How Do Apprenticeships Work?

Apprenticeships pay you to learn, not the other way around. In a traditional school-based internship or externship, the student pays for the privilege of working for an employer while they simultaneously go to school. (Students must pay the school in an internship or externship). Apprenticeships, on the other hand, are an earn-while-you-learn program, you’re the one being paid. Free education, you invest the time, effort and energy. There are no student loans, no heavy tuition bill, your investment is time, effort and energy. The average starting wage for an Apprentice depends on the industry – between $10-$15 for Industrial and $18-$25 an hour for IT. That’s between $20,000- $50,000 annual starting salary. As you complete steps in your training, there are salary increases that are built into the program. Invest your time, effort and energy and you’ll get raises along the way.

Apprenticeships pay off! There’s a simple formula: Number of hours on the job, plus completing specific education classes, equals a raise.

Just like college where you choose your major, you can choose your Apprenticeship. There are over 2,500 different careers that can start with an apprenticeship. Although many people think apprenticeships are just for the construction trades, that’s not true. Nearly every industry has careers that can start with an apprenticeship! That includes healthcare, manufacturing, information technology, logistics, the list is endless, and the opportunities are too!

It may not take as long as you think. While some apprenticeships can last several years, most programs take between one to four years to complete. Depending on which internship you’ve selected, you could have earned between $20,000-$120,000 while engaged in your apprenticeship. You invest your time, and energy as you work full-time hours as an apprentice and receive classroom instruction on the side, based on your availability. The education is primarily online, with teachers available to help you with questions and some reinforcement provided by your employer. Waiting on line at the grocery store? Instead of flipping through social media, why not study for your test or review your last chapter. Your classroom training is available on your smartphone, tablet or computer. Anywhere you have access to the internet, you have access to your education.