What Is an Apprenticeship? How It Works, Pros and Cons, and How to Get One

An apprenticeship is a job where your employer pays you while training you, and if the program's registered, you'll finish with a credential that employers recognize across the country.

The trade-off is time. Most programs last years, and you'll work a full-time job while you take classes on top of it.

How Do Apprenticeships Work?

An apprenticeship pairs paid work with classroom instruction. A sponsor pays your wages and provides the training. That can be a single employer or a partnership between businesses and a union. You learn the work by doing it next to journeyworkers (the fully trained people in the occupation), and your pay grows as your skills do.

A registered apprenticeship is one that's been approved by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) or a state apprenticeship agency, and federal rules set a floor for it:

• Pay that grows on a schedule. There's a written wage schedule that increases as you gain skills, and your starting wage can't be below minimum wage.
• Classroom hours. The rules recommend at least 144 hours of related instruction for each year you're in the program.
• Proof you finished. When you're done, you'll get a nationally recognized certificate of completion.

Unregistered programs exist too, and some are good. They don't carry those federal protections, though, so it's fair to ask any program you're considering whether it's registered.

Sorting programs that pay you from programs you pay for gets tedious fast. In our training catalog, look for the "Pays You" label: it marks apprenticeships and other programs that pay you while you learn.

Do Apprentices Get Paid?

Yes! You're paid from your first day on the job, though your first paycheck won't match the one you're training for. Registered programs set apprentice pay as a percentage or dollar amount of the journeyworker wage, then raise it in set increments as you log hours or demonstrate new skills.

How long you'll train depends on the occupation and on how the program measures progress:

• Time-based programs count hours on the job. Electricians, for example, typically receive about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training per year over a four- or five-year program.
• Competency-based programs move you forward as you prove you can handle each part of the job, so you aren't waiting out a clock.
• Hybrid programs set a minimum number of hours plus a list of skills you'll need to show.

Across occupations, formal apprenticeships usually last about four years, though some take as little as 12 months and others as long as six years. Four years sounds like a lot, we'll admit. A bachelor's degree also takes four years, and it sends you a bill instead of a paycheck.

We've broken down how long apprenticeships take in five popular trades, including pay and costs for electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, carpenters, and welders.

If you've done related work, it can shorten the clock. Electricians with military or construction experience may qualify for a shortened apprenticeship based on that experience and testing. And a sponsor that credits your experience can't leave your pay behind: it has to match the step you skip to.

The Benefits of an Apprenticeship

• A paycheck while you train: You're an employee from the start, and you're paid for the hours you work.
• Little or no tuition: Of the apprenticeship programs on SkillUp, 90% are free and the other 10% cost under $10,000. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that apprentices get their education without taking on student loan debt.
• Strong pay after you finish: DOL reports an average starting salary of $86,000 for apprentices upon program completion.
• Jobs that last: According to the same DOL data, 93% of apprentices keep their jobs after completing their apprenticeships.
• Job-search confidence: In SkillUp’s Pulse Survey, 58% of apprenticeship enrollees (average age 20) felt more confident in their job search than peers in traditional programs. Among users in other programs (average age 43), 43% felt confident.
• A network in your trade: You spend years working next to journeyworkers and other apprentices in your field, and they become your professional network. Our guide to building social capital covers how to turn those working relationships into job leads later.

The Downsides of an Apprenticeship

• A multiyear commitment: A four- or five-year electrician program is a long stretch next to a certificate you might finish in under a year. If you can't wait that long, a shorter program could get you working sooner.
• Lower pay at the start: Starting at a fraction of the journeyworker wage can mean a pay cut if you're switching careers.
• A full work week plus class: Classroom hours don't replace your shifts. They're added on top.
• One occupation: You train for a single occupation. If you find out six months into a roofing apprenticeship that you hate heights, the program won't pivot you into medical assisting.
• Competitive entry: Programs don't take everyone who applies. The line installer apprenticeships BLS describes may look for a high school diploma or equivalent, a year of high school algebra, a qualifying aptitude test score, and a passed drug screen.
• Geographic concentration: On SkillUp, programs cluster in Seattle, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, so other areas have fewer nearby options. If you’re outside those metros, start with the national and online apprenticeship programs in our catalog.

