Frequently Asked Questions

Apprentices train with experienced aviators and technicians  to hone their skills for deployment to a JAARS hub. In addition, discipleship conversations revolve around preparing for missions.

After you have finished your apprentice training, you are expected to serve a three-year term overseas and one year back at JAARS base in North Carolina. At that time, discussions will be had about longer term service with JAARS.

• A JAARS Apprentice candidate must be a believer with a deep and growing relationship with God, must agree to the JAARS statement of faith, must be an active member of a biblically-solid church, and embrace the vision and mission of JAARS. 
• An apprentice must also have the appropriate aviation certifications, personal attributes, and be willing to pursue overseas deployment with JAARS. Aviation certifications include:
  • Pilot: Commercial pilot license with instrument rating and valid Class II FAA Medical or equivalent (Prefer:  High performance and tailwheel aircraft endorsement)
  • Mechanic: Airframe and Powerplant certificates, or ICAO equivalent
• An Apprentice’s spouse, if applicable, must be supportive and willing to be trained in preparing for an overseas assignment.

In addition to ongoing aviation training costs and significantly subsidized housing costs, apprentices are paid $16 an hour. After the successful completion of the apprenticeship, staff members are paid a salary set in accordance with their qualifications/certification.

• Apprentices receive one-on-one discipleship and a thorough compensation and benefits package that includes significantly subsidized housing, insurance, retirement, and paid time off. 
• Pre-field training beyond aviation training—such as cross-cultural training, security training, language acquisition training, prayer partnership development training, and more—is also a part of the apprenticeship. Spouses of apprentices should plan to take part in this aspect of training as well.

Apprentices typically train and/or serve for 40 hours a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an hour lunch break. However, some training events will require longer hours and travel. Discipleship meetings typically occur during the 40 hours per week.

• There will be important opportunities for apprentices to participate in relationship building with their deployment team and/or other apprentices, forming essential bonds before going overseas. While some of that bonding will happen during work hours, it’s vital for the whole deployment team, including spouses and children, to socialize outside of work hours. 
• Apprentices should also develop and cultivate a partnership team who will support them through prayer. They do this through regular newsletters and communication with partners and/or their local church outside of work hours.  As part of their apprenticeship training, they will learn how to build their prayer team and will receive  periodic check-ins with Apprentices staff on their progress.

By joining Apprentices, you are taking an active step in reducing barriers, easing burdens, and delivering God’s Word in a remote location overseas. You will receive training that will enable you to serve at an overseas JAARS hub.

After you have gone through the interview and assessment process, if JAARS personnel feel confident that you and your family are a good fit for the program, you will receive communications from JAARS Human Resources, with a formal offer letter to join JAARS Apprentices.

Celebrate! Complete any trainee onboarding paperwork sent by JAARS, and set up a meeting with the leadership of your local church. Share with them what you are doing and ask them to partner with you in prayer.

Apprentices rent fully-furnished apartments on the JAARS Base. Unmarried apprentices may share with another apprentice of the same gender. Apartments include a kitchen, cooking appliances, living room, bedroom(s), and a shared bathroom. Married apprentices work directly with JAARS Housing to find the unit that works for their family.  Monthly rent is $150, including utilities, internet, and laundry facilities.

Apartments are fully furnished, so bring only what you really need, such as clothes and personal supplies. Decorations can also never hurt! Check out a video walkthrough of one of the two-bedroom, two-bath apartments at this link.

The JAARS Base is located about 6 miles from Waxhaw, North Carolina, and 12 miles from Lancaster, South Carolina. While a car is not required for JAARS Apprentices, most people find it helpful to bring their own cars.

• Spouses of apprentices receive bimonthly  discipleship like apprentices do.
• There are childcare options available, a few of which are listed below. Read about all of the children and youth resources available here.
  • Apprentices may choose to enroll their children in the JAARS MK Station at the Apprentices’ expense. MK Station is a preschool facility for children from 3 months of age through kindergarten. 
  • Summer Safari is a summer program that serves first grade through fifth grade students. 
  • Middle schoolers and high schoolers may participate in the JAARS youth group.
• Families will also receive training in preparation for serving overseas.

