Top 5 myths about apprenticeships

When people think “apprenticeship,” there's a few traditional myths that often cloud their thinking. They assume apprenticeships are union-only, building trades-only, an option for those who couldn't get into college, and will spend years sweeping the floor. The reality today is way different — and a lot better.

These are myths, too, that aren't just felt by potential apprentices, but their parents, too. Ask any guidance counselor these days, and you'll find the convincing parents is just as important as convincing students. So with that, let's bust some myths for applicants (and their parents, too).

Myth 1 - Apprenticeships Are Only for Trades

Yes, construction is the OG of apprenticeships, but it’s not the only option. Apprenticeship is really more of a system than it is any one industry -- we talked about this when we introduced apprenticeships recently. Today, you can find apprenticeship programs in all kinds of industries.

• IT and software development

• Healthcare (pharmacy techs, medical assistants)

• Finance and insurance

• Culinary and hospitality

• Advanced manufacturing and robotics

• Teaching and education

We work with a lot of apprenticeships so we can tell you that apprenticeships go well beyond even this list. We've seen therapeutic horse trainer apprenticeships, funeral home apprenticeships, farming apprenticeships. There really isn't an industry where apprenticeships couldn't exist. It's just a matter of where we've culturally used apprenticeships, but that's changed and continues to do so.

Bottom line - if you want to work with your hands, great. If you want to work with computers or people, also great. There’s probably an apprenticeship for that.

Myth 2: You Have to Know Someone to Get In

Old-school apprenticeships were often word-of-mouth: your uncle knew a guy who got you on a job site. Let's first be honest -- this still happens today. Apprenticeships are extremely popular when offered so apprenticeships, like any job, are easier to obtain if you know someone. That's just life. However, that's not the only way to get in. Most programs post openings online just like regular jobs. The key with apprenticeships these days is knowing where -- and when -- to find apprenticeships. Again, it really helps if you know someone in the industry or in apprenticeships who can help with this (we'll do our best to fill that gap if you keep reading).

Unfortunately, there's not yet one place to find apprenticeships. They could be posted on a state website, or apprenticeship.gov, or directly on Indeed or LinkedIn. They might recruit at your school if you're in an area with a strong youth apprenticeship system. Timing, too, is important. Some programs only recruit some times of year and not others. Some require you to apply in-person. It's this disjointed experience that we're working to make more transparent.

Again, knowing someone can help, but it’s not required. In fact, just knowing the options for finding apprenticeships is even more valuable.

Myth 3: It Doesn’t Pay Well

Are you going to get paid what a fully trained worker would on day 1? No. You'll start at a fraction of that, have your education paid for (no debt!), and you'll get regular raises as you increase your experience. Typically, you might start at something like 50% of the wage of a journeyworker (ie, someone trained in the field in question).

Example:

Start: $18/hour

6 months: $21/hour

Year 2: $25/hour

By the time you finish, you're looking at $30–$50/hour, plus benefits, plus that education you're getting. Will there be a lean year to start? Likely, yes, but you'll have a clear pathway towards higher earnings, no debt, and your career lifetime earnings will immediately project higher than many other routes you could take.

Myth 4: You Can’t Advance Beyond the Apprentice Level

In the trades, especially, this is one of the biggest misconceptions out there. When you finish your apprenticeship, you'll be a journey worker or fully certified, skilled worker in your field. You'll likely continue with your current employer -- retention is VERY high in apprenticeships -- but you may be in a field where you work with multiple employers. From there, just like with college, you have loads of options:

• Continue improving, taking classes, skilling up, and move into supervisor or foreman roles

• Start your own business, especially in the trades

• Teach, mentor, or even monitor the next wave of apprentices as a trainer or inspector

An apprenticeship is one step on your career ladder, not a dead-end job. In fact, it's likely one of the most important steps you'll ever take towards legitimacy.

Myth 5: Apprenticeships Are Like Going Back to High School

The "school" part of an apprenticeship is called related technical instruction. We often wish they'd just call it school and not create their own lingo for this, but there's a reason the apprenticeship does this. It's often very different from "school" as you know it.

It’s often:

• 1–2 nights a week

• Immediately relevant things you'll use directly in your job

• Sometimes online or hands-on in a lab

It also might not be 1-2 nights a week. We know some programs where it's 2 weeks every 6 months that you're in school. Or, it's a self-paced online program you're doing. Some employers -- the best ones, we'd say -- even pay for you to take class because it's part of your apprenticeship job.

For example, for WorkHands software developer apprentices, you'd take classes online in using Git, databases, cybersecurity, working in Ruby and React -- literally all things you would immediately use in your day-to-day here as an engineer.

We could go on -- and we will! in other posts -- but you get the idea. Apprenticeships in 2025 are not what you might think. They're a pathway. They're immediately relevant to bettering your career, and they're a fantastic option if you're looking for something other than college.