Finding an Apprenticeship

[Jim Becker]

I honestly doubt there is an apprenticeship/internship in the US that is literally no pay.

I'm not speaking for woodworking, but internships are very often without pay in the US with many corporations and businesses. And that's on top of folks still paying tuition to get credit for said internships, living expenses, clothing they might not normally own, etc. My daughter was fortunate to be able to land a paid internship, but several she interviewed for turned out to be "for the experience" with no remuneration. That's the world we happen to live in right now...

[Mark Bolton]

I'm not speaking for woodworking, but internships are very often without pay in the US with many corporations and businesses. And that's on top of folks still paying tuition to get credit for said internships, living expenses, clothing they might not normally own, etc. My daughter was fortunate to be able to land a paid internship, but several she interviewed for turned out to be "for the experience" with no remuneration. That's the world we happen to live in right now...

There may be no pay but their expenses are often times factored in so they have pretty much zero overhead (housing, living expenses, etc. are typically year round if your going after it). So if your just gonig to be parking an apartment for the summer because school is out you may as well be making some connections and living in the apartment as opposed to moving back to "the teet" til school is out.

The higher education system is a load of horse $hi* at this point on many levels (sorry to professor SWMBO). Again.. if the internship is going to pay dividends on the back end... it may likely be zero pay... not the norm for someone wanting to make things out of wood. That happens in the world where the proctologist charges $550 for a 15 minute rubber glove and asks for your business card for the cabs in his man cave in house number 4. I have zero sympathy for academia "suffering" with non paid internships. The entire entity is a pyramid scheme foisted on the young to support the sytem.

[Jim Becker]

Actually, the university that Professor Dr. SWMBO works for is well known for their excellent paid coop programs/internships and has for decades. I hired IT students from the program in the 1990s...I'm even still in touch with one man who did two six month stints on my team. But alas...in recent years, many internships for college students benefit the "employer" more than they do the student financially.

[Kevin Jenness]

"1 in 1000 will have the turpitude to actually pull it off"

So that's what it takes...

[Jim Matthews]

But alas...in recent years, many internships for college students benefit the "employer" more than they do the student financially.

Amen, Reverend.

[mike stenson]

Every intern I've worked with in the last 10 years has been offered a job at the completion of their internship. Most have either taken it, or gone onto better things (or, more interesting for them). You're right about payment, it can be nothing, it can be ok.. it really depends (as far as I'm told, we pay our interns.. but I really don't know). However, it's generally assumed to be an 'extra-curricular' activity.. not a paying job. Kind of like working as a co-op at the university to reduce your costs.. or, being a grad-student and teaching.

On the other hand, we try to give them projects to do that will actually build skills and selling points on their CV. I also have stayed in touch with several, and am happy to listen or provide advice as asked/needed. Kind of like the apprentice/master relationship, there is a mentorship relationship going on.

[Tom M King]

My friends that work for NASA have always had Summer interns. I'm not sure if they get paid, or not. I'll ask. They get the smartest kids though. One particular Summer intern, from a couple of decades ago, is now a top guy at Space X, and another is running a team racing to be the first to develop Quantum Computing. All of academia internship programs are not useless. I'm sure those guys learned something useful back when they were interns. I'd bet they're all making good livings now, doing what they wanted to do.

I wonder how many people here actually build furniture for a living. I'd like to know. Teaching classes for money shouldn't count. I'm sure I couldn't even pay property tax on the Ponderosa if I depended on making furniture for a living.

[Michael W. Clark]

Things are likely different now, but when I was in school, we all did co-ops (engineering) and got paid pretty well. I know other companies have interns and they also get paid. Some companies have corporate housing and put the interns there. Most are offered a job.

As for starting out “pushing the broom”, that happens in most any job where you are the new hire unless you hire in as owner. I’ve changed jobs 5 times in my career as a mechanical engineer and I’ve had to prove myself each time. I feel the same way when I see a new hire. I want to know first if they have the “want to” to understand the problem and get in the details. Are they willing to get dirty in the field if needed? If they have that, it’s a huge step in the right direction.

Most employment contracts are voluntary and can be terminated by either party for any reason. One of the exceptions is if you are hiring in as a company officer where you have a contract for x years but that doesn’t apply here. Even in those, the company can negotiate a buyout of the contract if services are no longer needed.

[Benjamin Levin]

Thank y'all for contributing to my original post! I've read every post and each has helped me think more clearly. I think at this point I'm going to hit the pavement, get to know people, and find a great person to learn from!

[Alex Zeller]

When I first got out of high school and wasn't sure if I was ready for college I took a job at a local glass shop. Being young and not much experience I got the easy jobs. One of them was delivering glass twice a week. I was able to meet people and go into companies that I otherwise never would of heard about. We probably dealt with about a half dozen woodworking shops, two very skilled stain glass craftsmen, one who worked exclusively with brass, and even a glass blowing studio. After going into their shops for months on end and talking with them I'm sure I could have found a couple that would of hired me. As it was several let me putter. One of the woodworking shops would let me use their scroll saw. I learned how to do stain glass and I even have a goblet I blew. My point is that you just need to get in the door, knocking isn't the only way to do it.