While you are at JAARS, you will use the following addresses:
Letters:
JAARS/Apprentices
Your Name
PO Box 248
Waxhaw, NC 28173

Packages:
JAARS/Apprentices
Your Name
7601 Radin Road
Waxhaw, NC 28173

JAARS is located 30 minutes south of the outer beltway of Charlotte, North Carolina, and 20 minutes from Lancaster, South Carolina. We are 10 minutes from Main Street in “downtown” Waxhaw.

The JAARS Base is a beautiful 600+ acre rural campus with recreational areas and a swimming pool, 18-hole disc golf course, library, dining room, health clinic, RV park, childcare facilities, and youth ministries. In the community, one can find game-night groups, volleyball groups, Bible studies, as well as other special events.

Waxhaw, North Carolina, is a family-friendly, historic, small town, surrounded by a natural backdrop of rolling hills, horse country, and outdoor recreation. It has creative and performing arts, vibrant music, antiques, and good old-fashioned parades.

Lancaster, South Carolina, is also a historic small town with a state university campus, shopping areas, several festivals and events, as well as a yearly Christmas parade.

Recreational activities in the Waxhaw area include escape room games, mini golf, beautiful parks, delicious places to eat, and much more! Here are some examples of what is in the area:

• Cane Creek Park: biking, walking, kayaking, picnicking
• Charlotte
• Crowders Mountain State Park
• Andrew Jackson State Park
• Rock Hill Riverwalk
• 40 Acre Rock Heritage Park
• Anne Springs Close Greenway
• Six Mile Creek Greenway
• Historic Brattonsville

You (and your spouse) will meet bimonthly (separately) with your discipler. Your discipler has conversation topics designed to help you prepare spiritually for your overseas deployment, but you and your discipler can also tailor your meetings to what’s most effective for you.  In addition, you (and your spouse) will attend our InterCultural Communications Course, which focuses on spiritual preparation for overseas service.  There are also many good churches in the Waxhaw area where you can grow in your faith.

During Apprentices, you will train with experienced mission aviators, most who have prior overseas experience. They will tailor the training to your learning needs. Some learning opportunities may include: training classes, Pre-Field Orientation, and Mountain Week.

• JAARS will provide opportunities for team-building with your apprenticeship group as well as integration into the larger JAARS community.
• During your apprenticeship, you will have the opportunity to develop teamwork dynamics with other missions-minded individuals. Some of these individuals will be your future overseas teammates, enabling you to build relationships before you go to the field.
• Outside of work, there will be additional opportunities to build community with the other apprentices and their families.

JAARS will deploy apprentices to hubs of operation in the swath of dense jungle areas we call the Green Band.

During your apprenticeship, you will have conversations with a task force of Human Resources and Air Operations representatives who will work with you to determine the best fit for you and your family.

Midway through your apprenticeship, you will have your deployment location and will know many members of your deployment team. The second half of your apprenticeship will focus on training, both cultural and technical, specific to your deployment location.

Once you are proficient in the necessary skills, your apprenticeship training will end. This training can take up to two years. You can expect to be deployed as soon as possible after your apprenticeship. The political climate, visa applications, language acquisition training, and other factors will be considerations in the timing of your deployment.

You can expect to be deployed for three years before returning to the JAARS Base in North Carolina. This time of “home assignment” will be defined prior to your return to the United States.

You do not need to raise financial support to be deployed. You will, however, build a partnership team of people who will support you through prayer.

Yes, commercial income helps offset operational expenses as well as flight costs for both national and expat missionaries.

Yes! JAARS Interns are paid $11 per hour.

A JAARS Interns candidate must be a believer with a deep and growing relationship with God, can agree to the JAARS statement of faith, and embraces the vision and mission of JAARS. Beyond that, we require the completion of four semesters of college and a learner attitude.

