Camp + career isn’t an either/or
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Got a text this week from one of our unit leaders.
Awesome dude. Totally committed, thoughtful, and hardworking. He doesn't come from tons of money, and is very focused on his career trajectory.
And he was trying to break up with me. (with me!!!)
I wasn't ready to accept that. Pushed back a bit (I'll stop short of saying I was a bully, wouldn’t have been very camp of me) because I wanted to understand what was really going on.
Jumped on a 15-minute call to get to the real problem: he wants an internship this summer for the career boost. And in his mind, it’s camp OR internship. Not camp AND internship.
Can’t really blame him.
I really and truly believe camp is the best professional development for most of our staff.
And yet summers at camp still don’t look great on resumes.
Maybe you disagree, totally fine. I could be wrong, but I’m betting a high percentage of our staff mostly don't think it helps their career. And in that case, their opinion matters a ton.
They assume it's either/or. Camp OR career progress.
Got another text from Scott Brody, former owner of K&E, mentor, writer of Camp Caucus, and former ACA board chair. He sent this Jamie Dimon quote:
CEO of JP Morgan basically saying what we teach at camp is what matters most.
Critical thinking. Skills. EQ. How to run a meeting. How to communicate. How to write.
Stuff we do at camp. Every. Single. Day.
And I’m going to say something maybe controversial here, but I don’t know how to soft pedal it, so I won’t.
A common camp pro refrain is “camp is good for your career” and that’s a fine take. But (and it’s a big but) our staff (and the rest of the world) don’t see it that way yet.
And we can’t just keep saying it. We have to figure out how to help them with the stuff they actually want (careers and otherwise).
Now the Work Starts
So after on call, I told him: What if we get you both?
Camp ends August 9. You go back to university in Ireland mid-September. Let’s find you an internship for those weeks in between.
Say out loud, “What can I do?, and then “I want to help” and then really and actually help.
Not just telling staff “camp is valuable, trust me.”
Actually using my network on their behalf.
For me, that’s looking like a few different things.
Our girls camp director is super connected in the business world. She’s on the hunt.
Who else is out there who could help?
Lots of American companies, sure, but trickier because he has an Irish passport. How do I help connect him in Europe?
I started texting staff, alumni, and camper parents.
Lots of people have come through our camp over the years on J1s from Europe. Which ones are successful now that I can reach out to?
No idea how this is going to end yet.
But we’ve spent more time in careers than our staff have. We can actually help them.
Would love staff calling and saying, “Here’s what I’m thinking…” instead of “I quit.”
And I want to help do this for staff because I care, obviously. It keeps the best people at camp, and selfishly, I want the best people at camp. But it also, hopefully, starts a cycle of young people seeing that camp matters for careers.
Maybe you know someone who could offer a month-long internship in Europe to help this person get some business experience on their resume. If so, let me know because that would really help me win here!
But really, how many staff out there in the camp world are trying to choose between a place they love and the career they see in the distance?
How many are thinking about calling it quits (or already have) when what they actually need is help solving something?
What would it take to build the kind of trust where they bring you the problem instead of the resignation?
And in the process keep showing them that the skills they get at camp translate to any resume and any job setting.
Our staff are the best. They assume camp is a detour from their career. We need to show them it’s part of the path.
You got this,
Jack
P.S. Speaking of professional development that actually matters →
The Skywild Inclusion Specialist Training at North Star Reach is March 22-28, 2026.
First 5 people to apply get free admission.
I’ll be there. Come play and learn how to make camp accessible for neurodivergent campers and adults.
Contact Ash Dunn at ash@campskywild.org
Get my newsletter every week.
It’s all about kids today
Jack Schott
Summer Camp Evangelist