Vacations – a time to kick back, relax and forget about work. But some vacationers -- you could call them workaholics -- are actually vocation vacationers, part of a growing trend of fantasy jobs come to life.
“You test drive a car before you buy it," said Brian Kurth, President of Vocation Vacations. "Why wouldn’t you test drive your dream job?”
Vocation Vacations pairs travelers with career-inspired getaways. They offer around 250 trips. Think of them as adult internships on steroids. There’s everything from dog trainer or brew master, to dude ranch owner and racecar driver. Try fashion designer on for size, or taste test being a chocolatier. You can even take a step at choreographing music videos. But the biggest hitters are the jobs in sports.
Anthony Depasquale currently works at a juvenile correctional institution. But, just this month Depasquale took a swing at being a general manager of a baseball team.
“It’s good for people to try something new that maybe they wouldn’t try before”, said Depasquale. "Too scared to try. Maybe it can help them get a different job in the future and do something they really like."
The price tag for his weekend at the ballpark? About $800. Other vocation vacations, like three days with a Los Angeles wedding planner, cost $2,000. All the vacations exclude hotel and airfare.
Only half of American workers say they’re happy with their jobs. Since opening in 2004, about 20 percent of the nearly 1,000 alum at Vocation Vacations have left their Office Space-like careers for their dream jobs.
“It really is about personal and professional due diligence, and our vocationers are definitely saying it is return on investment”, said Kurth.
So, if your 5x5 cubicle is cramping your style, maybe you need a vacation to help you find your new vocation.