Benefits for interns include a life skills workshop (aka Life Hack), coverage of the cost of the Highlands Ability Battery and the corresponding career advising/coaching, outings, personal, spiritual, and professional development, and one paid holiday (Memorial Day).

Interns are expected to participate in one life hack and two outings during their 10-week internship. This is approximately 9 hours outside of work hours.

All one-hour coaching times and group Bible studies are during work hours. Two hours of career advising with a Highlands Ability Battery coach is paid time, however the assessment itself is approximately three hours of unpaid time. Life hacks and outings are not part of paid time but will enhance your overall experience as an Intern.

All interns help departments at JAARS complete crucial projects that will in turn support mission workers overseas. Each project contributes to the vision and mission of JAARS in different ways. This is a great topic to discuss in the second and third interview with the Interns Coordinator and project manager.

Yes. If there is an interest in staying at JAARS after the internship, we encourage interns to pursue JAARS Fellows after they graduate. Other opportunities to stay connected to JAARS could be through volunteering.

After you have gone through the three interviews, if the HR team, Interns Team, and project manager feel confident in you as the top choice, you will receive a formal offer letter to join JAARS Interns.

Celebrate this exciting, new step. Also, complete all of the onboarding paperwork that is sent to you by the HR Fellow and Interns Coordinator. If you have any questions about that paperwork, reach out via phone or email.

Interns rent fully-furnished apartments at the JAARS Center. Usually these are shared, and each person has their own room and a shared bathroom. Apartments include a kitchen, cooking appliances, living room, one or two bedrooms, and one or two bathrooms. Monthly rent is $100, including, including utilities, internet, and laundry facilities.

Apartments are fully furnished, so only bring what you really need, such as clothes and personal supplies. Decorations can also never hurt! Check out photos and a video walkthrough of one of the two bedroom, two bath apartments at this link.

Interns participate in approximately one life hack during the internship to add various life skills to their repertoires. We also do approximately two fun outings. These are just the scheduled activities; you will have plenty of time for recreational community building activities with your cohort and the JAARS Fellows on campus.

With the exception of occasional meals during outings and life hacks, interns are responsible for their own meals. Campus housing is equipped with a kitchen that includes pots, pans, dishes, and utensils.

While you are at JAARS, you will use the following addresses:
Letters:
JAARS/Interns
Your Name
PO Box 248
Waxhaw, NC 28173

Packages:
JAARS/Interns
Your Name
7601 Radin Road
Waxhaw, NC 28173

The JAARS Center is located about 6 miles from Waxhaw, North Carolina, and 10 miles from Lancaster, South Carolina. While a car is not required for JAARS Interns, most people find it helpful to bring their own car.

JAARS is located 30 minutes south of the outer beltway of Charlotte, North Carolina, and 20 minutes from Lancaster, South Carolina. We are 10 minutes from Main Street in “downtown” Waxhaw.

JAARS is located on a beautiful 500+ acre rural campus with recreational areas and a swimming pool, library, dining room, health clinic, RV Park, childcare facilities, and youth ministries. In the community, one can find game night groups, volleyball groups, Bible studies, as well as other special events.

Waxhaw, North Carolina, is a family-friendly, historic, small town, surrounded by a natural backdrop of rolling hills, horse country, and outdoor recreation. It has creative and performing arts, vibrant music, antiques, and good old-fashioned parades.

Lancaster, South Carolina, is also a historic, small town with a state university campus, shopping areas, several festivals and events, as well as a Christmas parade each year.

Recreational activities in the Waxhaw area include escape rooms, mini golf, beautiful parks, delicious places to eat, and much more! Here are some examples of what is in the area:

• Cane Creek Park – biking, walking, kayaking, picnicking
• Charlotte
• Crowders Mountain State Park
• Andrew Jackson State Park
• Rock Hill Riverwalk
• 40 Acre Rock Heritage Park
• Anne Springs Close Greenway
• Six Mile Creek Greenway
• Mini-Golf
• Historic Brattonsville

All interns positions are full-time (40 hours per week). Most positions work 8:00 am to 5:00 with an hour for lunch. However, work schedules vary for certain projects that require involvement in evening and weekend programs.

