Highland Pottery in Northern Vermont has an opening for an apprentice/assistant to learn and help with all aspects of our wood-fired pottery business. The position is for those looking to learn the technical and business skills to make your way as a potter, and is an unpaid position. Full use of the studio and materials is included along with a paid position at the Vermont Gift Barn, our gallery in Burlington Vermont. A two year minimum commitment is required.

Fill out a Highland Pottery Apprenticeship Application
contact us via email
Please complete an application following the directions below:

When you open the application, select ‘Save’ and save to your desktop.
Then open from desktop, enter your information and attach to an email and send to info@vermontgiftbarn.com. Please remember to include a subject in the email 
to ensure that we receive your application.

More Information on the Highland Pottery Apprenticeship Program:

Fellow potters,

Thank you for indicating an interest in our program. We have one full time position lasting for a minimum of two years for you to consider.

Highland Pottery is a pottery studio located in the beautiful Green Mountains in Northern Vermont.

Jaime McCutcheon began his career as a potter in 1995 after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design the year before. He apprenticed in Maine with Brad Wiseman and then in Connecticut at Cornwall Bridge Pottery with Todd Piker, one of this country's best known potters. In 2003 he went to work as a production potter for Simon Pearce while he built his pottery studio and wood fired kiln in Fletcher, Vermont.

The pottery has been a successful operation since its beginnings in Stowe Vermont in 1995 to it's present location in Fletcher. Since the constriction of our new wood kiln in 2007, our wholesale business has put our pots in high demand and we are well represented in Vermont. We make our pots year round and stop only to load and fire the kiln and during the holiday season. Vermont is a beautiful place to live and work! A well equipped pottery and compatible colleagues create a satisfying environment for the serious crafts person who is dedicated to the learning process.

Application
If you wish to apply for this position, please download our application and email it to us following the directions below.

In addition, a personal visit to our pottery is required. Call 1-802-849-2300 for more information.

Job Description
Highland Pottery provides the opportunity for those of limited or for those of professional experience to earn money while they learn at our pottery. In a professional environment you will find out what it is like to sell your work directly to the public at our Gallery in Burlington, Vermont and to sell it on your own. All equipment and materials necessary for our assistant or apprentice to develop both technically and artistically are provided.

Qualifications
A basic background in pottery; a willingness to cooperate and work hard; the ability to work successfully with others in close quarters over an extended period of time. Apprentices learn through observation, participation, and teaching from Jaime and his staff.

Some Responsibilities
Shop Maintenance - includes keeping the studio clean and orderly.  Floors, windows etc., kiln building and all equipment are all included in daily cleaning routines. Workers maintain fixed schedule with everyone taking part in all jobs during an 8 hour day. Hours will be extended during the summer season and during the firings.

Pottery - Learning to make the Highland Pottery wholesale line, pugging clay, mixing glazes, loading and firing the kiln, unloading and preparing pots for sale.

Assisting in whatever jobs need to be performed around the pottery including wood prep for the kiln. This is a physically demanding job and requires many hours per week.

Finances
In return for participating in the work described above, you will be keeping the pots that you make on your own time. Some of these we will buy from you outright for our gallery. Others are for you to sell where you choose, Vermont is full of many wonderful stores and home to numerous craft shows around the State. All tools, materials, and equipment as well as firings will be provided. Your pots sold to my gallery will be at a wholesale price, 50% of the retail price. Your ability to earn will be based on your ability to produce functional pieces that fit the theme of our gallery. Pricing will be done by you with help from me. All of your work will be inspected, critiqued, and approved for quality by me and our Gallery manager. You might want to consider saving money before you come, to tie you over until you can begin to produce acceptable pots to sell. We  fire the kiln about two to four times a year. All of our past apprentices have worked additional part time jobs as well. I also provide some paid hours at our gallery, The Vermont Gift Barn & Gallery located in Burlington, Vermont. You will be paid $10 per hour and the amount of hours you receive will depend on the season. For example: Highland Pottery shuts down from Thanksgiving through the second week of January to accommodate the very busy holiday sales season at our gallery. This is an excellent opportunity for extra paid hours.

The pottery apprenticeship is considered a PRACTICAL EXTENSION OF ACADEMIC TRAINING, LEARNING THROUGH DOING . It is an opportunity to continue learning in the context of a functioning pottery studio . The opportunity to learn in a beautiful, stimulating environment is a modification of the traditional apprenticeship model which has successfully educated skilled artisans for generations.

The pottery apprenticeship's major goal is to teach you how to make a living as a potter. You will be encouraged to grow as an individual, a potter, a business person, and a designer. You will be directed to increase the quality, production, and sale of your pots.

The pottery apprenticeship starts by arrangement, and after a trial period of four weeks the agreement to stay for at least two years will be made and a contract will be signed. Individual needs will be considered. A two year commitment is required because it is most beneficial to those first starting out. It provides time to develop technical skills and work philosophies needed to succeed at a professional level.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITY

1. PAID GALLERY POSITION WITH A PLACE TO SELL YOUR POTS
2. 216 CUBIC FOOT DOUBLE BOURRY BOX WOOD FIRED KILN WITH 10 VENTURI B5 BURNERS FOR PRE HEAT
3. VENCO DEAIRING PUG MILL
4. THREE ELECTRIC WHEELS
5. 16 CUBIC FOOT ELECTRIC KILN
6. ALL NECESSARY MATERIALS, CLAYS, CHEMICALS, EQUIPMENT
7. PERSONNEL INSTRUCTION
8. LOCATED IN THE BEAUTIFUL FARM COUNTRY OF THE GREEN MOUNTAINS IN VERMONT.