Apprenticeship vs. Trade School, Internships, and Earn and Learn

• Trade school: You pay tuition, finish sooner, and then look for work. Graduates of technical programs often get credit toward an apprenticeship later. Our trade school guide covers cost and length.
• Internship: Usually shorter, often unpaid, and without a registered wage schedule or completion credential. It’s good for testing a field and weaker if you need income.
• Earn and Learn: A broader category where your employer pays you and covers your training from day one. These roles tend to be shorter and more flexible than apprenticeships, and they're growing in business fields like insurance, banking, and tech sales. Our Earn and Learn guide covers pay, who qualifies, and how to apply.

Apprenticeships Aren't Only for Construction

The idea that apprenticeships belong to hard hats and union halls is outdated. About half of registered apprentices work in construction, which means the other half don't. GAO reports on registered programs in fields such as cybersecurity and shipbuilding.

Our own catalog shows the same spread. Unions sponsor 63% of the apprenticeship programs on SkillUp, short-term training providers account for 19%, and community colleges account for 16%. Our users engage most with programs for electricians, carpenters, plumbers, IT support specialists, and network security administrators. The providers our users connect with most are Apprenti, Year Up, and the Urban Technology Project. We've written more about how apprenticeships have grown beyond the trades.

If construction is where you want to be, our skilled trades hub lays out pay and training for each trade.

Is an Apprenticeship Right for You?

Start with the money. Could you live on a first-year apprentice wage for a year or two while your pay catches up?

If the answer's yes, you're trading a few lean years for a credential, a raise schedule that's written into your agreement, and no tuition bill.

If no, an Earn and Learn role or a shorter certificate can bridge the gap while you save. You can browse open Earn and Learn jobs on our job board today.

Then, think about how you learn. If you'd rather figure things out with the tools you have than read about them first, you'll probably like the structure. If you'd rather sample a few fields before you commit, an internship or a short course lets you do that without signing up for years.

How to Get an Apprenticeship

1. Pick the occupation first. An apprenticeship trains you for one job, so compare pay, growth, and daily work before you apply. Our career explorer lets you research careers side by side.
2. Search registered programs. Filter our training catalog to apprenticeships, then cross-check DOL's Apprenticeship Job Finder.
3. Read the entry criteria early. If there's an aptitude test, don't walk in cold.
4. Ask about credit for experience. Military service or construction work may shorten your program, with a matching bump in pay.
5. Get help with your application. Our free career coaches can help you prepare your resume and practice for the interview.
6. Plan for your first week. You’re starting a full-time job and classes at the same time, so sort out the practical pieces before day one: any equipment your program expects you to bring, your commute, a weekly schedule with room for coursework, and any technology your classes use.

Find Your Apprenticeship With SkillUp

We'd love to help you find the one that fits!

• Browse apprenticeships in our training catalog
• Create a free profile to save programs you like
• Book a free career coaching session

FAQs

How much do apprentices make?

Apprentices earn a share of the journeyworker wage that increases in set increments, so your pay depends on the trade and how far along you are. Once they finish, apprentices earn an average starting salary of $86,000, according to the DOL.

How long is an apprenticeship?

Most formal programs take about four years, with a range of roughly one to six years depending on the occupation. Electrician and plumber programs typically take four to five years, and our trade-by-trade timeline guide has the numbers for five common trades.

Do you have to pay for an apprenticeship?

Usually, no. On SkillUp, 90% of apprenticeship programs are free, and the rest cost under $10,000.

Can adults start an apprenticeship?

Yes. Each program sets its own entry criteria, and work or military experience you've already got may count toward your hours.

Is an apprenticeship a job?

Yes. You're hired as an employee, paid for the hours you work, and trained on the job.