Work Trade: We offer a limited amount of work trade positions per course. If accepted, students are required to pay half or more of one of the sliding scale prices, pay a deposit, and be willing to come early and stay late to the course (depending upon the work trade job description). Additionally, work traders are required to submit a work trade application, and a personal letter letting us know what your specific skills are. The deposit is due with your registration form, and without all of the above we cannot consider you registered. The remaining amount is due no later than 30 days prior to the course starting unless otherwise stated.

If you have trouble coming up with your share, consider tuition loans from Permaculture Credit Union, and the "Create Your Own Scholarship" personal fundraising ideas.

Scholarship: A full EAT scholarship award (100% tuition without exchanging work hours) is very rare. In the past, we've offered a few to specific people whom we've especially wanted in the training, such as agricultural teachers from third world countries, indigenous elders, and physically-disabled activists. If you request a full scholarship without work-trade, please submit a personal letter, and tell us why. Otherwise we'll assume you're applying for normal work-trade.

Cancellations:
While EAT cannot offer refunds, deposits and course fees may be applied to a future course in the case of a cancellation up to 30 days before the course start date.

• Why do you want to take this training?
  
• What community projects or activist work are you doing now?
  
• What specific use will you make of the EAT training? Will you be able to share the skills with your community?
  
• What are your financial needs? Can you afford to pay half, or more, of the base tuition? Will you be fundraising for yourself?
  
• Do you have work-trade skills that we need? Are you physically able to do this work? Do you have a reliable car or pickup that you're willing to use during the training? Can you come early and/or stay late, and work on-site?
  
• Do you have a well-developed work ethic and sense of personal responsibility? Will you do the work you agree to do?

The following job descriptions are typical, but may change, depending on various locations and EAT's actual needs at the time. There may be overlap, where a work-trader is asked to do a bit of several jobs. And, depending on the job, one or several people may be assigned to that position. Flexibility helps.

EAT Courses are intentionally intense and the hours are very long, every day of the course. There isn't much time to put in work trade hours during the actual course. Therefore many of our work trade positions will be outside of the actual course time. We need work traders who are able to show up days early and stay days after the course to do set up and cleanup, materials gathering and organizing - as well as work traders who have professional skills in the areas of promotion, marketing communications, fundraising, computer graphics, public speaking, and who can work from home or in our Sierraville, Northern California office during non-course times - this may mean at any time during the year..

Set-up/clean-up -- Needs workers with good sense of what "clean" is. Arrives day or two early. Before course, preps classrooms and library. Helps teachers with books, class supplies, materials, and copying. During course, responsible for keeping classrooms, dining hall, and bathrooms clean, emptying recycling bins, and so on. On last day, helps organize cleanup crews. Stays late to make sure all books and supplies are packed up, all areas are clean, supplies taken back to storage, and so on. Car and ability to drive helpful, possibly mandatory, depending on each course needs.

Transportation coordinator -- For several weeks before course, contacts every participant and keeps track of their travel plans. Helps students connect into carpools. Answers transportation questions. Coordinates the EAT shuttle on first and last day of course. May include being a shuttle driver personally. Coordinates other shuttle drivers, ensuring all participants get picked up. This position needs person good with details and communication, committed to answering all phone calls & emails on time. It's a job that can be done mostly at home, before the course, but will also involve coordination onsite for changes to travel plans for departure.

Shuttle Drivers -- If you own or can borrow a large car or van, have car insurance, and are a safe & careful driver, we need you for this one. Shuttle drivers work on the first and last days of the course. They make several runs into town, driving students and their gear to the EAT site. Depending on how many hours owed, you may be asked to do other chores as well, during or before the course.

Materials coordinator -- Arrives two or three days early. Works with teachers to support the hands-on segments of course. Runs errands, shops, and gathers tools & materials (straw, seeds, plants, manure, rocks, sand, clay...) from stores, gardens, storage sites, stables, etc. Not afraid to get hands dirty. Reasonable physical strength needed. Throughout the two-week session, keeps tools and materials organized and ready to roll, so the hands-on class sessions have what's needed and start on time. Organizes cleanup of area after class projects, makes sure tools are put away every day. Stays late on last day for final cleanup of tools and materials, returns tools to storage. Ability to drive and own truck very helpful. This job needs workers who anticipate what needs to be done and take responsibility, not wait to be told.

Kitchen coordinator -- Liaison between the cooking team and students; helps deal with any food issues that may arise. Arrives day or two early to help organize kitchen, deal with food deliveries. Sets up recycling and composting systems. Orients kitchen teams in procedures for set up and clean up of meals. Makes sure heath protocol is being followed during meal setup/cleanup periods. Particular attention to detail with regards to dishwashing and handwashing and overall health issues mandatory. On last day, stays late to organize kitchen clean up.

Breakfast cooks and Breakfast Coordinator -- Requires waking up early (6:00 am) every day and preparing simple breakfasts: setting out cereals, yogurt, and fruit, making coffee and tea, and so on. Possibly some simple cooking (eggs and toast). Works with the kitchen coordinator and cooks to determine breakfast components. Learns and follows health protocol. On last day, stays late to help with kitchen clean up.

The following jobs are for northern California EATs only:

Kitchen coordinator -- Liaison between the cooking team and students; helps deal with any food issues that may arise. Arrives day or two early to help organize kitchen, deal with food deliveries. Sets up recycling and composting systems. Orients kitchen teams in procedures for set up and clean up of meals. Makes sure heath protocol is being followed during meal setup/cleanup periods. On last day, stays late to organize kitchen clean up.

Breakfast cook -- Requires waking up early (6:00 am) every day and preparing simple breakfasts: setting out cereals, yogurt, and fruit, making coffee and tea, and so on. Possibly some simple cooking (eggs and toast). Works with the kitchen coordinator and cooks to determine breakfast components. Learns and follows health protocol. On last day, stays late to help with kitchen clean up.