A Working Holiday

AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER, the feeling washes over almost everyone who works in an office: the sudden urge to give it all up and become a farmer, winemaker or baseball player. Then reality sinks in — bills, the need for a stable job, bills — and the Great Dream becomes a passing fancy.

Enter VocationVacations, the innovative new travel company based in Portland, Ore., that lets people try out their fantasy jobs in a low-risk way — while they are on vacation from their real work. "The time has come when people are ready to start thinking outside the cubicle," says company founder Brian Kurth, himself a refugee from corporate America. "This allows them to test the waters in a safe way. These are baby steps into a possible new life."

In 2001, after losing his job in the dotcom bust, Kurth decided to leave Chicago and follow his passion. Instead of taking another corporate job, he ended up in Portland working in marketing for a Sonoma County — based vintner. "I realized that lots of people would like to do that sort of thing but aren't ready to risk their security in search of a dream," says Kurth.

In VocationVacations, people can explore such varied careers as winemaker, raceway manager, master gardener, innkeeper, rancher, chocolatier, cheesemaker, fishing-and-hunting outfitter or brewmaster. But these aren't dainty tours. The jobs can be hard work. Kurth matches up vacationers to work alongside mentors who are experts in the field. "It's hands-on real-world experience," he says. "If you want to be a horse trainer, you are there cleaning out the stalls. If you want to try out cheesemaking, you are going to be up at dawn milking the cows." The average trip lasts a weekend and costs between $500 and $1,000, including a follow-up session with a career coach if you're serious about making the leap to a new occupation.

Based on requests, Kurth is creating new packages, including possible stints as a chef, golf pro, news anchor, opera singer, zookeeper, pilot, archaeologist, sports announcer, photographer and a Los Angeles wedding-and-events planner.