One significant benefit of an MTS Apprenticeship is that you get the opportunity to experience “life as a full-time Gospel worker”, with its ambiguous priorities, porous borders between personal space/time and work space/time. Experience the real hard-work required for do ministry well, as well as the joy and the tears.
This is especially relevant for those apprentices who are changing career and apprentices who plan to invest a further 4 years studying theology at college after their apprenticeship completes – the question they need to answer to is: “When I finish and I’m working in ministry, will it be what I’m expecting or hoping, or is this all a terrible mistake?”. An MTS apprenticeship in which you live the life of a Gospel worker for two years will help you answer that question.
Working part-time during an apprenticeship dilutes this experience and divides your loyalities. For example: Yesterday was really busy and difficult, and this morning is little better, and so the preparation for tonight’s Youth Group talk did get done when you planned – and still needs to be done. Unfortuneately you are committed to a full afternoon shift with your part-time employer this afternoon. Which do you choose? Who are you going to get let down?
MTS expects that the church community where the apprentice is being trained will ensure that the apprentice is paid sufficiently, or received sufficient in scholarship payments, to address their financial circumstances.
MTS recommends that apprentices do not seek to have a part-time job during their apprenticeship.