The lowdown on apprenticeships

By Rob Taylor

What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is one of the oldest forms of education that there is. Back before there were established schools or a readily-available education system (at least in Europe), if you wanted to learn how to do a job, you would train with someone who was already established in that job. This became known as an apprenticeship.

In the Middle Ages in Europe there were established rules regarding trades and apprenticeships. Children would begin their apprenticeship in their teens and it would last for seven to 10 years. Girls as well as boys could be apprentices and they may have travelled far from their homes to become apprentices. Their teachers/employers were often were responsible for food and lodging for their apprentices.

Very rarely did the apprentices have a choice in what they studied; what they did learn depended on what kind of connections their family had. Once they had finished their training, if they were lucky, they were able to take over the business of their employers, or they would have to strike out on there own.

Today there is more choice in what a person can do for an apprenticeship and they are often offered through schools. A student can be hired on to learn how to do a job and will sometimes take some classroom instruction.

Once students complete their apprenticeship, they are called journeymen and are prepared to fulfil all the roles and responsibilities of their chosen career.

What kind of careers can I apprentice for? There are many careers for which you can apprentice, but the majority are for trades, including:

• Bakers
• Boilermakers
• Cabinetmakers
• Carpenters
• Communication Technicians
• Cooks
• Electricians
• Electronic Technicians
• Gas Utility Operators
• Heavy Equipment Technicians
• Millwrights
• Painter and Decorators
• Power Systems Electricians
• Welders

Where can I find more information on apprenticeships?
The advanced program search on SchoolFinder.com will give you a listing of apprenticeship programs.

If you live in select parts of Southern Ontario, you could check out apprenticesearch.com for information on local apprenticeship information and information on apprenticeships in general.