You will meet weekly with the other interns in your cohort as well as an Interns team member for a group Bible study. Additionally, you will meet weekly with a coach, who will get to know you, and ultimately disciple you into a more mature follower of Christ.

You will have a project manager whom you will meet with weekly. They will work with you through the various aspects of your project(s). In addition to your project manager, you will receive professional coaching. This coach (same as above for spiritual coaching) will talk with you about your areas of interest, the parts of the job you like and may not like, and will help you navigate your internship and even your career beyond JAARS. Additionally, you will take the Highlands Ability Battery and will receive career advisement from a Highlands Consultant.

The Highlands Ability Battery (HAB) is a human assessment tool that objectively measures your natural abilities by asking you to perform specific tasks or exercises. As part of the Highlands Whole Person Model, the HAB is the foundation and starting point to identify the career best suited for you.

The HAB is unique in that it measures your abilities based on performance rather than perception. Exercises such as recreating designs from memory, manipulating blocks in space, and putting images in logical sequence are some of the virtual tasks you are asked to perform within a set amount of time. Results based on timed performance are far more reliable than results based on self-perception or personal opinion.

Read more here.

JAARS partners closely with SIL International, 100+ organizations of the Wycliffe Global Alliance, and with other local and global organizations. The majority of our supported staff are Wycliffe members (their funding and sending organization) assigned to JAARS, or seconded to SIL International and located at JAARS.

Yes! JAARS Fellows are paid $12 per hour.

A JAARS Fellows candidate must be a believer with a deep and growing relationship with God, can agree to the JAARS statement of faith, and embraces the vision and mission of JAARS. Beyond that, we require an Associates or Bachelor’s degree (or life/experience equivalent – i.e. YWAM Discipleship Training School, relevant work experience, etc.) and a learner attitude.

Beyond the $12 per hour compensation, the Fellows benefits package includes paid holidays, sick days, and vacation days. Health insurance is also available for those who need it. Additional benefits include community outings, life hacks (life skills classes), and enrollment in the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course.

Fellows receive 10 paid sick days and 10 paid vacation days after their initial 90 days. In addition, there are at least 8 paid holidays.

Fellows are expected to participate in one life hack and one outing a month. This is approximately 6 hours per month outside of work hours. Fellows spend 1-2 hours per week in intentional community time with their cohort(s). This time could include games, food, conversation, etc.

All one-hour spiritual coaching and professional coaching times are during work hours. During the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course, fellows spend 6 hours on content during work hours. Life hacks and outings are not part of paid time but will enhance your overall experience as a Fellow.

All fellows help departments at JAARS fulfill crucial roles that will in turn support mission workers overseas. Each position contributes to the vision and mission of JAARS in different ways. This is a great topic to discuss in the second interview with the hiring manager.

Yes. Historically, we have had approximately 39% of fellows join JAARS staff after the completion of their fellowship. Some of those have filled short-term roles, while others have filled long-term staff roles. If there is an interest in staying at JAARS after the fellowship, fellows are encouraged to discuss potential opportunities with their supervisor/professional coach and the HR Director.

After you have gone through an initial interview, you will be invited to a Hiring Manager interview where, if the HR team and hiring manager feel confident in you as the top choice, you will receive a formal offer letter to join JAARS Fellows.

Celebrate this exciting, new step. Also, complete all of the onboarding paperwork that is sent to you by the HR Fellow and Fellows Coordinator. If you have any questions about that paperwork, reach out via phone or email.

Fellows rent fully-furnished apartments at the JAARS Center. Usually these are shared, and each person has their own room and bathroom. Apartments include a kitchen, cooking appliances, living room, one or two bedrooms, and one or two bathrooms. Monthly rent is $100, including utilities, internet, and laundry facilities.

