shelter — to shape space in response to climate, culture, and need — is not something reserved for specialists, but something deeply human. In many ways, modern building culture has created a form of separation — what we might call "expert culture" — where people feel disconnected from their own ability to create, repair, and build. This disconnection is not neutral; it carries real consequences in how we relate to land, to labor, and to our own sense of agency.
Part of our work is to gently undo that pattern. To support people in reclaiming a sense of competence, confidence, and direct relationship with the building process — one cohort at a time.
We believe that building is a birthright. That the ability to create structure and shelter in a way that honors your unique needs, your environment, and your values is fundamental — and we work to ensure that this right is extended to future generations.
What you will learn
This apprenticeship covers the full spectrum of a natural build — from the ground up. You will not be introduced to isolated techniques in a vacuum. You will encounter each skill in the context of a real, living structure, at the moment it is needed, practiced repeatedly until it becomes yours.
Over three months, apprentices will work hands-on with:
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Foundations — understanding site, drainage, and base systems for natural structures
Timber framing — reading wood, joinery basics, and structural logic • Roofing — tile installation and natural insulation roof assemblies
Window and door installation — fitting, sealing, and integrating openings into natural walls
Tongue and groove installation — interior finish carpentry and wood joinery
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Straw bale — baling, pinning, and preparing for plaster
Wool infill — natural insulation and breathable wall assemblies
Hempcrete — mixing, forming, and understanding lime-based binders
Light clay straw — demonstration walls exploring this ancient infill method
Cob — walls and sculptural applications — the most tactile and expressive of the earth building arts
Lath and plaster — traditional substrate and layering systems
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Earthen plaster — base coats, finish coats, and reading the wall beneath
Lime plaster — working with a living material that breathes and hardens over time
Earthen floors — mixing, layering, burnishing, and sealing a floor that comes alive underfoot
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Exterior living space design — integrating structure with landscape and outdoor living
Whole systems design — understanding how every decision — material, orientation, sequence — ripples through a build
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Practitioners in the natural building world — will join throughout the program for focused sessions and specialized instruction. Field trips to remarkable natural buildings in and around Ashland will offer exposure to techniques and approaches beyond the scope of this project.
What You Will Carry With You
There is something that happens when you stay long enough. When you see a wall go up with your hands, watch a plaster cure, lay a floor and feel it harden beneath your feet — something shifts. Not just in what you know, but in who you understand yourself to be.
What you leave with is not a certificate. It is a body of experience. A memory in your muscles of what it means to move through a build from beginning to end — to make the mistakes, to find your footing, to discover that you are more capable than you thought.
You will leave this apprenticeship with:
Practical, hands-on experience with a rare breadth of natural building techniques
The ability to read a build — to understand sequence, material logic, and how each layer informs the next
Confidence in your body and your craft, earned through repetition and real work
A network of builders, teachers, and fellow apprentices rooted in the same values
A living relationship with the natural building community in Ashland, Oregon — one of the most vibrant in the country
The irreplaceable experience of having built something real, from the ground up, with your own hands
And perhaps more quietly — a reclaiming. A return to the knowledge that you are capable of building. That shelter, structure, and beauty are not reserved for specialists. That this is yours, too.
To remember, in your own body, that you are capable of building.
THE FINER DETAILS…
Over three months, apprentices will participate in the complete construction of two nearly identical small natural homes — and the structure of the two builds is intentional.
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The first home is built by the teaching team, with apprentices working alongside every step of the way — learning through proximity, participation, and direct instruction at each phase of the process.
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The second home is built largely by the apprentices themselves. With the full support and guidance of their teachers, they apply what they have learned — taking real ownership of decisions, sequencing, and craft. This is where the learning lands. Where it moves from observation into embodied knowledge.
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Apprentices will also participate in the construction of the Hiven — a one-of-a-kind women's menopausal temple located at Ashland Wellsprings. Inspired by the intelligence and architecture of the hive itself, this living structure integrates active bee hives directly into its design. Building the Hiven offers apprentices a rare encounter with a deeply symbolic, unconventional natural structure — a reminder that natural building is not only a technical practice, but a cultural and ceremonial one.
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The apprenticeship takes place in one of the most remarkable natural building communities in the country. Ashland is alive with unique natural structures, and apprentices will be surrounded by examples of the craft at every turn — in the buildings they live near, the people they meet, and the land they work on. This is not a classroom. It is an immersion in a living tradition.
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June 14 – September 14, 2025
The core apprenticeship runs through early September, with the possibility of staying on longer depending on project needs.
Daily Schedule (Monday – Friday)
• 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Build + instruction
• 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Lunch break
• 2:30 PM – 6:30 PM | Build + instruction
Weekends are off. Approximately 35–40 hours of hands-on learning per week.
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Core group of 3 full-time apprentices, with flex capacity for up to 4. Priority is given to those committing to the full three months. A limited number of 4-week positions may be available depending on timing and project needs.
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On-site housing is available at a range of price points. All on-site residents have access to kitchen and bathroom facilities through the studio apartment. Off-site options are available for local participants.
Spaces Available
Monthly Cost
Shared studio apartment (twin beds, kitchen + bath access)
2 spaces
$475 / mo
Private teahouse (twin futon, kitchen + bath access)
1 space
$425 / mo
Private room in the Nonagon (twin bed)
1 space
$675 / mo
Van or tent camping (kitchen + bath access)
Multiple
$175 / mo
A detailed breakdown of amenities and logistics for each option will be provided upon acceptance.
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$1,500 / month · $4,500 total for the full apprenticeship
Tuition Includes
• Full apprenticeship participation
• Daily instruction and mentorship
• Access to tools and materials
• Guest teacher sessions
• Field trips
Not Included
• Food — Apprentices have access to kitchen facilities and are responsible for their own meals
• Lodging — priced separately (see Accommodations above)
Optional Paid Work
Stipend opportunities may be available ($20–30/hr) for additional project work outside of apprenticeship hours, based on skill level and availability. Scheduled on weekends or outside program hours. Not guaranteed.
Your instructors
Each instructor comes from a distinct background and lineage of experience — spanning different techniques, climates, and materials. Apprentices are not learning a single method but developing a broader literacy in natural building through the full diversity of the collective's knowledge.
Josh and Sara will be teaching June-August
Ashley will be teaching August - September
A rotating roster of respected elders and practitioners from the natural building community will join throughout the program for focused sessions, lectures, and hands-on support
Timeline
• Application Deadline: Friday, May 1
• Decision Notification: Friday, May 8
• Selected applicants invited to a discovery call
How to Apply
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We consider applicants holistically. Prior natural building experience is not required — but the following matter deeply:
• Alignment with ARC's values and ethos
• Emotional maturity and self-awareness
• Ability to live and work in close community
• Physical capacity for sustained hands-on labor
• Availability for the full three-month program
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This apprenticeship asks for full commitment to work days, physical stamina, willingness to learn and receive feedback, respect for shared space and tools, and genuine participation in a collaborative environment. All participants will sign a liability waiver and complete a safety orientation.
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You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day.