Resurgence, Evolution and Revolution - The Apprenticeship Tradition

Something Old is New Again

When I think of the words ‘apprentice’ or ‘apprenticeship’, an image of an experienced, mature tradesman or artisan comes to mind, patiently teaching his or her young understudy the skills of his craft.

Image Wikimedia Commons Public Domain

I also think of some friends of mine, after high school. Some chose university, some went back to the farm, or joined a family business.

Others chose trade school, where for 1 or 2 years they studied to be an electrician or a plumber etc... After that, they served an apprenticeship of at least one year, before becoming licensed tradesmen (or women).

Image Pexels - user Fancycrave

Some chose to go straight into an apprenticeship without trade school. They were required to serve a longer apprenticeship, do self-study, and pass qualification tests.

So what is an apprenticeship? :
“An apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeship also enables practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulated profession.” Wikipedia

The above description fits in with the traditional notion of apprenticeship. However, in recent years, not only has the use of apprenticeship made a comeback, but the practice itself is undergoing an evolution, and even a revolution.

Apprenticeship has a long tradition, dating back to at least the Middle Ages:
"The system of apprenticeship first developed in the later Middle Ages and came to be supervised by craft guilds and town governments. A master craftsman was entitled to employ young people as an inexpensive form of labour in exchange for providing food, lodging and formal training in the craft. Most apprentices were males, but female apprentices were found in crafts such as seamstress, tailor, cordwainer, baker and stationer." Wikipedia

Interestingly, many surnames of English origin denote the craft of the named person. Examples - Cartwright, Ward, Shipman, Hunter etc. For a list see Surnames

Out of Control University Costs Causing Many to Reconsider Their Options

More and more young people, and even adults, are choosing trade schools and apprenticeships as gateways to a career. Source

Why is this happening? Perhaps the main driver, especially in the United States, is the ever increasing cost of university, and the prospect of becoming an indentured slave to massive student loan debts.

The graph below shows the dramatic +300% increase in tuition alone from 1980 to 2014.

The green circles represent tuition cost increases. CNBC

One of the main factors driving runaway tuition costs and student debt is the massive increase in college administration staffing.

One study shows: “… that for the California State University system, in a 34 year period, the number of faculty rose by about 3% whereas the number of administrators rose by 221%.” Source

The increased cost of tuition, combined with wage stagnation for many middle and working class people, has fueled the rise in student loans and student debt.

Student loan debt rose from $480.1 billion (3.5% GDP) in Q1 2006, to $1,490.8 billion (7.6% GDP) in Q4 2017. Source for graph and debt numbers - Wikipedia

The average student loan debt for the Class of 2017 graduates was $39,400, a six percent increase from 2016. Americans owe over $1.48 trillion in student loan debt, involving about 44 million borrowers. Source

The above factors are not only making many reconsider trade schools and traditional forms of apprenticeship, but driving new forms of learning and apprenticeship.

In With the Old, and in With the New Too

As technology develops, and more and more human jobs become computerized, automated or robotized, new opportunities in computer related tech and entrepreneurship are opening.

This includes a burgeoning of tech and entrepreneurial apprenticeships, completely by-passing 4-year universities, and even 2-year colleges.

Increasingly, people are discovering that when they leave university, especially if they have studied non-STEM programs, there is no job waiting for them that is relevant to their education. And employers complain that many graduates have few or no skills related to the jobs they seek. In others words, many graduates are mismatched for the job market. Source

Image Pixabay via Pexels CC0

A New Win–Win Movement

More and more young people, entrepreneurs and tech companies are coming together to solve two major problems: the tuition cost – student debt issue, and the education – job mismatch glitch.

This is a good solution for young, ambitious people with an aptitude for technology and entrepreneurship, and for entrepreneurs and start-ups requiring intelligent, self-motivated workers.

Although there are many variations, typically the apprenticeship candidates will be sorted by interest and aptitude, then assigned an apprenticeship for a period of 6 months to a year or longer. During this time they gain valuable first-hand knowledge and skills. And they strengthen their sense of competence and can-do.

Image Wikipedia Commons

At the end of the program they have a CV (Resume) that features their knowledge, skills, accomplishments and their work experience. This is what prospective employers want to see. You can read about one person’s experience Here

Some will create their own businesses and start-ups, leveraging the knowledge gained. And they begin their new careers without $50,000 in student debt chained to their ankles.

Meanwhile, people who chose university will still be in their first or second year, shouldering an ever-heavier debt-monkey on their backs.

One organization that brings together entrepreneurs and apprentices is Apprenti. *Example only, I have no affiliation. There are others as well.

Such programs tend to have a high success rate, while taking a fraction of the time and cost of university. This is a niche becoming a dynamic movement, and is a good model for reducing student debt, while giving workers and businesses what they really want and need.

It is giving young people today a little more freedom and control over their own destinies.

Image Pixabay - user Satyatiwari

For more information see - prnewswire, techpartnership, and digitalmarketinginstitute