Apartments are fully furnished, so only bring what you really need, such as clothes and personal supplies. Decorations can also never hurt! Check out photos and a video walkthrough of one of the two bedroom, two bath apartments at this link.

Fellows participate in approximately one life hack per month to add various life skills to their repertoires. We also do approximately one fun outing every other month. These are just the scheduled activities; you will have plenty of time for recreational community building activities with your cohort. Read more about outings and life hacks in the “How do we invest in our fellows?” section of this webpage.

With the exception of occasional meals during outings and life hacks, fellows are responsible for their own meals. To encourage community, fellows are asked to eat meals together often. Campus housing is equipped with a kitchen that includes pots, pans, dishes, and utensils.

While you are at JAARS, you will use the following addresses:
Letters:
JAARS/Fellows
Your Name
PO Box 248
Waxhaw, NC 28173

Packages:
JAARS/Fellows
Your Name
7601 Radin Road
Waxhaw, NC 28173

The JAARS Center is located about 6 miles from Waxhaw, North Carolina, and 10 miles from Lancaster, South Carolina. While a car is not required for JAARS Fellows, most people find it helpful to bring their own car.

JAARS is located 30 minutes south of the outer beltway of Charlotte, North Carolina, and 20 minutes from Lancaster, South Carolina. We are 10 minutes from Main Street in “downtown” Waxhaw.

JAARS is located on a beautiful 500+ acre rural campus with recreational areas and a swimming pool, library, dining room, health clinic, RV Park, childcare facilities, and youth ministries. In the community, one can find game night groups, volleyball groups, Bible studies, as well as other special events.

Waxhaw, North Carolina, is a family-friendly, historic, small town, surrounded by a natural backdrop of rolling hills, horse country, and outdoor recreation. It has creative and performing arts, vibrant music, antiques, and good old-fashioned parades.

Lancaster, South Carolina, is also a historic, small town with a state university campus, shopping areas, several festivals and events, as well as a Christmas parade each year.

Recreational activities in the Waxhaw area include escape rooms, mini golf, beautiful parks, delicious places to eat, and much more! Here are some examples of what is in the area:

• Cane Creek Park – biking, walking, kayaking, picnicking
• Charlotte
• Crowders Mountain State Park
• Andrew Jackson State Park
• Rock Hill Riverwalk
• 40 Acre Rock Heritage Park
• Anne Springs Close Greenway
• Six Mile Creek Greenway
• Mini-Golf
• Historic Brattonsville

This class enhance your overall understanding of your place in the Great Commission and how to effectively engage in it. Our God is a missional God, therefore JAARS values missions. This course prepares kingdom workers. Whether God calls you to missions or the marketplace after your fellowship, you will be equipped to advocate for missions in all future endeavors.

Perspectives is structured like a college-level course. Read the course overview here. Fellows take the course at a certificate level which includes videos, readings, reviews, discussions, and an integrated project.

All fellows positions are full-time (40 hours per week). Most positions work 8:00 am to 5:00 with an hour for lunch. However, work schedules vary for certain positions that require involvement in evening and weekend programs.

You will meet weekly with a spiritual coach, who will get to know you, and ultimately disciple you into a more mature follower of Christ. Your spiritual coach will be assigned to you after you’re given the opportunity to interact with multiple spiritual coaches and you have provided input as to which individual you’d enjoy working with.

You will have a professional coach whom you will meet with weekly, this individual also happens to be your manager/supervisor. They will work with you through the various aspects of your role, talking to you about areas of interest for you, the parts of the job you may not like. They are there to help you navigate your job and even into your career beyond JAARS.

JAARS partners closely with SIL International, 100+ organizations of the Wycliffe Global Alliance, and with other local and global organizations. The majority of our supported staff are Wycliffe members (their funding and sending organization) assigned to JAARS, or seconded to SIL International and located at JAARS.