Everyone
understands that Minor League Baseball exists for the purpose of player
development. We are a training ground, and that rings true for our entire
operation. The DBAP is a launching pad for careers in the sports industry.
My
advice to young people interested in the sports biz: Get a degree in business
(or another major aligned with your interests) and it must be paired with a
couple of years of part-time work experience in a ballpark or an arena. One
internship at the end of your college career doesn't confer a competitive advantage.
You need more than that! Here's what we offer at the Durham Bulls:
Seasonal
employment. About 50 local college students are on our game day staff ranging
from picnic hosts to fan ambassadors to the on-field promotions crew. Another
20 are in food and beverage jobs with Bull City Hospitality.
Trainee
program. In addition to hourly seasonal employment, we had 23
college students or recent grads in our trainee program and two interns. They
were working in the ballpark operations, ticketing, retail and marketing departments. We even added accounting trainees this past season.
News
flash!!! Some of these jobs begin in Jan-Feb and the rest commence in April.
Students who start looking for that summer job in May will miss out. Bulls job
postings can be found on the Capitol Broadcasting Company website.
Explorer
Post 50. The Bulls and Fox50 sponsor a unique training program for video
production. Remarkably, our in-stadium and TV broadcasts are produced by high
school students! We have about 75 participants. The young people in this
program probably get more hands-on experience in Post 50 than a university
communications major provides.
Through
the Triangle Community Foundation we offer an annual scholarship program for
our matriculating Post 50 members. These are our 2016 recipients, recognized on
Labor Day during our last game of the season...
Scholarship winners:
Bruklyn Miller (3rd from right) – This is Bruklyn’s first season with the Durham
Bulls Explorer Post 50 program. She attends Meredith College with a GPA
of 3.1 where she is studying Mass Communications with a minor in
Marketing.
Rachel McKinney (2nd from right) – Rachel has been a member of WRAL Explorer Post 5
for 3 years and Durham Bulls Explorer Post 50 for 2 years. She is a graduate of
Apex High School with a GPA of 4.8 and is attending UNC at Chapel Hill, studying Media and Journalism.
Austin Edwards (far right) – Austin has been a member of Durham Bulls Explorer
Post 50 for 3 years, and he has taken on a leadership role. Austin is on the
PIT (Producer In Training) Crew. He is a graduate of Green Hope High
School with a GPA of 4.4 and is attending North Carolina State University,
majoring in English with a concentration in film.
Molly Sobb (not pictured) – Molly has been a member of Durham Bulls Explorer Post 50 for 2 years. She is a graduate of Riverside High School with a GPA of 3.8 and is attending High Point University, studying Strategic Communications.
To the right of Wool E. Bull: GM Mike Birling, Post 50 sponsor/volunteer Ken Bland, and volunteer/Post alum Rob Rowe.
